Creative Holiday Cocktail Ideas, for Boozy Brunch and Nonalcoholic Treats
Whether you’re looking to get boozy or stay dry, these drinks and cocktails are the perfect companions to your Christmas brunch.
Melissa Gayle
Christmas morning is always a special time in my house. The joy of the occasion is amplified by the presence of family or close friends, and initial chaos of presents notwithstanding, the day is usually accompanied by an innate sense of serene calm. For a season that can be filled with lots of activities and to-do lists, Christmas morning is often a much more relaxed time during a high-energy holiday. After we’ve all finished tearing into gifts, we settle down for, like many holidays, the most enjoyable element: a meal.
While Christmas dinners are sometimes huge feasts with wine and revelry, Christmas brunch has the opportunity to be a bit more intimate. In my house, this typically translated into more simplistic, homestyle breakfast dishes—scrambled eggs, bacon, biscuits and jelly, that sort of thing. These types of foods feel appropriate for the laid-back, relaxed course the day normally takes in our house, and at this point, they have become a tradition.
As great as that is, it can feel a little simple—lacking in to-do for a very celebratory holiday. So, how do we add a little pomp and circumstance back into Christmas morning? With extravagant creative drinks, of course!
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There are all kinds of inventive holiday drinks out there, both alcoholic and nonalcoholic, that capture the flavors of the season and can bring festivity to any brunch. For those looking to get a little boozy, you can combine sparkling wine with fruits of the season like cranberry. Or, try cocktails that are a little more inventive, like one that takes its name from Rudolph or even one that uses sprigs from Christmas trees to flavor the drink.
Of course, there are plenty of hot options to counter the cold weather outside. We’re talking everything from hot chocolate piled high with whipped cream and chocolate shavings, to a spiked coffee flavored with gingerbread or just a simple hot spiced cider.
Whatever direction you want to go, the recipes below are a great place to start.
Sparkling Drinks
Crimson Spice Champagne Cocktail
With cinnamon, star anise, and cranberries, this drink is full of holiday flavors and may even remind you of some of your favorite dishes. While its base is sparkling wine, it’s also got some brandy to wake you up.
Holiday Spritz
This is the refreshing drink you need after a long holiday season. From Ashley Rodriguez’s cookbook, Let’s Stay In: More Than 120 Recipes to Nourish the People You Love, this drink features Prosecco, botanical-infused grape spirit, and rosemary. They all work together to keep it light, while the pomegranate brings a little bit of tartness and holiday flavor.
Christmas Kir
Kir is a traditional French cocktail made with black currant liqueur and white wine. However, this nonalcoholic version uses a cranberry base and sparkling apple juice. This drink is best kept chilled and the recipe makes a good amount, making it perfect to keep in the fridge to offer to guests whenever they arrive or need a new drink.
Holiday-Themed Drinks
Rudolph’s Nose Punch
Just as Rudolph’s nose lit Santa’s way, this bright red punch is sure to light up your morning. With both orange and lime juice and a healthy amount of grenadine, this is a classic fruity vodka cocktail. The punch nature of it only makes it more suitable for brunch.
The Lighted Tree
The look of a fir tree with soft amber lights crisscrossing through its dark green needles is quintessentially Christmas. This drink recreates the feeling of that classic look. With a mix of sparkling water, lemon, Chartreuse liqueur, and, yes, actual pine needles, the drink is light and herby, just like a pine tree. And if the sprigs aren’t giving you enough pine flavor, you can always add a little pine liqueur.
Hot Drinks
Layered Mocha
Based on a classic drink from a cafe in Turin, Italy, this deconstructed mocha lets you sip hot chocolate through layers of hot espresso and thick, cold cream. The whipped cream and chocolate make this an indulgent Christmas drink, and the espresso gives it a subtle bitter bite and some always-welcome caffeine.
Sleepy Hollow Cider
The recipe for this may call for vodka, but leave it out and you are left with a delicious spiced cider and a perfect hot non-alcoholic treat for kids and adults alike. With cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, the spices in the drink are enough to make you feel warm and cozy, and the hot cider only makes that feeling even better.
Gingerbread Java
There’s something about a spiked coffee that makes sense on Christmas morning, and this one really amps up the game. Even though it’s got molasses, brown sugar, and cinnamon whiskey in it, this drink isn’t overly sweet. But it will warm you from head to toe, and the gingerbread flavor makes it all the more delightful.
Totally Decadent Hot Chocolate
Christmas nowadays can be a very decadent holiday, and this drink fits right in with that theme. This hot chocolate is full of sweets, from fudge sauces and chocolate curls to vanilla bean. If you’re looking for a big treat to give your kids, look no further. Just be ready for the intense sugar high that’s sure to follow.
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