10 Great Bourbon Christmas Cocktails

This cranberry bourbon cocktail is the perfect signature bourbon Christmas cocktail! It’s balanced, sweet tart, and complex, fruity with intriguing notes from sweet vermouth. The cranberry and bourbon pairing make it ideal for winter entertaining, like Christmas dinner or appetizer hour.

Ingredients: Bourbon whiskey. sweet vermouth, orange juice, 100% unsweetened cranberry juice. simple syrup

Here's a bourbon Christmas cocktail that’s been around for centuries: the Hot Toddy! This historic drink used to be a cure for the common cold, and with one sip you’ll know why. A burst of warm bourbon melds seamlessly into the lemon and honey. Also try myApple Cider Hot Toddy.

Ingredients: Bourbon whiskey, honey, lemon, and hot water

Here’s a spin on the classic whiskey sour perfect for Christmas: try the cranberry orange bourbon sour! This fruity combination is perfect for winter sipping: the bright berries add a fruity, tart intensity to the finish.

This easy Christmas Punch recipe pairs cranberry juice, pineapple, and ginger ale for a festive crowd-pleaser. Spike it with bourbon in the punch bowl, or you can add it to individual cups for ultimate flexibility.

Ingredients: Cranberry juice blend, pineapple juice, ginger ale, bourbon

This Apple Cider cocktail pairs cider with sweet and spicy bourbon in a sophisticated drink. It’s got a hint of lemon and a surprise ingredient that rounds out the flavors into a meld that’s intriguing, complex and highly drinkable.

Ingredients: Apple cider, bourbon, sweet vermouth, lemon juice

There’s nothing better at taking the chill off than Bourbon Hot Chocolate! This mug of liquid cocoa is rich and creamy, with an intense depth in chocolate flavor. A hint of bourbon and it gives it a warming complexity with notes of vanilla and oak.

Ingredients: Bourbon, cocoa powder, 2% milk, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, dark chocolate chips

Here’s a classic bourbon drink that will warm you to the bone: Hot Spiked Apple Cider! There’s something about the combination of sweet cinnamon and cloves with the subtle spicy finish of bourbon that’s absolutely soul warming. The liquor melds seamlessly into the hot cider, making a smooth sip and a cozy finish. 

Ingredients: Apple cider, bourbon whiskey, cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks

Here's a bourbon Christmas cocktail for those who love boozy drinks: the Maple Old Fashioned! This twist on the classic uses maple syrup instead of sugar, along with the classic whiskey and bitters. Give it a swirl and a taste, and it’s even smoother than the original! The maple syrup adds hints of caramel and vanilla that give even more nuance and sophistication to each sip.

Ingredients: Maple syrup, Angostura bitters, bourbon whiskey:

This creamy, cold cocktail that’s exceedingly delicious at Christmas! You might not expect it, but the richness of milk perfectly compliments the oak and vanilla notes in the bourbon. Add a vanilla and nutmeg, and this historic cocktail is a festive holiday drink.

Ingredients: Whole milk, bourbon whiskey, simple syrup, vanilla extract

Last up in my bourbon Christmas cocktails, the always-festive New York Sour! First you have the bourbon sour layer: sweet tart and sweetened with maple for some nuance. Then float a layer of red wine over the top and it adds intrigue, complexity and a fruity acidity.

Ingredients: Red wine, bourbon whiskey, lemon, simple syrup