6 Festive Drinks you need for your Christmas Menu

It’s the most wonderful time of year! Here at Imbibe Live we’re SO ready to start imbibing on those Christmas cocktails and festive drinks – Baileys anyone?

A unique festive offering can add a little extra something to your menu at this time of year, attracting those party-goers and Christmas spirit enthusiasts. So, without further ado, here’s some inspiration for what to serve on your festive menu. 

The traditional Champagne Cocktail is created by dousing a sugar cube in angostura bitters (about two dashes) in a champagne glass, before pouring over a small amount of cognac and topping the glass up with Champagne. Serve in a champagne saucer for classy vibes along with an orange peel or maraschino cherry as garnish. 

If you’re looking for a festive take on the Espresso Martini then you can’t go wrong with a Flat White Martini. This Baileys-infused cocktail is sophisticated and dessert-like, perfect as an after dinner tipple. A delicious mix of coffee, vodka and Baileys Original Irish Cream; pour the Baileys, coffee and vodka in a cocktail shaker with ice cubes and shake until the liquid is a smooth tan colour and the outside of the shaker feels cold. Serve in a martini glass with a couple of coffee beans on top for garnish.

Give us creamy, chocolatey, boozy everything. Baileys Hot Chocolate is an absolute winter must-have and so easy to make we couldn’t not give it a quick mention – maybe something to include as part of your dessert menu? Just an idea…

You can amp this up or down based upon how bougie you’re willing to go, using either real chocolate or hot chocolate powder to create your hot chocolate base. Once you’ve done this all you need to do is pour it into a mug and add a shot of Baileys. To finish off add a dollop of whipped cream, marshmallows, chocolate flakes and any other sugary, chocolatey substances you fancy.

The ultimate retro cocktail, the Snowball is a real throwback drink (not literally, unless you’re planning on getting crazy at the office Christmas do). Invented in Britain in the 1940’s but gaining real popularity in the 1970’s, the Snowball consists of Advocaat, lemonade and lime juice, served in a chilled glass with ice.

The original recipe contained brandy, which adds a whole new layer of personality to the drink, but this is often left out so as to preserve the full force of the sweet taste. All you need to do is fill a glass with ice, add lime juice or lime cordial and then pour the Advocaat and lemonade on top.

The gin lovers out there will be a big fan of this Cranberry Gin Fizz cocktail. A bright and colourful drink, the Cranberry Gin Fizz cocktail is refreshing but sweet, combining the tartness of the citrus with the sweetness of the cranberries. Be sure to use a good quality gin and you can also optionally include egg white for a creamy foam on top.

Add cranberry juice, lime juice, gin, and egg white into a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Then add ice and shake again until the outside of the cocktail shaker feels cold. Strain the liquid into a cocktail glass or champagne coupe and top with ginger beer.

Which recipe is your favourite? Let us know your favourite Christmas drink by tagging us on social!

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