Holiday cocktails are here! I love creating drinks that have some element of the season – from cranberries to cinnamon to rosemary, the possibilities are endless. I’m looking forward to sharing a few favorites with you this year that you can bring to your holiday parties, New Year’s festivities, or just a cozy night in to accompany a Christmas-movie-watching binge!
I had this cocktail at You & Yours Distillery when I was in San Diego this summer, and was instantly smitten with it. They call it Christmas in July but I think it’s a winner every day of the year! I only slightly adapted it to make it a touch less sweet. I love, love, love the chai syrup here and can’t wait to add it to some whiskey or even just a cup of chai tea to bump up the flavor a few notches and add a little sweetness.
Let me know if you try this one!
Christmas Everyday
- 1.5 oz gin
- 1 oz lime juice
- .25 oz orange cordial (recipe follows)
- 1 oz chai syrup (recipe follows)
Assembly
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake until very cold. Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a mint sprig, pink peppercorns and dusting of powdered sugar.
Orange Cordial
Combine 1/2 cup fresh-squeezed strained orange juice (to get the pulp out!) and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and cool. Store in the fridge.
Chai Syrup
Combine 1/2 cup demerara sugar (you can find this at Whole Foods – sugar in the raw works too) and 1/2 cup water over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Add 1 chai tea bag and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove tea bag, take off heat and let cool. Store in the fridge.
Want more holiday cocktail ideas? No problem!