18 Christmas cocktail recipes with 3 ingredients or fewer

Christmas cocktails

Credit: The Ice Co/Four Pillars/The Cocktail Guy

Food and Drink


18 Christmas cocktail recipes with 3 ingredients or fewer

By Lauren Geall

3 years ago

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3 min read

Treat yourself to a festive cocktail with this selection of easy-to-make recipes, perfect for celebrating Christmas and New Year.     

The last few days of the Christmas countdown are finally upon us, and as we look ahead to the big day itself, now’s the perfect time to start thinking about all the food and drinks you want to enjoy over the festive period.

While you might be disappointed if you’re yet to buy your turkey, there’s still time to treat yourself to all the ingredients you need to make your own festive treats, including some extra-tasty Christmassy cocktails.

Because we don’t all have a drinks trolley stocked full of cocktail ingredients, we’ve put together this list of cocktails that require three ingredients or fewer, so you only need to pick up one or two bits to get started. 

And if you’re staying sober this Christmas (or are looking for an alcohol-free option to enjoy between your glasses of prosecco), you can opt for one of the non-alcoholic recipes below or simply substitute one of the other recipes’ alcoholic ingredients for a flavoured cordial or tonic (for example, by switching sparkling wine or prosecco for tonic or soda water).

So, without further ado, keep reading to check out our pick of the best festive cocktail recipes with three ingredients or fewer. Enjoy!


St-Germain Spritz

St-Germain Spritz

Fresh and packed with flavour, the St-Germain Spritz makes the perfect festive apéritif.

Ingredients:

  • 40ml St-Germain
  • 60ml sparkling wine (champagne or prosecco)
  • 60ml sparkling water

Mix the ingredients above over ice in a Collins glass. If you fancy, garnish with a lemon or orange twist and serve. 


Christmas Sparkle cocktail

Christmas Sparkle

This colourful cocktail from The Ice Co is the perfect drink for your pre-dinner toast.

Ingredients:

  • A handful of premium ice
  • 25ml pomegranate juice
  • Champagne (to top up)

Chill the glass with a handful of ice. Next, pour in the pomegranate juice and top up with champagne. Garnish with pomegranate seeds for an extra touch!


Mulled Coffee

Mulled Coffee (non-alcoholic)

This non-alcoholic cocktail is the perfect way to spice up your morning coffee.

Ingredients:

To start, grab a pan and heat the milk or water and the spices until steamy. Then, remove from the heat and cover for 10 minutes (this will help the flavour to infuse). Next, grab yourself two mugs, add a spoonful of coffee to each and fill halfway with hot water. To finish, pour in the spiced milk/water and enjoy!


Gingerbread Perfect Serve

Gingerbread Perfect Serve

Enjoy an alcoholic twist on a festive classic with this gingerbread inspired tipple.

Ingredients: 

  • Pickering’s Gingerbread Gin
  • Fever-Tree’s Spicy Clementine Ginger Ale (or Clementine Tonic)

Combine Pickering’s Gingerbread Gin with Fever-Tree’s Spicy Clementine Ginger Ale (or Clementine Tonic) and ice. Garnish with pieces of candied ginger and a slice of orange threaded onto a cocktail stick.


Festive Martini

Festive Martini

With the added twist of rosé vermouth, this festive twist on a cocktail classic is always a good idea.

Ingredients: 

Grab your glass (a martini glass is best if you’ve got one) and stir the gin and vermouth with ice. Strain into the glass and garnish with lemon. 


Earl Grey Iced Tea

Earl Grey Iced Tea (non-alcoholic)

If you fancy mixing something non-alcoholic, this recipe from The Cocktail Delivery Company ticks all the boxes.

Ingredients:

  • 25ml lemon juice (save a slice for garnishing)
  • 25ml simple syrup (to make your own, simply mix equal parts sugar and water)
  • 100ml earl grey tea

To make your own, simply pour all the ingredients into a lo-ball glass (or any fancy glass of your choice) and stir! Add a lemon slice as a garnish.


Patron Paloma cocktail

Paloma

This zesty cocktail is a must-make for tequila fans.

Ingredients:

Add all the ingredients to an ice-filled highball glass and sprinkle in a pinch of salt before stirring. Garnish with a grapefruit slice and salt rim if you fancy.


Douglas Fir cocktail

Douglas Fir

This unique cocktail using gin from Australian distillery Four Pillars is easy to make and even easier to drink.

Ingredients: 

Add gin and orange juice to a wine glass over ice, then top with sparkling wine. Garnish with a wheel of orange and a sprig of rosemary to finish.


Christmas cocktail recipes: Spiced Apple Chai.

Spiced Apple Chai

This warming cocktail made with refreshing cordial is the perfect accompaniment to a Christmas day walk.

Ingredients:

This one’s ridiculously easy – simply stick all the ingredients in a pan, warm them over a stove and serve in a heatproof glass.


Whisky Ginger cocktail

Whisky Ginger

If you’re a big whisky fan, you’ll love this simple combination from mixer brand Fever-Tree.

Ingredients:

Fill a highball glass full of ice cubes, pour in the measured whisky and then slowly pour in the Fever-Tree Ginger Ale. To finish, give it a gentle stir and then garnish with a fresh slice of orange if you fancy.


Think Pink

Think Pink (non-alcoholic)

This cocktail from non-alcoholic spirit brand FLUÈRE makes for the ultimate refreshing drink.

Ingredients:

Fill a large glass with ice and add Fentimans Rose Lemonade and FLUÈRE Raspberry. Stir gently and garnish with a slice of orange.


Winter Spiced Champagne

Winter Spiced Champagne

This recipe from The Cocktail Guy requires a little bit of prep, but if you’re willing to put in the effort, it’ll definitely be worth your while.

Ingredients: 

  • 25ml mince pie cognac (150g mincemeat and 200ml of brandy)
  • Champagne, to top

In a sealable container, combine 150g of mincemeat and 200ml of brandy. Seal and give it a good shake before leaving it to infuse until the next day (give it a shake every so often – when you think of it!) The following day, pass the mixture through a strainer (to remove the mincemeat bits) and pour into a glass. Top with champagne and enjoy!


Fancy Beach Bellini

Fancy Peach Bellini

This light and fruity drink is seriously refreshing – perfect for when you need a break from all the stodgy food.

Ingredients:

Fill a glass with ice cubes and add the sliced nectarine, before pouring the peach liqueur into the glass and mixing well. Pour the prosecco over the top and stir gently to avoid losing the bubbles. Garnish with a few basil leaves for a twist on a classic.


Gingle Bells

Gin-gle Bells

This refreshing gin cocktail is packed with festive flavour (and it looks pretty, too!)

Ingredients:

To begin, add gin, lemon juice and sugar to a shaker with cubed ice and shake until the outside of the cocktail shaker turns cold. Serve by straining over fresh crushed ice in a rocks glass.


The Night Before Christmas

The Night Before Christmas

Mixing this Christmas Eve-inspired recipe is the perfect way to kick off your festivities.

Ingredients: 

  • 60ml The Sexton
  • 10ml rhubarb syrup
  • Few dashes of angostura bitters

Simply pour all the ingredients over ice and garnish with rhubarb if you fancy.


Pickle Vodka Tonic

Pickle Vodka Tonic

If you fancy trying something a little different, this pickle-flavoured vodka tonic could be right up your street – the pickle juice makes for a surprisingly crisp flavour!

Ingredients:

Combine all the ingredients in a glass with some dill and pickle to garnish.


cranberry mimosa

Cranberry Mimosa

Who doesn’t love a mimosa on Christmas morning? This take on the cocktail is even more festive, with added cranberry, from food blogger, Stephanie Parker

Ingredients:

Serves 8.

  • 1 can of frozen concentrated orange juice, thawed
  • 450ml cranberry juice
  • 1 bottle champagne or Prosecco 

Combine all ingredients in a large jug and serve over ice.


christmas martini

White Christmas Martini

It’s normal to have more of a sweet tooth at Christmastime and this take on the martini will satisfy all of your sweet cravings. It’s the ideal replacement for a desert if you’ve filled yourself up on Christmas dinner.

Ingredients:

Serves 2.

  • 100ml Rum Chata
  • 100ml vanilla vodka
  • 50ml sweetened condensed milk

Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail mixing glass with ice. Stir to combine. Strain into martini glasses.


Images: Courtesy of Suppliers/Getty/The Cocktail Delivery Company

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