Hey all!
Well, we did it. Hubs and I made it through our 6 weeks of trying new holiday drinks. Most days, I made one and we split it, but there were a couple times we went back for a second half-round because they were very tasty. While I don’t know that we will try to do it every day for 6 weeks each holiday season, I did very much enjoy experimenting with different drinks, flavors and what could be subbed in at the last minute if necessary. Because, despite my careful planning, there were shortages this year of certain liqueurs, it meant we had to improvise. But it was fun, and we enjoyed most of the concoctions. Maybe instead of every day, we’ll try drink of the week in 2021.
Here, in no particular order are my top ten drinks of the season. I’ve identified the source for you, because in some cases my links were to collections on Pinterest and this way you can just search the drink name and original website.
- Peppermint Mocha Mudslide: This was our Christmas finale and it was worth the wait. It used Kahlua, peppermint vodka, chocolate syrup and half & half. Indulgent, but a nice way to cap off the day. From thesoccermomblog.com
- The Henry: An early favorite, spiced rum and amaretto combined with Coke for a sweet, spicy drink. From CaptainMorgan.com
- Caramel Apple Moscow Mule: A great drink for a sunny, late fall afternoon, this included caramel vodka, apple cider and ginger ale. You could also use ginger beer, which I did not have at home that day. I love any reason to break out my copper mugs, so this was a fun one. From Mrbcooks.com
- Caramel Snickerdoodle Martinis: Dessert in a glass, it mixed caramel vodka with cinnamon and half & half. From Delish.com
- Hot Buttered Rum: The most delightful surprise on this list, and one of the only cocktails I couldn’t finish, this classic combination of butter whipped with spices and melted with hot water and rum was the richest drink we tried. I said this before, but consider that once it cools off, it’s less appealing, so adjust the size of your portion accordingly. From thekitchenismyplayground.com
- Spiced Snowball: another creamy dessert-like concoction, this one had irish cream, amaretto and half & half. Garnished with a cinnamon stick and a dusting of chocolate, it was a pretty one. From essbeevee.co.uk
- Rudolph’s Tipsy Spritzer: One of the rare citrus based drinks we had this time around, this one makes a great base for a kid friendly version, to which the 21-and-over crowd could Vodka up to their liking. Cranberry juice, ginger ale, OJ and vodka all make an appearance here. From tidymom.net
- Department Store Santa: Not the prettiest drink we made, it was a shade of green you sometimes see in elementary art classrooms, when students have all put their brushes into the same jar of water. But you can’t go wrong with a creme de cacao, creme de menthe combo.. Pinterest had a screen grab from media-cache-ec0.pinimg.com
- Fireball and Hot Cider: You know it’s always going to be on my top ten list. This one I mixed on a whim a few autumns ago. I prefer my cider warmed, and the slow burn of the cinnamon just gives it that little extra somethin’.
- Crown Royal Vanilla with Faygo Rock n Rye: Just what it sounds like. I was introduced to this combo at a neighborhood social gathering I think 3 Christmases ago, and we’ve been sipping them ever since.
- Honorable Mention – Best drink for groups goes to Jingle Juice. We made and porch-delivered this to our friends for a Zoom Game Night. It’s easy to mix a big batch because it’s a bottle of everything – Pinnacle Whipped Vodka, Champagne and Cherry 7-up – stir and chill. Add cranberries for flair. From Inspiredbycharm.com
Thanks for reading and drinking along! Wishing you a fun, safe NYE and a great 2021.
Jaclyn