You better watch out, you better not cry...Santa Claus is coming to town. The holidays are in full swing so get in the spririt and serve up one of these festive holiday cocktails at your next Holiday Party. Yummy!!
Eggnog Martini
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin-pie spice, plus more for garnish
- 8 cups whole milk
- 6 large egg yolks
- 3 cups brandy
1.Set a large fine-mesh sieve over a large bowl. Place bottom of bowl in an ice bath; set aside. Off heat, in a medium saucepan, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, and pumpkin-pie spice. Gradually whisk in 4 cups milk, taking care to incorporate the cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks.
2.Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble sputters, 10 to 12 minutes. Reduce heat to low; cook, whisking constantly, 1 minute more. Remove from heat; immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Stir in remaining 4 cups milk. Let cool completely in bowl still set in ice bath.
3.Just before serving, stir in brandy, and ladle into glasses; garnish with pumpkin-pie spice.
Candy Cane Cocktail
- 1 candy cane, crushed, for garnish
- 2 ounces strawberry vodka
- 4 dashes white creme de menthe
- 2 1/2 ounces cranberry juice
- Ice cubes
- Place crushed candy canes on a small plate or saucer. Wet the outside rim of a chilled martini glass with water. Holding the glass by the stem, rotate the rim to coat with candy.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, creme de menthe, cranberry juice, and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into prepared glass; serve immediately. Makes 1 cocktail.
Gingerbread Apple Crisp
- 1 oz Monin gingerbread syrup
- 2 oz Bacardi Big Apple rum
- 2 oz apple juice
- splash of lemon juice
Place 1/2 cup of simple syrup and 4 tablespoons of graham cracker crumbs on separate plates. Dip outside rim of martini glass into simple syrup, then into graham cracker crumbs several times to ensure coverage. Set aside. In a cocktail shaker, combine rum, gingerbread syrup, apple juice and lemon juice. Shake with ice in a cocktail shaker and strain into rimmed martini glass. Garnish with red apple slice.
Cranberry Cocktails
- Makes 4
- 2 cups fresh or thawed frozen cranberries
- 1 cup pure maple syrup
- 2 cups dry red wine, such as Pinot Noir
- 1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped
- Thin strips of zest from 1/2 lemon
- 2 teaspoons pink peppercorns, crushed
- Pinch of coarse salt
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 cups seltzer
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put cranberries into a large, high-sided skillet; set aside. Bring syrup, wine, brown sugar, vanilla bean and seeds, lemon zest, peppercorns, and salt to a boil in a medium saucepan, whisking occasionally.
2.Pour over cranberries. Cover tightly with foil, and bake until cranberries are soft but have not burst, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer cranberries to a bowl; cover with 1 cup cooking liquid. Let cool completely.
3.Bring 1/2 cup cooking liquid and the granulated sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, whisking until sugar has dissolved. Reduce heat to low; simmer until liquid has reduced and barely coats the back of a spoon, about 6 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a medium bowl; let cool completely. Syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container until ready to use, up to 3 days.
4.Reserve 40 cranberries. Puree remaining cranberries and liquid in a blender.
5.To serve, place 10 reserved cranberries on each of 4 decorative skewers. Pour 1/4 cup puree and 1/4 cup syrup into each of four 12-ounce glasses; stir to combine. Add skewers, and fill glasses with ice. Top with seltzer, and serve.


















