Recipes
6 Festive Cocktails to Enjoy over the Holidays!
We’ll be making spirits bright with these sips in hand!
It’s the most wonderful time of the year, especially for cocktails! Whether you’re planning a party or in need of a pick-me-up amidst the hectic festivities, we have you covered with a selection of recipes you surely won’t want to miss out on. Without further ado, put on your favourite ugly Christmas sweater and follow along with us to discover your next tipple!
JUMP to the recipes ahead!
- Cranberry Gin Sour
- Good Tidings We Bring
- Sugar Plum Fairy
- Holiday Hugo Spritz
- Ginny Gelatin Mold
- Daisy Mandarin Spritz
1. Cranberry Gin Sour
Let’s begin with a recipe that puts one of our favourite festive fruits in the spotlight: cranberries! @itscocktailhour_ makes the most of its vibrant burst of flavour in this easy twist on the classic sour. Add a rosemary garnish for complementary herbaceous aromatics to instantly put yourself in the merry spirit!
Ingredients
- 2 oz Empress 1908 Indigo Gin
- 1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 1 oz Simple Syrup
- Handful of Fresh Cranberries, plus more for garnish
- Rosemary Sprig, for garnish
Method
Start by muddling cranberries, simple syrup and freshly squeezed lemon juice in a cocktail shaker. Add Empress Indigo Gin and ice, then shake well. Strain into a chilled coupe glass and garnish with cranberries and rosemary.
2. Good Tidings We Bring
Make this sparkling sip the accompaniment to your holiday feast! Tangy pomegranate and warming cardamom blend with the vibrant botanicals of our Empress Cucumber Lemon Gin in a cocktail perfect for celebrating.
Ingredients
- 1 oz Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin
- 1 oz Pomegranate Juice
- ½ oz Cardamom Syrup*
- Sparkling Wine, to top
- Cardamom Sugar, to rim**
Method
Start by rimming a flute with cardamom sugar and set aside. Add ingredients to a mixing glass and stir over ice to chill. Strain into rimmed glass, top with sparkling wine, and enjoy!
*To make cardamom syrup, combine 150g each of water and sugar along with 6-8 green cardamom pods (cracked) in a saucepan over medium heat. Heat until sugar dissolves and let infuse for 1 hour. Strain into sealed container and keep stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
**To make cardamom sugar, mix together ¼ cup of sugar and ½ tsp ground cardamom (or to taste) and set aside until ready to use.
3. Sugar Plum Fairy
We can already hear the music upon first taste! @yellowbellykelly puts a wintery spin on the iconic Aviation with added spice, herbal, and plum notes to create a dynamic flavour profile that’s oh-so irresistible. Elegant and complex, it tastes just as magical as it sounds!
Ingredients
- 1½ oz Empress 1908 Indigo Gin
- ½ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- ½ oz Crème de Violette
- ½ oz Ginger Liqueur
- 1-2 Rosemary Sprigs, plus more for garnish
- 4 dashes Plum Bitters
- 2 dashes Cinnamon Bitters
- Lemon Juice & Sugar, to rim
Method
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake for 7 seconds. Rim a coupe glass with lemon juice and sugar. Double strain the cocktail into the coupe glass. Garnish with a fresh sprig of rosemary. Enjoy!
4. Holiday Hugo Spritz
Who said that spritzes can only be enjoyed during the summer? @the.boozy.ginger gives the beloved Hugo Spritz a festive makeover with cranberry juice and whimsical ice cubes! With a delectable and refreshing mix of florals and fruit, it should come as no surprise that we’ll be sipping this one well into the new year!
Ingredients
- 1½ oz Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin
- 1 oz Cranberry Juice
- 1 oz Sparkling Water
- 3 oz Prosecco
Method
Build all ingredients in a goblet filled with cranberry, orange, and rosemary ice. Stir briefly to combine and enjoy!
5. Ginny Gelatin Mold
Need a showstopping dessert? Look no further than this treat by @dawnofthedelicious that gives us all the nostalgic vibes! Boasting zestiness from lemon and lime, a hint of richness, and a delightfully bouncy texture, it’s bound to make for the perfect conclusion to a grand holiday dinner. Makes 24 servings
Ingredients
- 1½ cups Empress 1908 Cucumber Lemon Gin
- One 6 oz package (or 0.6 oz if sugar-free) Lemon Gelatin Dessert
- Two 6 oz packages (or 0.6 oz if sugar-free) Lime Gelatin Dessert
- 3½ tbsp Unflavoured Gelatin
- ½ cup Whipping Cream
- 7½ cups Water
Method
Spray just a bit of cooking oil in a 10” silicone bundt mold, then wipe with a paper towel to spread. Place the mold on a cutting board or hard surface that can be transferred to the fridge later.
Measure out 1 cup of ice cold water and mix about ¼ cup of it with 1 tbsp unflavored gelatin. Allow the mixture to bloom for about five minutes. Stir the lemon gelatin packet with 1½ cups simmering water; add the bloomed gelatin and continue stirring until completely dissolved. Add the remaining ¾ cup of cold water as well as ½ cup cold gin. Stir well.
Pour into the mold and refrigerate for two hours. Repeat with one packet of lime gelatin and again with the remaining packet of lime gelatin, but add an extra ½ tbsp unflavored gelatin during the blooming stage and add ½ cup whipping cream to the gelatin mixture after the cold water and gin have been added. Once all three layers are in the mold, refrigerate for four hours or overnight.
To loosen the gelatin from the silicone mold, dip in a large bowl of hot water for five seconds (careful not to let the water touch the gelatin itself). Once removed from the water bowl, place your serving plate on top of the mold, flip it all over, and carefully lift the mold off the plate, revealing your gorgeous layers of gelatin.
6. Daisy Mandarin Spritz
We couldn’t let things end without a batched cocktail to serve at a party! If you practice the tradition of oranges in your stocking, this recipe by @carneliancooks is a must-try. Packed full of citrus and light florals, this spritz is sure to be a crowdpleaser!
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
- 12 oz Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin
- 8 oz Fresh Daisy Mandarin Juice (or Fresh Orange Juice)
- 4 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- 4 oz Rose Simple Syrup*
- Prosecco, to top
- Mandarin Slices, for garnish
Method
In a large pitcher add all ingredients and gently stir to combine. Add 1-2 cups of ice 20 minutes prior to serving for dilution. Pour chilled mixture into a large glass filled with ice. Only fill the glass half way. Top with prosecco and garnish with mandarin orange slices.
*To make rose simple syrup, combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a small saucepan. Stir the mixture over medium heat until the sugar is fully dissolved. Once dissolved, add the rose petals to the saucepan and let them simmer for about 2-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Strain and let cool.
We hope to see you celebrating over glasses of these tasty tipples over the holidays! Before we end things off, we’d love to say a few words of gratitude for you all.
We can certainly say that 2024 has been super exciting for us; whether it was the launch of our new Empress Cucumber Lemon Gin, continuing to share plenty of delicious creations for people to make at home, and even Taylor Swift coming to our home country for the last leg of the Eras Tour where we honoured the occasion with Lavender Haze cocktails. Let’s raise a toast together to all the great times we had together and even more in the future – thank you so much for the ongoing support, and all the Empress 1908 love!
For more cocktail inspiration, you know where to look – be sure to head on over to our Instagram, Cocktail Page, or Blog!
Sip responsibly!
