Delicious Winter Cocktails to Keep You Warm

Nothing warms you up in wintertime like a delicious cocktail.

Nothing warms you up in wintertime like a delicious cocktail. Whether it’s actually heated — like mulled wine or a hot toddy — or simply brings out those winter flavors, it doesn’t hurt to have a few tasty cocktail recipes on hand that are easy to whip up at a moment’s notice.

Whether you’re expecting a large group or simply settling in for the night to watch the snow fall, these 12 cheerful drink ideas are sure to be crowd-pleasers.

A Merry Mulled Wine

Try this twist on the classic mulled wine. Getty Images

What’s not to love about a delicious drink that’s super easy to make and creates the most alluring aroma? Mulled wine recipes abound, but Cook the Story has an extra-special method that includes brown sugar. Plus, it can be made up to four days ahead of time and kept at room temperature.

Creating this drink is as easy as throwing some oranges, red wine, cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, cloves and peppercorns together into a pot and letting it boil. Brown sugar and brandy or orange liqueur are added later for that touch of additional sweetness.

Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour

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A lot of cocktails can be super sweet, so adding a little sour to the mix can be a nice treat. Cookie + Kate has a Cinnamon Maple Whiskey Sour drink that combines bourbon and lemon with maple syrup and cinnamon for a whiskey sour drink unlike any other you’ve ever tasted.

With only four ingredients, it’s also super easy to make, meaning you’ll be able to spend more time mingling and less time behind the bar.

9 Ladies Dancing Scotch Punch

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If you need a brew big enough to serve up in batches, you can’t go wrong with a punch. Stir and Strain’s 9 Ladies Dancing Scotch Punch is made with nine ingredients broken down into a vanilla cinnamon syrup, chai tea and punch.

What makes this recipe so sweet sounding is the idea of blending together cinnamon and vanilla bean with chai tea and Scotch. If your taste buds weren’t tripped already, don’t forget the orange wheels and star anise as a garnish.

A Classic Hot Toddy

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It can be fun to try out new recipes, but sometimes you just need to go with a classic. The Drink Blog has a refreshing take on the traditional hot toddy that takes five minutes to make and includes bourbon, honey, lemon juice, hot water, cinnamon and lemon.

When the temps dip below freezing outside, this tasty cocktail will warm you from the inside out.

A Hearty Eggnog

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Nothing says wintertime like a frothy glass of eggnog, but Alton Brown’s Aged Eggnog Recipe isn’t for the faint of heart. To start, you’ll need to prep this recipe a minimum of two weeks in advance for it to taste its best, although Brown actually recommends a month or two, if possible.

Still, if you can stand the wait, imbibers of this egg and sugar, rum, cognac and bourbon drink are bound to be blown away.

A Sinfully Delightful Sangria

Mulled wine or christmas sangria with aromatic spices, apple, cherry and citrus fruits. Traditional Christmas festive warming spiced drink with orange, berry, cinnamon, cardamom and anise.

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It’s not a party unless sangria is served, but kick it up a notch with this fun and creative take on the fruity staple from Home Made Lovely.

A blend of apples and apple cider, oranges and cranberries mix with sparkling wine and white wine to create a tasty treat that’ll tickle your guests’ taste buds and leave them scooping the bottom of the bowl for more.

A Decadent Cider

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Sure, apple cider is delicious all on its own, but Lauren Kelly Nutrition’s recipe takes it to a whole new level.

By adding cinnamon sticks, cloves, orange juice, orange zest, ginger and spiced rum or brandy, this kids’ classic becomes an adults-only party pleaser that’s subtle enough for everyone to enjoy.

A Morning-After Mimosa

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Who says winter drinks have to be all about the nighttime soiree? Taste of Home has a recipe for a mimosa that will add brightness to your brunch table, not to mention the fact that it tastes amazing.

With a touch of raspberry liqueur and a dash of champagne — coupled with sugar and red grapefruit juice — this zingy drink is the perfect way to start the morning.

Irish Coffee Eggnog

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If you’re looking for a boozy morning drink that’s not a mimosa, Recipe Girl has an Irish coffee eggnog that’ll do the trick. As simple as it sounds, this recipe requires hot coffee, eggnog, spiced rum, Irish cream liqueur, brandy and ground nutmeg.

Not that coffee necessarily needs anything else to be delightful, but this liquored-up version sure does give it an extra kick.

A Boozy Hot Chocolate

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For something a little sweet, try mixing a decadent hot chocolate delight with some booze. The Kitchn has rounded up 18 recipe ideas — with everything from red wine hot chocolate and whiskey hot chocolate to s’mores hot chocolate cocktails and coconut cardamom bourbon hot chocolate — but it’s the spiked Nutella hot chocolate that has us the most excited.

All you need is milk, Nutella, cinnamon and your choice of bourbon, Frangelico, cacao rum or chocolate liqueur. Pick your poison and bring everything to simmer. Then, sit back and enjoy.

A Gin and Tonic With a Twist

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A Nerd Cooks gives the classic gin and tonic a winter remix by adding cranberry juice, frozen cranberries and a lime (and we recommend a sprig of festive rosemary for a garnish).

Easy to make and delightful to taste, this pink and fizzy gin and tonic also looks fantastic amid your winter decor.

Hold the Cucumber

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You could whip up a mulled wine, eggnog or sangria for your holiday gatherings … or you could amaze people with something completely different.

For example, Fogged in Lounge offers a simple but effective recipe called “Hold the Cucumber” that combines pisco, Cynar, lime juice, celery bitters and soda for a drink that’ll delight and surprise.