Thank you to all those who responded to the poll question on my Instagram story last week. The majority of you are interested in reading more posts about cocktails with recipes so here you go. In this post, I offer you a selection of handcrafted winter cocktails that I absolutely love. Some of them require some time and work but are so worth it. They are perfect to concoct for your holiday parties and get-togethers this fall and winter. I identified each cocktail for its base spirit and winter ingredients so if you like tequila, dark rum, whiskey, vodka, or gin and specialty syrups, there is definitely something for you!
I highly recommend batching them ahead of time, so you don’t have to worry about slaving in the kitchen while entertaining and compromising time with your guests. Each recipe is for one cocktail so simply multiply the ingredients by number of people you are serving. For homemade syrup recipes, you should have enough for more than one cocktail. I always recommend using fresh ingredients rather than store-bought unless you don’t have the time or don’t any other choice.
This spiced Winter Margarita will warm you up from the inside out, offering a touch of sweet, tart, spicy, and oaky flavor. Reposado tequila offers you a deeper, rich flavor profile for this winter cocktail due to its aging in oak and hints of vanilla and toast.
Winter Margarita (tequila)
- 2 oz Reposado tequila, such as Patron, Milagro, or Teremana
- 1 tsp fresh honey syrup
- ½ oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz blood orange juice
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- pinch cinnamon
- optional – rim with sugar, salt, cinnamon, or cayenne pepper or combo of several of these
Prep:
Rub a lime wedge along the rim of chilled coupe glass or large rocks glass, coat the edges, and set aside. Fill a cocktail shaker or mixing glass with ice and add tequila, honey, lime juice, blood orange juice, vanilla, and a pinch of cinnamon. Shake and strain into coupe glass filled with ice. Be careful not to disturb rim. Garnish with a blood orange slice and cinnamon stick, if desired.
Apple Fizz (Irish whiskey)
- 1 ½ oz Double Barrel Irish Whiskey, such as Glendalough (if you can’t find double whiskey, just use another aged Irish whiskey)
- ½ oz pear liqueur, such as Mathilde, 99 Pears, or St. George
- ½ oz fresh lemon juice
- ½ oz fresh honey syrup (preferable) or store bought
- hard apple cider to top
- garnish apple slices & grated cinnamon
Prep:
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker, except cider. Shake well and strain into a highball glass with ice. Add the hard apple cider and garnish with apple and cinnamon.
Spiced Poached Pear (vodka)
A garnish of fresh rosemary adds an herbal note to this yummy pear cocktail, which balances the warm, spicy sweetness flavor profile. Cover photo.
- 1 ½ oz vodka, such as Ketel One, McKenzie NY vodka, or Absolut
- 1 oz Lillet Blanc (hard to find, if not available, use a light Sauvignon Blanc wine)
- 2-3 oz Asian pear syrup* depending on sweetness level
- 1 oz lemon juice
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
Prep:
In cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine vodka, Lillet or Sauv Blanc, lemon juice and pear syrup. Shake vigorously and strain into up glass. Twist the rosemary sprigs a few times to release the oils and garnish.
*For the Spiced Pear Syrup:
- 2 Asian pears chopped into 1-inch pieces (no need to peel)
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 pod star anise
- 1 strip lemon zest (3-inch), peeled with a vegetable peeler
Prep:
In a small saucepan combine water, wine, sugar, cinnamon, star anise and lemon zest. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat then reduce to a simmer. Add the chopped pears and cook until pears are soft, and the liquid becomes syrupy, about 30 minutes. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve into a clean glass jar. Don’t press the pears or the syrup will become cloudy. Discard the solids and chill syrup until ready to use.
Snowbird (dark rum)
If you’re a snowbird and head down south for the winter and like your tiki drinks, this tropical flavored cocktail should satisfy your palate.
- 1 ½ oz dark rum, such as Plantation Original Dark Rum or Myers
- ½ oz Fernet-Branca liqueur
- ½ oz apricot liqueur
- ¾ oz fresh lime juice
- ½ oz orange juice
- ½ oz pineapple juice
- ¾ oz simple syrup
- 4 dashes Angostura bitters
- garnish quarter of orange wheel and brandied cherry (optional)
Prep:
Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a collins glass, tiki or copper mule mug over ice. Garnish with a quarter orange wheel and a brandied cherry.
Winter Gin & Tonic
The air is cold and crisp, but why not go with a classic, elegant, and always relevant G & T. This cocktail has a little winter spice with a balance of citrus, acidity, and warmth to round it out on your palate.
- 1 ½ oz gin, like Bluecoat or 1911 Established New York gin
- ¾ oz winter spice simple syrup*
- ½ oz freshly squeezed orange juice
- ½ oz pomegranate juice (optional)
- fill with high quality tonic water, like Fever Tree
- garnish orange slices, allspices, whole cloves, and sage leaves (optional)
Prep:
Add all ingredients into a mixing glass with half ice and stir well with barspoon until well-chilled and combined. Strain into a red wine glass using a julep strainer over ice. Garnish with oranges, allspices, whole cloves, and sage leaves (optional)
*For the Winter Spiced Simple Syrup:
- 1 cup of water
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 tsp of whole allspice
- 1 tsp of whole cloves
- 2 cinnamon sticks
Add all ingredients to a medium saucepan and simmer mixture until sugar is dissolved. Cool mixture then strain into a clean, clear bottle until use. Keep in fridge for a couple of months.
I would love your feedback on this post as well as all other posts, so feel free to comment here or social media. Enjoy!
Cheers,
Michael XOXO
