15 Christmas Martinis To Shake Up Your Holiday Parties
You're going to love these boozy bevs inspired by all your favorite holiday treats.
Most of the year, we’re happy for our martinis to be classic—gin or vodka and dry vermouth in certain proportions (usually 2 1/2 oz. alcohol to 1/2 oz. vermouth), with a simple lemon peel or olive as garnish. Around Christmas, though? We crave super-decadent versions, full of seasonal flavors and topped with fun, elaborate garnishes. Intrigued? Check out our 15 Christmas martinis to see what we’re talking about. These boozy treats will keep you feeling festive all season long.
Unlike a classic martini, many of these recipes are more like sweet, drinkable versions of all our favorite holiday treats. Love peppermint bark? Try our peppermintinis. More of a cookie fan? We’ve got a sugar cookie martini and a caramel snickerdoodle martini calling your name. Feeling fruity? Try our lemon drop martini or our pomegranate martini. Chocolate lover? Try our snowflake martini or our chocolate martini. Pie person? Try our pecan pie martini or our banana cream pie martini. As you can see, the sky is kind of the limit with what Christmas flavors you can turn into a boozy treat. Just don’t skip the garnishes! 'Tis the season for sprinkles, and they take these drinks over the top in the best, most festive way possible.
Want more sweet Christmas inspiration? Check out our favorite winter treats, our top easy holiday desserts, and our favorite Christmas cookies too.
Chocolate Martini
We love topping this extra chocolate-y martini with shaved chocolate or a pinch of cocoa powder, but feel free to get creative on the garnishes! Try adding a strawberry or a spring of mint, or even adding crushed Oreos or candy canes to the rim.
Get the Chocolate Martini recipe.
Pomegranate Martini
More like a cosmopolitan than a classic martini, this recipe replaces the cosmo’s traditional cranberry juice with pomegranate. Garnish with a sugar rim and a fresh rosemary sprig for the perfect drink to serve at all your holiday gatherings.
Get the Pomegranate Martini recipe.
Peppermintinis
To make these peppermint-bark-inspired drinks, you'll combine white chocolate liqueur, vodka, peppermint schnapps, and heavy cream in a cocktail shaker with ice, before serving these shaken—not stirred—martinis with a homemade chocolate and peppermint rim. We're feeling festive already!
Get the Peppermintinis recipe.
Classic Vodka Martini
Before you start, make sure your vodka and vermouth are top-quality—since they make up the drink, the cheap stuff just won't do. Whether you go shaken or stirred, you'll feel on top of the world this holiday season after your first sip.
Get the Classic Vodka Martini recipe.
Sugar Cookie Martinis
Love Christmas sugar cookies? Us too, so we made this festive cocktail inspired by them. Baileys, vanilla vodka, and Amaretto give it that cookie-vibe, and the tiny candy cane-shaped sugar cookie hanging off the sprinkle-covered rim make it extra adorable.
Get the Sugar Cookie Martinis recipe.
Crème Brûlée Martini
These martinis taste just like a crème brûlée with way less effort. Be sure to keep the caramel in the freezer until you're ready to serve. The caramel will eventually melt into your drink, making it extra indulgent. Mmm.
Get the Crème Brûlée Martini recipe.
Espresso Martini
Curious how to achieve this impressive garnish? Cover half the glass with a napkin or paper towel, then dust the rest with either cocoa or espresso powder. Top the other side with coffee beans and voila! You have a coffee cocktail that's not only delicious, but also looks stunning, perfect for the holidays.
Get the Espresso Martini recipe.
Pecan Pie Martini
RumChata, creme de cocoa, and bourbon come together to make this drinkable version of pecan pie. These martinis might look cute and innocent, but trust us, they're STRONG.
Get the Pecan Pie Martini recipe.
Banana Cream Pie Martini
Part dessert, part cocktail, this drink is seriously indulgent. The flavor of banana pudding, one of our very favorite desserts, comes from the combination of vanilla vodka, Baileys, banana liqueur, and whipped cream. We know it sounds like a lot, but trust us, it's the real deal.
Get the Banana Cream Pie Martini recipe.
Lemon Drop Martini
A classic martini gets a sweet upgrade with the addition of limoncello. It tastes just like your favorite sweet tart lemon candy, which is a very good thing, particularly in winter when citrus abounds.
Get the Lemon Drop Martini recipe.
S'mores Martini
Missing outdoor campfires? No problem! We roasted our marshmallows over our oven burners. It's a totally optional step, but we think it really drives the s'mores flavor of these cocktails home.
Get the S'mores Martini recipe.
Caramel Snickerdoodle Martini
Caramel (sauce AND flavored vodka) pairs perfectly with cinnamon sugar in this cocktail, and makes it taste just like a snickerdoodle. It's all the flavor you love, without any of the work of baking cookies. Win!
Get the Caramel Snickerdoodle Martini recipe.
Snowflake Martini
White chocolate liqueur, vanilla vodka, and a splash of heavy cream come together to create this simple winter cocktail. It's great for dessert when the weather outside is frightful!
Get the Snowflake Martini recipe.
Cookies 'N' Cream Martinis
Milk 'n' cookies aren't just for Santa this year (though we bet he'd be pretty into this cocktail too 😉). Looking for an alternative to dairy milk or ice cream? Any vegan options would work totally fine here: almond, cashew, and coconut milks and ice cream are all fair game!
Get the Cookies 'N' Cream Martinis recipe.
Gingerbread Espresso Martini
Spice up the espresso martini trend with this gingerbread version that takes the cocktail to new heights. An aromatic simple syrup made with molasses, ginger, and warming spices is the perfect foil for Kahlúa’s robust coffee flavor. It’s a festive cocktail guaranteed to give you a pleasant buzz and get you in the holiday spirit.
Get the Gingerbread Espresso Martini recipe.
Camille Lowder is the digital food producer at Delish, otherwise known as our resident queen of recipe galleries. Previously, she attended the Natural Gourmet Institute for culinary school and worked at/managed a number of New York restaurants. She loves anything vegan, foods masquerading as other foods (hello, cauliflower), and a well-used Oxford comma.
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