Christmas cocktail ideas

If you're hosting a party or just want to treat yourself this Christmas, get inspired with these amazing Christmas cocktails – from hot buttered rum to delicious daiquiris

From easy cocktail recipes that use ingredients you’re sure to have in the cupboard to recipes that will flex your culinary muscles and really impress your guests, get inspired with our favourite festive picks. Cheers!

Spice-infused vodka is the star of this cosmopolitan. Have fun mixing up the festive herbs, spices and fruit; and try rosemary, cinnamon sticks, pink peppercorns, cloves, clementines and chillies. Traditional cranberry juice is replaced with fresh pomegranate juice here – a delicious swap!

The iconic mojito gets a sparkly makeover for Christmas! The classic combo of rum, lime, mint and sugar is topped up with a dash of fizz, making this version of the much-loved cocktail feel extra special.

Whether you’re enjoying cosy evenings in with family, getting together with friends, or sharing some Christmas cheer with your neighbours; mulled wine is a great drink for spreading the love. See our step-by-step guide for how to make mulled wine and pick up our easy tips.

…But if mulled wine isn’t your jam, why not try Jamie’s festive mulled cider, infused with cloves, star anise, cinnamon and pomegranate. You can swap in other festive flavourings: bay, sliced ginger and honey would add a lovely aromatic sweetness – but any of your favourite Christmassy spices work a treat! Great with non-alcoholic cider, too.

You can’t help but feel classy drinking this cocktail – if it’s good enough for James Bond… Whether you have this shaken or stirred, the secret to a smooth martini experience is to chill your vodka, vermouth and glasses. Well, you only live twice!

This is a great cocktail to have up your sleeve over the festive period, as it uses ingredients you probably already have in the cupboard. Vodka is mixed with clementine juice and soda water, then finished with a cinnamon stick. Job done. A light, crisp cocktail that still delivers a punch.

Nothing says Christmas like a Baileys – but if you’ve run out of the festive favourite, knock up this wonderfully indulgent cocktail instead. Condensed milk is shaken with Guinness, Irish whiskey and ice; and finished with a generous grating of nutmeg for a final flourish.

If you’re looking for a quick and easy cocktail recipe, this margarita is for you. Using minimal ingredients and whatever jam you already have open, shake it up and enjoy. You can also batch this one up beforehand, so your guests can help themselves.

Use your favourite seasonal, frozen or tinned fruit in this delicious alcohol-free cocktail. Tinned or frozen cherries; fresh pears, apples or cranberries; tinned peaches… the possibilities are endless here! Make a jug and it will go down a storm.

Bénédictine liqueur is a French sweet and herby drink, with flavours of cardamom, ginger and honey. Paired with Cognac and lemon juice, then shaken over ice, this cocktail is a proper flavour explosion.

There is something so festive about ruby red vermouth, so what better choice for a Christmas gathering than a Manhattan? Jamie’s version uses red and dry vermouth, rye whiskey, orange bitters and is garnished with an orange twist. Great to batch up ahead of your guests’ arrival.

The treacle flavour that gives this Old Fashioned-inspired cocktail its name comes from a spicy, sweet mix of aged rum, sugar syrup, cloudy apple juice and orange bitters. Lip-smackingly good.

Winter’s answer to an Aperol spritz, this cocktail is a festive mix of orange, brown sugar, Angostura bitters, brandy and fizz. Your guests will love it!

Infusing the gin in this recipe is a great way to add a festive twist to the classic Italian favourite. Get your Christmas tunes on and enjoy the process of making the syrup before bottling, topping up with gin and infusing for at least a week before using.

If you can’t push the boat out at Christmas, when can you?! This is a really elegant and refreshing cocktail, which is easy to make and impressive to serve to your party guests as they walk through the door.

Everyone needs a Bloody Mary in their recipe repertoire. There are endless ways to mix up the ingredients to suit people’s tastes – boozy or booze-free, spicy or sweet. Don’t forget the celery!

Punch is a great cocktail to have on hand for those bigger festive parties, as it’s quick to make ahead of time and can easily be scaled up. This one is also a great principle recipe that you can use to make non-alcoholic versions for adults and kids alike! Simply leave out the alcohol, or add some ginger ale or sparkling water for a little fizz.

How can you resist a drink called Little tickle? A delightful tipple made from Créme de Violette liqueur, which tastes and smells like parma violets. A very sophisticated little number.

A two-ingredient cocktail that’s simply delicious! A fantastically quick, cheap and easy method that uses tinned peaches and a fizz of your choice.

Sometimes only a hot toddy will do. Warming whisky, cloves and honey brightened with lemon juice create the perfect tipple to follow a bracing Christmas or Boxing Day walk.

Want more festive cocktail inspo? Check out more of our picks, tips and tricks here. And now you’re in a Christmassy mood, explore Jamie's Christmas Gift Guide for some cracking gift ideas for family and friends, as well as The Jamie Oliver Christmas Hub for all your festive recipe needs.