The Best Cocktail Recipes to Try this Holiday Seasons

I certainly don’t need a holiday to enjoy my favorite cocktails, but it doesn’t hurt to have just another excuse to imbibe.  Here are a few holiday inspired choices, but you can’t go wrong with any of my previous favorites like a Negroni, Boulevardier and Last Word.

1. Winter Bourbon Smash: A Bourbon smash is a classic cocktail, but this one has a bit of a twist by using the jam or preserves instead of fresh berries.

Ingredients:

• 1 oz of your favorite jam or preserves (blackberry or raspberry is a good choice)
• 2 oz of Bourbon (or Rye)
• 1 oz of Triple Sec
• 2 oz of orange juice
• Splash of sparkling water
• Orange segment (for garnish)

Preparation:

• Add jam, Bourbon, Triple Sec and orange juice to shaker with ice
• Shake it up
• Strain into rocks glass with fresh ice
• Top with splash of sparkling water
• Garnish with orange segment

2. Cinnamon-Rosemary Old Fashioned: Another classic, but with a nod to Winter in the cinnamon rosemary simple.

Ingredients:

• 4 Tsp of cinnamon rosemary simple syrup (recipe below)
• 2 oz of Bourbon
• 3 dashes of Angostura bitters
• Orange peel for garnish
• Rosemary sprig for garnish

Preparation:

• Pour cinnamon rosemary simple syrup and bitters into rocks glass and swirl
• Pour in Bourbon and add orange peel and ice
• Stir in glass
• Add Rosemary sprig for garnish

Cinnamon Rosemary Simple Syrup

Ingredients:

• ½ cup honey
• ½ cup water
• 6 sprigs rosemary
• 3 cinnamon sticks
•  

Preparation:

• Put all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat
• Stir until honey is dissolved
• Remove from heat and allow to cool
• Store any unused syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator

 3. The Indian Summer: Something fun to try with the addition of St. Germain for the floral kick.

Ingredients:

• 2 oz of Gin
• ¾ oz of St. Germain Liqueur
• ¾ oz fresh lemon juice
• 6 Concord grapes

Preparation:

• Add grapes to shaker and muddle until thoroughly crushed
• Add the Gin, St. Germain, lemon juice and ice
• Shake for 15 seconds
• Strain into chilled coupe (or martini) glasses and garnish with remaining grapes

4. Bushwick Spice Trade

Not only is the Bushwick Spice Trade a great drink, but the presentation is beautiful.

Ingredients:

• 3 oz of gin
• 2 sugar cubes
• ¾ oz of fresh lemon juice
• 2 slices of fresh ginger (plus one slice for garnish)
• 1 tsp of Pink peppercorns
• 2 basil leaves

Preparation:

• Add sugar cubes, lemon juice, ginger Pink peppercorns and basil to the shaker
• Muddle all the above ingredients in the shaker until thoroughly crushed and sugar is dissolved
• Add Gin and ice and shake it up
• Strain into chilled coupe (or martini glasses) and garnish with ginger slice 

5. The ‘Nog (makes 2 drinks)

Finally, what would any list of holiday drinks be without some sort of Egg Nog?  I’m not a huge fan of Nogs, but this one should do the trick.Ingredients:

• 1 ½ oz of Bourbon
• 1 ½ oz of Dark Rum
• 2 scoops of Vanilla ice cream
• ½ tsp of ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp of ground nutmeg (fresh if you can) plus a pinch for garnish

Preparation:

• Add Bourbon, Rum, ice cream, cinnamon and nutmeg to shaker
• Shake vigorously for 10 seconds
• Strain the mixture into chilled coupes (or martini glasses) and garnish with remaining nutmeg 

I hope you enjoy one of the above (or more than one of the above!)  Please post any photos and tag #shitthatiknit (extra credit for crafting the cocktail wearing a beanie!)  Whatever you do, have a wonderful holiday season and thank you for your STIK support!