30 Christmas Bourbon Cocktails to Make for Holiday Parties
These Christmas Bourbon Cocktails are just right to enjoy by the fire or at a holiday party. If you’re looking for simple bourbon cocktails to make for a crowd and sip all holiday season long, browse this collection of easy recipes.
Christmas cocktails with bourbon are great for all your holiday parties!
Bourbon is something I was introduced to by my husband’s family and is part of their holiday tradition. Over the years, I’ve learned to love it and now enjoy adding it to our Christmas celebrations too.
Like panettone and funny family Christmas Cards, bourbon cocktails are something I look forward to as we head into the holiday season.
And since bourbon is a classic cocktail ingredient – it’s featured in popular drinks like an Old Fashioned and Manhattan – these bourbon holiday cocktails are sure to be a hit at any Christmas party. Or even sipped while playing a Hallmark drinking game.
Why Simple Bourbon Drinks are Great at Christmas
Not only can it be sipped on its own, but bourbon is a great liquor to use in cocktail recipes. It brings a complex and warm flavor with notes of spices.
From festive cocktails featuring seasonal ingredients to refreshing drinks perfect for a party, you’ll find a variety of delicious easy Christmas cocktails to enjoy this season.
Sometimes you can taste smokiness from the barrel aging process. And it is often described as tasting like vanilla with hints of caramel and oak.
Related post: Pine Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe
It can be served hot or cold so it works well in classic drink recipes like a Bourbon Mule and also hot toddies.
Plus it pairs perfectly with other holiday flavors like cranberry, cider, and cinnamon which you’ll find in the collection below.
A bottle of bourbon also makes a great hostess gift idea as it’s a great way to toast the holidays! And it’s also FREAKING AMAZING in my Bourbon Cake recipe.
Simple Bourbon Cocktails for Christmas
This list of Bourbon Holiday Cocktails is full of drink recipes that have yummy seasonal flavors perfect to enjoy during the holidays. If a recipe calls for whiskey, you can simply swap it out for bourbon.
Bourbon Champagne Cocktail
This simple bourbon champagne cocktail is a fun one to serve for brunch and beyond. The champagne adds bubbles and sweetness that makes it a great cocktail to serve even non bourbon lovers.
Tiki Bitters Whiskey Sour
A sour drink is a great way to try out a new liquor. And a Whiskey Sour is one of my favorites! This version adds Amaretto and orange liqueur to make it even more delicious. Add a dash of nutmeg on top to make it, even more, holiday-ready!
Cinnamon Spice Cherry 7UP Spritzer
There's a delicious warmth that comes after taking one sip of this cinnamon spice spritzer. Between the bourbon and the cinnamon whisky this drink has tons of flavor that feels extra festive.
Spiced Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail
With ginger beer, bourbon and spiced cranberry juice, this delicious cocktail taste like Christmas. It's tart and is infused with ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg. It's perfect for sharing with friends. This is one of my favorite Christmas Bourbon Cocktails to make each year.
Red Wine Sangria with Bourbon-Soaked Sugar Fruit
One of the biggest perks of this drink is that you get to eat the soaked fruit at the bottom or the glass! The addition of bourbon into this red wine sangria makes it perfectly suited for all your winter parties. It's one of my favorite bourbon cocktails to make for Christmas.
Apple Bourbon Cocktail Recipe
This delicious Apple Bourbon cocktail has fresh citrus and amaretto to make it flavorful and refreshing. It's perfect for those last few weeks of winter where you can cozy up with this by the fire. Or in CA, kick off your flip flops and enjoy the sun.
Blood Orange Whiskey Sour
This citrusy twist on the classic cocktail recipe includes blood orange juice and an egg white foam to create a delicious drink.
Bourbon Mule Recipe
Don't miss out on this simple Bourbon Mule Recipe. Bourbon and ginger beer are a match made in heaven and the fresh sage garnish really delightful.
Cherry Bourbon Milkshake Recipe with Espresso
Who knew that adding bourbon to a milkshake would be such a delicious treat? This fun dessert cocktail with bourbon is a great idea to serve at adult holiday parties! It's perfect for the kid at heart. (Just make sure kids don't see this and try to enjoy one too!)
Strawberry Rhubarb Whiskey Sour
This unique strawberry rhubarb whiskey sour will have you coming back for more. The bourbon is infused with strawberry to make a delicious drink that has the most gorgeous color!
Cynar Toronto (Amaro Old Fashioned)
Don't miss out on this easy Old Fashioned recipe using Amaro. It adds a wonderful complexity to the flavor that is great to share with company. Plus, while unique, Amaro is one of those spirits that you can use in all kinds of drinks.
Pomegranate Bourbon Punch
This punch is a great bourbon cocktail to make at Christmas thanks to the hints of vanilla and the orange slices. It's great for parties too!
Spiked Bourbon Apple Cider Cocktail
The flavor of apples is strong and amazing with this simple apple cider drink. Add bourbon to make it the perfect hot toddy!
Cranberry Apple Hot Toddy
This cranberry hot toddy can make a bad day good in a short amount of time. Between the bourbon and fresh cranberry garnish, this drink is totally festive.
Bourbon Milk Punch
If you've never tried milk punch, now is the time! It's a deliciously creamy alternative to eggnog! It's one of my favorite unexpected Christmas Bourbon Cocktails that I love to share with friends.
Bourbon Hot Toddy
You're going to love the ease of making this hot toddy recipe with bourbon. It's the perfect thing to warm you up all Christmas season long.
Peach Bourbon Cocktail with Rosemary
Combining peach and rosemary creates the perfect bourbon cocktail. While peaches aren't in season, you can use frozen to create this drink.
New Old-Fashioned Cocktail with Bourbon
You'll love this new spin on an old classic recipe. Honey and rosemary give the recipe a unique flavor that you'll love.
Simple Pumpkin Spice Old Fashioned
This Pumpkin Spice Old-Fashioned just might be your favorite fall drink. And while Thanksgiving might be over it's a great bourbon cocktail to make for Christmas.
Fresh and Minty Bourbon Smash
Talk about refreshing! The mint flavor will have you loving every sip! It's delicious even on the coldest nights.
Mint Julep- the classic signature drink of the Kentucky Derby
Classic Mint Juleps are underrated Christmas Bourbon Cocktails that are perfect for parties! Your guests will love them.
Bourbon Lemonade
This spin on lemonade is the perfect adult beverage. Using a lemonade base ensures a flavorful drink that is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
Honey, Cinnamon, and Fig Bourbon Cocktail
Honey, fig, and cinnamon make for the perfect holiday drink. This bourbon cocktail feels elevated and the perfect thing to enjoy with Christmas Eve dinner.
An Iced Apricot Bourbon Fizz
The added apricot flavoring really enhances each sip. And that gorgeous color will compliment your holiday outfit perfectly.
Amaretto Sour Cocktail
The addition of bourbon really elevates the flavors in this Ameretto Sour. It takes it from being overly sweet to layered with notes of caramel and spices.
Bourbon Maple Leaf Cocktail
This recipe is the perfect way to drink bourbon all fall and winter long. With just a few little touches, this cocktail is simple but celebrates the bourbon.
Pear Bourbon Cocktail
Pear is one of my favorite flavors to sip during the holidays and this tasty bourbon cocktail, with a pear ginger simple syrup is one I have on my "must try" list this year.
Festive Bourbon Cocktail with Cranberry & Orange
The cranberry and orange flavoring make this bourbon cocktail at the top of its game. Rosemary and cinnamon sticks dress it perfectly for serving on Christmas.
Pomegranate Ginger Bourbon Cocktail
You're not going to believe how well the flavors of pomegranate and ginger combine. Not only does the red color look celebratory, it tastes amazing! This is one of the best bourbon cocktails to serve at Christmas in my opinion.
Tropical Hibiscus Bourbon Cocktail
Hibiscus is such an awesome cocktail ingredient. It brings a tangy flavor and a bright color. It's super versatile and pairs really well with bourbon in this easy cocktail recipe.
How to Make Your Drink Look More Festive
This list features some of the best bourbon drinks to make for friends and family but they may not look as festive as you want.
To make any drink look more holiday-ready you can do a few things. Take a look at the ingredients and see if there is one that would work well as a garnish. A cinnamon stick is a great idea. So is a sprig of rosemary.
You can sugar any fruit or herb, like cranberries or rosemary and it makes it look like it’s dusted with snow.
Add a green herb garnish to any drink that is reddish to bring out those traditional holiday colors.
Or use a Christmas-themed drink stirrer or cocktail picks.
How to Pick the Best Bourbon
Before you can start preparing these bourbon holiday cocktails, you’re going to need to find the perfect bottle for your drinks. But if you’re not a bourbon expert, knowing what to look for can be difficult!
One of the most confusing parts about purchasing bourbon is understanding the difference between bourbon and whiskey.
While bourbon is a whiskey, whiskey isn’t always a bourbon. Although the process of making whiskey and bourbon is similar – both are made from a fermented grain mash and aged in wood barrels – the characteristics of each alcohol variety are slightly different.
As you search for the best bottle of bourbon for your next holiday get-together, look for these characteristics:
Ingredients
The key to distinguishing between a bourbon and rye whiskey is corn. To be labeled a bourbon, the liquor must be made with at least 51% corn mash. Brands featuring more corn are often sweeter.
Bourbons with a high rye content (more than 10%) typically have a spicier flavor while bourbons with a high wheat content usually have a nuttier flavor.
Aging
In addition to its ingredients, bourbon also has a time limit on its aging process. Bourbon must be aged for at least four years, so it’s a good idea to check the age statement on your bottle. Typically, the longer the bourbon has been aged, the bolder the flavor will be.
Where it’s Made
While whiskey can be produced anywhere in the world, bourbon can only be made in America. Kentucky is the most popular distilling location in the US, but bourbon can be brewed anywhere in the country.
Strength
If you’re searching for a pure bourbon that’s full of flavor, looking for cask strength or barrel-proof bourbon is the way to go.
While most bourbon varieties are cut with water to reach the distiller’s desired proof, cask strength bourbon is poured straight from the barrel to the bottle, creating a spiced, woody flavor in the whiskey.
For Making Cocktails
The points above are awesome to know if you are planning to drink the bourbon straight. When you are planning drinks made with bourbon whiskey, you can worry a little bit less about the nuances as the other drink ingredients will blend the flavors.
Bourbon can be very expensive, and those bottles are typically better for sipping. Look for a mid-priced bottle that still tastes great, but you won’t feel bad about using in a mixed drink.
Some bourbon brands I enjoy, that are affordable and also great for using in Christmas Cocktails with bourbon are:
Can you substitute Whiskey for Bourbon
These can easily be Christmas Whiskey Cocktails by using whiskey in place of the bourbon in any of the recipes.
In my opinion, you can substitute whiskey for bourbon in any cocktail recipe. Bourbon tends to be slightly sweeter but for the most part, they are similar enough to substitute and most people (who aren’t liquor experts) probably won’t be able to tell the difference.
More easy holiday cocktails
- Try this Non-Dairy Bourbon Milk Punch. It’s totally unique and perfect for people who don’t want dairy in their drinks.
- You can easily add a little bourbon to my Mulled Spiced Cider for a delicious warm, wintery drink.
- If you’re not into bourbon, a classic Vodka and Cranberry is just right. It’s a gorgeous color and super tasty.
- Fireball and Eggnog is a super simple drink idea full of holiday flavors.
- Make a Holiday Moscow Mule if you like sipping something refreshing from a copper mug.
- Browse this list of Vodka Cocktails for Winter to find something yummy made with vodka instead.
- This Christmas Cosmo is so simple and has an amazing flavor with a simple homemade flavored syrup.
- If you love the bubbly, you need to check out this collection of Christmas Champagne Cocktails!
- Need a delicious drink idea to make this holiday? Try one of these 21 Baileys Christmas Cocktails!
- This Easy Holiday Spiced Wine recipe makes a mulled wine with cinnamon, cloves, star anise and Tripe Sec perfect for holiday parties.
- This Easy Whiskey Sour Recipe is ready in just moments, perfect for any occasion!
Sitting by a fire with one of these bourbon cocktails and a book in hand is going to be on my to-do list as long as it’s cold outside! Love how many options you have to pick from here, thanks for sharing!
I need to continue working my way down this list of bourbon cocktails!
I haven’t tried very many bourbon cocktails. I think these all look great though. I think I would really like the cherry bourbon milkshake!
These Christmas bourbon cocktails all look so tasty. I’m thinking pomegranate bourbon punch for this next party.
Oooh, there might be a “mocktail” version of the Spiked Bourbon Apple Cider cocktail happening in our home on New Year’s Eve! What an extensive list of bourbon cocktails! You have something for everyone!
It’s the perfect time of year for Bourbon cocktails!
I’m adding many of these bourbon cocktails to my Christmas drink menu. Especially that cherry bourbon milkshake, it looks fantastic!
Christmas and bourbon cocktails are a match made in heaven!