It’s remarkable what a few ingredients can do, from balancing strong liqueurs to spicing up a regular cocktail, less is very often more. This selection of easy holiday cocktails are simple to make, so you can spend more time enjoying your cocktail than making it. These aren’t ordinary cocktails, either — they’re beverages perfect for celebrating with that are sure to impress your guests.
For hosts, holiday parties involve hours of shopping and preparation — but your choice in the cocktails you serve doesn’t have to be that way. These holiday cocktail recipes have three ingredients or less without sacrificing the flavor of the beverage. They provide a low maintenance beverage option that’s manageable for the party’s host.
1. Eggnog Martini
Creamy with just a subtle hint of spice, an eggnog martini is a far cry from the original martini. The richness of the eggnog is balanced with the smoothness of vodka and the nuttiness of the amaretto — the perfect modern beverage for the holiday season. It’s made simply by shaking eggnog, vodka, and amaretto together and served in a martini glass. The drink can be made in advance for easy serving.
2. Negroni Sbagliato
Sbagliato translates to “mistaken,” but there’s no mistaking this low-ABV cocktail as a deliciously light and refreshing spritz perfect for celebrating the holidays. Swapping gin for sparkling wine makes the Negroni Sbagliato a low-proof cocktail — a stark difference from its bracingly bitter namesake.
3. Dark and Stormy
The Dark and Stormy cocktail balances sweet, spicy, and zing to create a mellow beverage that’s sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Dark rum, ginger beer and lime juice are stirred into the glass for easy assembly, and the recipe can be made for a group. The Dark and Stormy is similar to the vodka-based Moscow Mule but sweeter and more tropical.
4. Presbyterian
Made with Scotch, ginger ale, and soda water, the Presbyterian is an easy-drinking cocktail with the perfect amount of warmth. The Presbyterian is mixed into the glass, and it’s a remarkably refreshing way to enjoy Scotch in a low-proof cocktail.
5. Chambord Spritz
Chambord was first enjoyed in the 1600s in the castles of the Loire, and the mixes it has inspired feel regal. For the Chambord Spritz, white wine is mixed with the bright black raspberry liqueur and topped with the sparkle from the soda water. It’s light, bright, and refreshing. The Chambord Spritz is made in the glass for easy creation and drinking.
6. Sea Breeze
This updated Prohibition cocktail can be made like a punch, mixing cranberry juice, grapefruit juice and vodka for an easy serving. It’s bright and fun both in appearance and taste. Originally Sea Breeze was made with grenadine — the festive pink hue now comes from the cranberry.
7. Kir Royale
It’d be difficult to think of a more celebratory cocktail than Kir Royale. The Champagne and Creme de Cassis concoction is a variation of Kir (made with white wine). The delicate bubbles of the champagne are highlighted by just a subtle undertone of cassis, turning the drink a pale pink.
8. Stone Fence
