Our winter cocktails range from kitsch classics like the snowball to boozy sloe sazeracs and festive eggnogs. We've also got plenty of warm winter cocktails to ward off the chill: treat yourself to the likes of Baileys hot chocolate, hot toddies and hot spiced cherry cup, as well as a gin cocktail for winter that riffs on a classic – mulled gin.

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Equip your home bar with the best cocktail accessories, and create a glassware collection using our guides to cocktail glasses and whisky glasses.


27 winter cocktail recipes

Baileys hot chocolate

We’ve added creamy Baileys and aromatic cinnamon to create the most decadent festive hot chocolate going – anindulgent pick-me-up drink!

A blue table topped with three mugs of hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows

Winter sangria

A riff on port and lemon from the 1970s, this wintry twist on sangria is a great way to use up any leftover port and also works well with red wine.

Graphic drawing of a winter sangria

Eggnog latte

Get into the festive spirit with a mug of creamy eggnog latte, made with eggnog or Advocaat, milk, espresso and a pinch of nutmeg for dusting.

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Two mugs filled with creamy eggnog latte, served on a metal tray

Christmas hot chocolate

Curl up indoors with the ultimate Christmas hot chocolate, infused with festive flavours such as cinnamon and nutmeg, and finished with squirty cream or your favourite toppings.

Three mugs of Christmas hot chocolate topped with squirty cream, flakes and marshmallows

Snowball

Advocaat, a Dutch spirit made with eggs, sugar and brandy, is mixed with lemonade to make a sweet and easy-to-make festive tipple.

A bright blue background with a long glass filled with a creamy snowball cocktail garnished with a red cherry

White hot chocolate

The ultimate winter warmer, take your hot chocolate skills further with this decadent white chocolate.

Two mugs of white hot chocolate topped with white chocolate fingers, mini marshmallows and whipped cream

Hot toddy

Warm up on chilly evenings with this hot toddy, a classic winter cocktail that combines whisky with honey, lemon and spices.

A red background with a glass mug in front filled with a hot whisky cocktail and cinnamon stick

Mulled gin

A great alternative to mulled wine – mix apple juice with gin and aromatic spices to make this warming mulled gin.

A blue background with a glass mug at the front filled with a dark yellow spiced drink and a cinnamon stick

Vegan eggnog

We’ve swapped dairy products for almond milk and coconut cream in this easy all-in-one vegan eggnog – a drink that’s perfect for festive parties.

A blue table topped with a glass filled with vegan eggnog, with a cinnamon stick on the side

Vegan black russian

This black Russian recipe from London's Bubala restaurant is as rich as it is creamy, thanks to the tangy date syrup. It’s the ultimate Christmas cocktail, which just happens to be vegan.

Vegan black russian

Mulled white wine

Move over red – mulled white wine with a splash of dry cider is here, and its comforting winter spices are guaranteed to leave you feeling cosy.

Mulled white wine cocktail

Mulled hot chocolate

Use your leftover red wine to jazz up hot chocolate over the festive season. This quick and easy mulled hot chocolate is the perfect way to warm up during the wintry months.

Red Wine Hot Chocolate Recipe

Mulled port

Warm those cockles with a heady concoction of ruby port, cinnamon, black peppercorns, bay leaves, cloves and rosemary – the perfect Christmas tipple.

Two glasses of mulled port with sprig of rosemary inside

Smoky boozy hot chocolate

How do you make a mug of homemade hot chocolate even better? Add booze, of course! Mezcal or very peaty scotch whisky lends a welcome kick, and there's chilli in there for a bit of heat, too.

Smoky Hot Chocolate Recipe

Mulled beer

Forget cider and wine – mulled beer is the thing to be drinking this year over the festive season. Our recipe has wintry flavours of cinnamon, cloves, star anise and clementine.

Mulled Beer Recipe

Hot spiced cherry cup

The perfect pick-me-up on a chilly winter night, this spiced cocktail blends red wine with cherry brandy, plenty of fresh spices and citrus. Best served warm and garnished with cinnamon sticks.

Two glass mugs filled with a cherry cup and an orange slice

Glühwein

The addition of rum to this winter classic works really well – we've added some here to compensate for the evaporation of alcohol during cooking, but it’s not essential, if you prefer your drinks a little less punchy.

Glühwein in glasses served on a tray

Baileys cocktail

Make the most of your bottle of Baileys with this creamy vodka cocktail, the perfect at-home cocktail to indulge in during the colder months.

Two Baileys cocktails topped with chocolate shavings

Spiced sidecar

A warming, cold-weather cocktail made using homemade spiced brandy. Omit the spices for a classic sidecar cocktail, or try using bourbon if you can’t find cognac.

Sidecar cocktail in a coupe glass with a bottle of red liquid behind

Chocolate martini

This decadent dessert cocktail features dark chocolate, gin and chocolate liqueur, making it perfect for a luxurious tipple at a winter dinner party.

Chocolate martini in a glass with a cocktail shaker at the side

Sloe sazerac

A seriously punchy whisky cocktail perfect for slow sipping during the winter months.

Sloe Sazerac in a glass

Sherry sour

Want a simple winter cocktail recipe? Impress friends and family over the festive season with our easy-drinking sherry sour.

Sherry Cocktail Recipe

Campfire cocktail

Curl up at home and recreate Bonfire Night with this sweet and smoky bourbon cocktail from the brilliant team at London whisky bar Black Rock.

A bourbon cocktail topped with a marshmallow and placed alongside a bottle of bourbon

Old fashioned cocktail

A seriously sophisticated cocktail, the original old fashioned calls for just four ingredients. It's a punchy, mature and super-classy option.

Easy Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe

Espresso martini

We love espresso martinis! One of the coolest cocktails around, this punchy little number blends hot espresso with vodka for ultimate effect.

A martini glass filled with espresso martini on a grey background

Chai white russian

Colder winter months call for the warming spices of chai. We’ve used it to make a twist on a classic white Russian, and tap into the trend for coffee cocktails.

White Russian Cocktail Recipe

Winter-spiced pear cocktail

A minty fresh mojito no longer seems appropriate at this time of year, and yet glass after glass of mulled wine can be a bit much. This winter-spiced pear cocktail bridges that gap perfectly – it’s light, but the warming spices of star anise and cinnamon and the silky texture from the egg white make it a great seasonal alternative.

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Spiced Pear Cocktail Recipe

Chocolate porter flip

We've revived and updated a classic dating back the the 17th century with our recipe for a chocolate porter flip. Serve this hot or cold.

Easy Beer Cocktail with Chocolate Recipe

Authors

Hannah Guinness olive magazine portrait
Hannah GuinnessSenior sub editor and drinks writer

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