21 Winter Cocktails to Try

Here’s a spin on the classic whiskey sour that will have everyone talking: try this cranberry orange whiskey sour! This fruity combination is perfect for winter cocktails, or if you’re looking to use extra cranberry juice. The bright berries add a fruity, tart intensity to the finish of each sip. Paired with bourbon, fresh orange and lemon juice, and maple syrup, it makes the best signature drink!

Ingredients: Whiskey, orange juice, lemon juice, cranberry juice, simple syrup or maple syrup

This cranberry Aperol spritz recipe is sweet tart, fruity, and even tastier than a standard Aperol spritz (we think)! It’s simple to make and looks stunning—the idea signature winter cocktail for a party.

Ingredients: Cranberry juice, Aperol, Prosecco, soda water

Need a warming drink for winter? Try the Hot Toddy! Now, this is less of a winter cocktail and more like a boozy cup of tea to warm your spirits. Pour boiling water over a shot of bourbon, then top off with lemon and spices. It’s bourbon forward and perfect for sipping on chilly evenings.

Ingredients: Bourbon or rum, honey, hot water, lemon

What better winter cocktail than a batch of Mulled Wine? Make up a big pot, and it fills your kitchen with an intoxicating aroma of toasted allspice and cinnamon. This recipe is just sweet enough, balancing the bold fruity wine with mulling spices, citrus, and oak and vanilla notes on the finish.

Ingredients: Allspice, whole cloves, anise pods, cinnamon sticks, red wine, maple syrup, brandy, orange juice

Want a cozy winter drink that warms you from the inside out? There’s nothing better at taking the chill off than homemade Spiked Hot Chocolate! This mug of liquid cocoa is rich and creamy, with an intense depth in chocolate flavor. A hint of aged rum or bourbon, and it gives it a warming complexity with notes of vanilla and oak. Take one sip and we think you’ll agree: it’s truly stunning.

Ingredients: Cocoa powder, milk, sugar, vanilla, chocolate chips, bourbon or rum

This winter spin on the margarita is seriously cozy: the Apple Cider Margarita! It’s tangy and balanced: the zingy tequila and lime pairs beautifully with the sweet cider. Top it off with a cinnamon sugar rim, and every sip is a delight. Make the pitcher variation if you’re serving a crowd!

Ingredients: Tequila, lime juice, Cointreau, apple cider

If you’re a bourbon fan, you’ve got to try it in one the oldest cocktails there is: the Old Fashioned! This classic blend of spirits, sugar, water, bitters, and a spritz of orange is truly sophisticated and sublime. The bourbon Old Fashioned lets that bourbon shine, gussied up with just enough to accentuate its classic vanilla and oak flavor notes. 

Ingredients: Bourbon whiskey, sugar cube, orange peel, bitters

Here’s a unique winter cocktail with an impressive sweet flavor: the Pear Martini! This drink is great for entertaining, and to be honest: it caught us off guard with its delicate, sweet flavor. Pear comes in two waves: a muddled fresh pear brings brightness, and pear vodka infuses a strong fruity aroma. Paired with fresh lemon juice and simple syrup, it’s truly stunning! 

Ingredients: Pear vodka, fresh pear, lemon juice, simple syrup, orange bitters

When it comes to entertaining, the Moscow Mule is pretty ideal. It’s tangy and refreshing, easy to make right into the mug, and everyone always loves it. So get ready for the best new fruity winter spin: the Cranberry Moscow Mule! This drink has loads of sweet tart flavor, balancing crisp cranberry with tangy lime and spicy ginger. 

Ingredients: Vodka, lime juice, ginger beer, 100% all natural cranberry juice

Here’s a delightful signature winter cocktail: try the Peppermint Martini! This drink is creamy and minty fresh, a delicious combination of peppermint schnapps and chocolate liqueur. In fact, you may want to drink this any time of year! Of course, it’s perfect for the holidays. Cozy up with one by the fire, or drink it as a fun Christmas cocktail with appetizers.

Ingredients: Peppermint schnapps, vodka, Creme de Cacao, heavy cream

This winter cocktail is great for gatherings and side benefit: it makes your kitchen smell heavenly! The rum complements the cinnamon, cloves, and star anise perfectly. It's very easy to make and the perfect hot cocktail to warm your hands over.

Ingredients: Apple cider, rum, cloves, star anise, cinnamon sticks

Here’s a warming winter cocktail to put on your to-drink list: Baileys Hot Chocolate! It’s got the best deep chocolaty flavor, accentuated by the chocolate and vanilla notes with the fruity finish of Irish whiskey. Topped with fluffy whipped cream, it’s a revelation! Serve this sweet hot alcoholic drink anytime you need a wintery pick me up: or it’s great for the holidays or a snow day. 

Ingredients: Cocoa powder, milk, sugar, vanilla, chocolate chips, Baileys Irish Cream

 Here’s how to keep drinking it well into the winter: Apple Sangria! This drink is made the traditional Spanish way, like our Classic Red Sangria. That means it’s tart and wine-forward, instead of loaded with sugar like American versions of the drink. But to turn it into a fall variation, we’ve used red and green apples as the fruit and added a hint of cinnamon.

Ingredients: Red and green apples, lemon, sugar, dry red wine, brandy, cinnamon, apple cider

Here’s a winter cocktail that’s ideal for sipping by the fire on a chilly evening: Hot Buttered Rum! This historic drink has been around for centuries. Modern takes on it get a little wacky, so we’ve gone back to its roots to bring you the “real” way to make it. This version is subtly sweet, cozy-spiced with cinnamon and allspice, and spirit-forward with boozy dark rum.

Ingredients: Salted butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, dark rum, boiling water

Here’s a fun winter cocktail that’s ideal for any whiskey lover: try the Apple Cider Old Fashioned! Swapping out the sugar for apple cider syrup infuses fruity, spiced seasonal flavor into this classic drink. Each sip has notes of apple and orange, cinnamon and spice, and vanilla and oak. If you’re in the mood for a boozy showstopper, this is the drink for you!

Ingredients: Apple cider syrup, Angostura bitters, bourbon or rye whiskey, orange peel

Looking for a stunning wintery cocktail that’s sweet and creamy? Try this Peppermint White Russian! In fact, this spin on the classic might be even more fun than the original. It’s got a bright, minty finish that melds into the Kahlua and cream perfectly. It’s fast and easy to swirl together in a lowball glass, and it’s a total crowd pleaser. 

Ingredients: Vodka, Kahlua, peppermint schnapps, heavy cream or milk

Want an easy winter cocktail? Try Apple Cider and Whiskey! These two ingredients go hand in hand, the spicy whiskey complimenting the sweet tart cider perfectly. The great part about this pairing? You can drink it hot or cold! Make it as a lowball cocktail with big chunks of clear ice, or opt for hot spiked cider spiced with cinnamon and cloves.

Ingredients: Whiskey, apple cider, orange wheel

Looking for a warming winter cocktail? Try the Brandy Hot Toddy! This variation on the classic Hot Toddy is uniquely delicious, featuring the fruity, sweet taste of brandy with apple and cinnamon. Adding hot water opens up the flavor of the liquor so you can appreciate the complexity in each sip. Also try Rum Hot Toddy or Apple Cider Hot Toddy.

Ingredients: Brandy, honey or maple syrup, hot water, apples, cinnamon stick

Last but not least: Irish coffee is a classic winter cocktail! There’s nothing more soul warming than that classic combination of bitter coffee, buttery whisky and frothy whipped cream. There are infinite variations on the spiked coffee theme, too. Ready to get buzzed?

Ingredients: Coffee, Irish whiskey, whipped cream

Looking for a fruity winter cocktail? Try this Apple Cider Cocktail! Cider pairs perfectly with sweet and spicy bourbon in this 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, orange bitters

Last up in our winter cocktails: want an easy way to step up your White Russian? Try the Baileys White Russian! Using Baileys Irish cream instead of heavy cream adds even more sophistication to this classic drink. In fact, it tastes a bit like a Mudslide, which also features Kahlua and Baileys. Here’s how to make this tasty cocktail.

Ingredients: Vodka, coffee liqueur (Kahlua or other), Baileys Irish cream