Recipes
8 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 75
- Holiday Hugo Spritz
- Ginny Gelatin Mold
- Berry & Spice (& Everything Nice)
- Cosmo in the Snow
- 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 75
We can already hear the music upon first taste! You’ll often find us spreading the yuletide cheer with a French 75, so let us introduce you to this shimmering version by @drinkswithdanica. Infusing the classic with a sweet kiss of plum, this beauty tastes just as magical as it sounds!
Ingredients
- 1½ oz Empress 1908 Indigo Gin
- ½ oz Fresh Lemon Juice
- ¾ oz Plum Liqueur
- 3 oz Sparkling Wine
- Edible Glitter (optional)
Method
Dip the rim of a coupe glass or a flute glass in simple syrup, then firmly press into a plate covered with sugar sprinkles. Place glass in the freezer to set. Add Empress 1908 Indigo Gin, fresh lemon juice, plum liqueur and optional edible glitter to a cocktail shaker. Add ice, then shake until chilled. Strain into your prepped and chilled glass. Top with sparkling wine, and 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 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 unflavoured 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 unflavoured 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. Berry & Spice (& Everything Nice)
For the ideal Christmas Day toast, @thekitchenmccabe combines tart fruits with the warmth of cinnamon to create a sip that’s truly worthy of the name. Doesn’t this look especially charming with the ice cube wreath to tie into the holly jolly mood?
Ingredients
- 1 oz Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin
- ¼ oz Grand Marnier
- ½ oz Pomegranate Juice
- ¼ oz Cranberry Cinnamon Syrup*
- Juice of ½ Lemon
- Ice Cube Wreath, to garnish**
Method
Add Empress 1908 Elderflower Rose Gin, Grand Marnier, pomegranate juice, cranberry cinnamon syrup, and lemon juice to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with an ice cube wreath or as desired. Enjoy!
*To make the syrup, add 1 cup granulated sugar and ¾ cup water to a saucepan. Heat on medium-high, stirring to dissolve sugar. Add 1 cup of cranberries and 1 cinnamon stick (broken into smaller pieces). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat slightly and simmer for 5-7 minutes, or until cranberries are broken down. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. Strain, bottle, and refrigerate for up to two weeks.
**To make the ice cube wreath, line the wells of a baked donut mold with fresh rosemary and pomegranate arils. Fill each well ¼ of the way with water. Freeze for one hour. Fill each well to the top with water and freeze until solid (2-3 hours). Run the base of the mold under hot water to release wreaths and keep frozen until needed.
7. Cosmo in the Snow
We think we found our new favourite snow globe, all thanks to @thesocialsipper! Embodying the dreamiest winter scene in a glass, this light and crisp cosmo riff is as enjoyable to look at as it is to drink.
Ingredients
- 1½ oz Empress 1908 Indigo Gin
- 1-2 oz White Cranberry Juice
- 1 oz Triple Sec
- ¾ oz Lime Juice
- Club Soda
- Pomegranate Seeds, to garnish
Method
To a fillable ornament, add Empress 1908 Indigo Gin, Triple Sec, white cranberry juice, and lime juice. For serving, fill the glass halfway with club soda. If desired, add pomegranate seeds. When ready to enjoy, pour the cocktail mixture into the glass and enjoy!
*To make the snow globe ice, add ¼ cup of cranberries and an inch of water to a wine glass. Trim a rosemary sprig so it fits inside the glass. Balance it in between the cranberries to look like a Christmas tree. Freeze until frozen solid, about 5 hours.
8. 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 halfway. 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.
Well, that about wraps it up! Cheers to all the great times we shared together in 2025 and even more in the future! We always appreciate seeing the cocktails you mix up with us, so we’d love to thank you for all the ongoing support and the Empress 1908 love! We hope you celebrate with glasses of the above over the holidays and look forward to discovering what other delicious creations you make in the new year!
For more cocktail inspiration, you know where to look – be sure to head on over to our Instagram, Cocktail Page, or Blog!
Sip responsibly!
