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31 Winter Cocktails for Cozy Sips and Merry Celebrations

Toast to the season with steaming mugs of spiked cider, frothy cups of coquito, and fizzy flutes of sparkling wine.

November 9, 2022

Three glass teacups of buttered rum hot chocolate topped with whipped cream.

If your heart desires a margarita when it’s snowing out, we’re not here to tell you it’s off-season. But we hope this list of our best winter cocktails is helpful if you’re planning a holiday gathering or just looking for something to sip in warm-blanket weather. The drinks below are festive enough for a cookie exchange and fun to drink while huddling around a winter bonfire. Some are large-format, batched for a crowd, while others are easy to stir (or shake) up one by one. Whether you’re focusing on drinking down your whiskey collection or looking for Champagne cocktails for a year-end toast, you’ll find plenty of options as you scroll down.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
1/30
French 75
Many of the best winter cocktails have been around awhile, like this fizzy delight, which can be made with either gin or brandy.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
2/30
Classic Whiskey Sour
It's time to bring the whiskey sour back. But was it ever really gone? While you're at it, don't miss the Whiskey Daisy or this amazing amaro-and-rum version from our cocktail columnist, Al Sotack. Serve with an orange slice (and a good cherry) on a fancy cocktail pick.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Alex Brannian, Food Styling by Ali Nardi
3/30
Brandy Alexander II
This creamy alternative to eggnog gets an extra dose of rich flavor from crème de cacao.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Anna Stockwell
4/30
Scotchy Boulevardiers for a Crowd
If you love a negroni or recently tried a sbagliato (with prosecco!) for the very first time, it's time to start making this wintery relative of those bitter drinks. This version has a touch of scotch in the mix for savory complexity, and it can be made ahead for easy winter entertaining. It's definitely not the season to muddle and fuss over each individual drink. Just pour over ice and garnish each glass with an orange peel before serving.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
5/30
Warm Comfort
Hot cocktails with tequila are few and far between, but this one is a keeper for sure. The earthy, floral flavor of chamomile soothes the spice of the booze nicely.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
6/30
Fleming Fizz
Think of this gingery drink as an extra-festive take on the popular Penicillin cocktail. Instead of a basic simple syrup, this honey syrup uses ginger juice (made in your blender and strained) in the place of water.
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Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Emilie Fosnocht
7/30
Irish Coffee
Warm up with a cozy coffee cocktail, just the way it's served at the Buena Vista Hotel in San Francisco. It's one of the best Irish whiskey cocktail recipes for winter, no question. Some people prefer the whipped cream just softly whipped—you don't need to get out a mixer here.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
8/30
Coquito
This Puerto Rican coconut and rum drink can be garnished with a sprinkle of cinnamon or a cinnamon stick.
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Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
9/30
Apples and Oranges
This luscious combination of hot apple cider and Averna is our favorite way to to drink spiked cider in the winter. Sweetened with citrusy Grand Marnier and enriched with salted butter, it's like a caramel apple in a mug. We'd take this over mulled wine any time.
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Photo by Ed Anderson
10/30
Up-to-Date Cocktail
If you love Manhattans, stir up this whiskey cocktail, made with nutty amontillado sherry, Angostura bitters, and a whisper of Grand Marnier.
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Photo by Denny Culbert
11/30
Celery Stalker
This slightly savory, festive drink—like a French 75 but made with lime juice and celery bitters—is just right with holiday appetizers like pickled shrimp, crudités, and horseradish-spiked goat cheese. It's also nice at brunch alongside some cured fish.
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Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Beatrice Chastka, Food Styling by Kat Boytsova
12/30
Buttered Rum Hot Chocolate
Butter adds velvety texture and comforting flavor to this special-occasion cocktail, a combination of our two favorite winter warmers.
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Photo by David Loftus
13/30
Blood Orange–Champagne Ice Cream Float
This citrusy dessert cocktail is a great way to use up any leftover Champagne or sparkling wine.
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Photo by Kelly Puleio
14/30
Sneaky Peat
Pairing tangy cranberries with Scotch—plus oolong tea that’s been steeped forever—gives a whisper of smoke and a bitter, malty edge to this delicious large-format punch.
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Maggie Hoffman