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Ten cocktail recipes for December

04 December 2024 By Rupert Hohwieler

There is arguably no month that merits the need for cocktail recipes more than December – we’ve rounded up 10 of the best.

Thanks to the holidays (and because it’s cold outside), we assume there’s going to be a lot more time spent entertaining at home this month and, therefore, you’ll need some cocktail recipes – the very best.

Being December, you’ll find a selection of Christmas-themed recipes and plenty of winter-appropriate ingredients in our latest roundup. Trying to keep Christmas classy? Try Jawbox’s Clover Club, or the Bradshaw from Secret Garden Distillery. Had enough of mulled wine? Then give Absolut’s Hot Mule a go…

You can find the full list of recipes below, and for more, check out our roundups from October and November.

Already thinking of next year? If you have recipes that you think could suit future roundups, get in touch at info@thespiritsbusiness.com.

Getting Figgy With It

Fig fans, do as this cocktail says and ‘get figgy with it’ in your home bar with this recipe from Essex’s Drift Restaurant.

Ingredients:

44ml Highclere Castle Gin
30ml Fresh lemon juice
22ml Fruitful Fig liquor
15ml Lemon thyme syrup
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Garnish: Candied fig

Method: Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake for 30 seconds until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with candied fig.

Riise from the Inferno

Mai Tai takes a dip to hell and back thanks to Riise rum and Amsterdam’s Flying Dutchmen Cocktails.

Ingredients:

60ml A.H. Riise XO Superior Cask
10ml Pierre Ferrand Dry Curaçao Yuzu
7.5ml Orgeat
20ml Fresh lime juice 1 dash Scrappy’s Fire tincture

Method: Shake over ice cubes and strain over crushed ice. For the Tiki garnish, use a flower and mint sprigs.

Hot Mule

Mulled wine, move over. This toasty mule from Absolut is good for those looking to switch up their hot cocktail game.

Ingredients:

50ml Absolut Lime Vodka
100ml Hot apple juice*
Vanilla cream**
Dried apple slice for garnish
Heatproof glass/mug

Method: Add the vodka and hot apple juice into the mug. Layer the vanilla cream on top and garnish.

*Hot apple juice recipe:

500ml Cloudy apple juice
1 Piece ginger
1 Star anise
Cloves
Cardamom pods

Method: Heat and simmer, strain out solids. Leave on low heat while serving. If prepared beforehand, cool liquid and store in fridge, reheat to serve.

**Vanilla cream recipe:

Heavy cream and vanilla syrup.

Method: whip heavy cream. It needs to be runny enough to drink but firm enough to be able to float on top of the drink. Add vanilla syrup.

Saroche Sol

You can’t get much more refreshing than the crisp flavour and citrus hints of Cocuy Saroche, and a supporting cast of ginger, pineapple, and lime.

Ingredients

50ml Cocuy Saroche
50ml Pineapple juice
100ml Ginger ale
15ml Lime juice
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Salted rim

Method: Rim a Highball glass with salt, and fill it with ice. Add Saroche, pineapple juice, lime juice, and Angostura bitters. Then top with ginger ale, and stir gently.

The Bradshaw

Channel your inner Carrie Bradshaw with this twist on a Cosmopolitan from the Secret Garden Distillery, which brings a herbal elegance and bright citrus notes to the Sex and the City character’s favourite drink.

Ingredients:

50ml Secret Garden Lemon Verbena Gin
20ml Pomegranate grenadine*
10ml Lemon juice
1 bar spoon Cointreau
Garnish with a flamed orange
*Pomegranate Grenadine: 250g pomegranate juice; 250g unbleached cane sugar; 1.85g malic acid; 1.25g citric acid

Method: Add all ingredients to a Boston Shaker, wet shake and fine strain into a coupe. Garnish with a flamed orange.

Winter Collins

A Collins but not as you might know it – this twist is winterhardy and is armed with festive flavours. A perfect fit for the season.

Ingredients:

50cl Secret Garden Winter Gin
25ml Fresh lemon juice
25ml Cinnamon syrup*
Soda water

Method: Prep a Highball glass with a cinnamon-and-sugar rim. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, and pour in all ingredients (excluding the soda). Shake until chilled. Double-strain into prepped Highball glass with cubed ice. Top with soda.

*How to make cinnamon syrup

Ingredients: 4 cinnamon sticks; 300g sugar; and 450ml water.

Method: 1) Add the water and cinnamon to a saucepan and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 mins, and then strain out the cinnamon sticks. 2) Bring the water back to a boil, add the sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved. Cool before storing in sealed bottle.

Sir Edmond’s Winter Kiss

Under the mistletoe, you say? Well actually, kisses over Christmas don’t come much better than in the form of Sir Edmond’s cocktail offering, lathered with indulgent ingredients, and finished with a hint of cinnamon.

Ingredients:

60ml Sir Edmond Gin
30ml White crème de cacao
30ml Heavy cream or half-and-half
15ml Vanilla syrup
A dash of cinnamon (for mixing)
One star anise for garnish

Method: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Combine the Sir Edmond Gin, white crème de cacao, heavy cream, vanilla syrup, and ground cinnamon in the shaker. Shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds until the ingredients are well mixed and chilled. Strain the cocktail in a Martini glass. Garnish with a whole star anise and a light sprinkle of ground cinnamon for a warm, festive touch.

Jawbox Christmas Clover Club

Win Christmas dinner (and lunch) with this ridiculously good-looking Clover Club from Jawbox. The redcurrant garnish clinches it.

Ingredients:

50ml Jawbox Small Batch Gin
10ml Lemon juice
5ml Grenadine
10ml Sweet vermouth
One egg white
Redcurrants for garnish

Method: Shake all ingredients with ice, and fine-strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a sprig of redcurrants.

Chestnut Highball

December is chestnut’s time to shine, which it does in this Highball from English Bourbon Never Say Die

Ingredients:

40ml Never Say Die Small Batch Bourbon
10ml crème de chataigne (chestnut liqueur)
2 dashes orange bitters
Soda water to top

Method: Pour all ingredients into a Highball glass and fill with cubed ice. Top with soda water and give a quick stir to mix. Garnish with an orange twist.