Holiday Cocktails and Mocktails for Meetings

2023’s Winter Cocktails

Margaret’s Pumpkin Spice Martini

From Margaret's Restaurant at the JW Marriott Dallas Arts District

Ingredients

• 1 ounce Tito’s Handmade Vodka
• 1 ounce Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
• 1/2 ounce pumpkin puree 
• 1/2 ounce cinnamon vanilla syrup
• Whipped cream and ground cinnamon for topping

Instructions

1. Chill a martini glass in the freezer. 
2. Combine the first four ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Fill shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds until well combined and chilled.
3. Strain the martini into the chilled glass.
4. Top with a generous dollop of hand-whipped cream and sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon.

Château Veuve

From the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Gainey Ranch, Arizona

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Belvedere vodka
• 1/2 ounce Ginger Reàl
• 1/2 ounce Liquid Alchemist Blood Orange syrup
• 1/2 ounce lemon juice
• 1/2 ounce Montenegro liqueur
• 3 dash Bittermen New England cranberry bitter
• Topped with Veuve Clicquot Champagne

Instructions

1. In a chilled cocktail shaker, add together the first five ingredients and shake vigorously.
2. Strain into a coupe glass and top with a splash of Veuve and 3 dashes of the bitters.
3. Garnish with a dried blood orange slice.

Sugar Cookie Martini

From the Hyatt Regency Clearwater Beach Resort & Spa in Florida

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces vanilla vodka
• 1 bar spoon powdered sugar
• 3/4 ounce white chocolate liquor
• 1 ounce ice cream mix
• Vanilla frosting and rainbow sprinkles for garnish

Instructions

1. Garnish a martini glass with a layer of vanilla frosting and sprinkles.
2. Add all ingredients into a cocktail shaker, add ice, and shake vigorously.
3. Strain the cocktail into the glass.

S’Mores Martini

From the Golden Bee gastropub at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Ingredients

• 1.25 ounce Dark Chocolate Godiva liqueur
• 1.75 ounce vanilla vodka
• .75 ounce half and half
• .25 ounce Hershey’s chocolate syrup
• Hershey’s syrup, graham cracker crumbs, and marshmallow for garnish

Instructions

1. Rim a cocktail glass with Hershey’s chocolate syrup and dip into graham cracker crumbs.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add vodka, Godiva liqueur, half and half, and chocolate syrup. Fill with ice and shake vigorously for 15 seconds.
3. Pour into cocktail glass.
4. Place marshmallow on cocktail skewer and toast it with a small blow torch until slightly browned. Place on top of the cocktail glass rim.

Red-Nose Cosmo

From the Play bowling alley and restaurant at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Citron Vodka
• 1/2 ounce rosemary simple syrup
• 3/4 ounce lemon juice
• 3/4 ounce raspberry puree
• A splash of cranberry juice
• Roasted rosemary and raspberries for garnish

Instructions

1. Sugar-rim a martini glass.
2. In a cocktail shaker, add vodka, syrup, lemon juice, rapberry puree and cranberry juice. Shake vigorously and strain into a highball glass.
3. Garnish with roasted rosemary and three raspberries on a stick.

The Kissing Rock Cocktail

From Mesler Chicago at the Sophy Hyde Park Hotel in Chicago, this cocktail is named for the spot across the street from the hotel, where Michelle and Barack Obama shared their first kiss.

Ingredients

• 2 ounce cranberry-infused vodka
• 1 ounce pomegranate syrup
• 1 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon or lime juice 
• A splash of soda water
• Sugar-coated cranberries for garnish

Instructions

For the sugar-coated cranberries:

1. Make a simple syrup by mixing 3/4 cup of cane sugar with 1/2 cup of water in a small pot over medium heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat.
2. Add 1 cup of fresh cranberries and stir to fully coat the berries.
3. Cover and allow to steep for ten minutes.
4. Drain on a wire rack for one hour to dry.
5. Place 1/4 cup of sugar on a plate, and roll the berries in the sugar to coat. Can be stored in a covered container for two to three days. 

For the cocktail:

1. Place fresh mint leaves and a small handful of fresh cranberries in a cocktail shaker or bowl. Muddle together with the back of a spoon to release the juices.
2. Add the vodka, syrup, juice and soda. Shake well and pour over ice in an old-fashioned glass.
3. Garnish with the sugar-coated cranberries.

Berry and Bright

From the Lake Nona Wave Hotel in Orlando

Ingredients

For the cocktail:

• 1 ounce Reyka vodka
• .25 ounce Domaine de canton ginger liqueur
• .25 ounce lime juice
• .25 ounce cranberry shrub
• .25 ounce cranberry juice

For the shrub:

• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 2 cups sugar
• 1.5 cups apple cider vinegar

Instructions

For the shrub:

1. Put the cranberries and sugar in a small pot and boil until the mixture is the consistency of syrup, then wash through a strainer with apple cider vinegar.

For the cocktail: 

1. Put all ingredients into a cocktail a shaker with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass.
2. Top with soda water.

4 Refreshing Zero-Proof Options

These drinks allow those who have chosen not to drink alcohol to have their own special glass in hand. One note: "Mocktail" is no longer the preferred term, as it has a bit of a negative connotation. Use "zero-proof" for your nonalcoholic menu, instead.

Rosemary Blueberry Fizz

From the Andaz West Hollywood in California

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1/2 ounce fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 4 ounces club soda
• 2 ounces mineral water

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the blueberries, rosemary, honey and lemon juice until the blueberries have released their juices.
2. Add ice and shake until well combined. Strain the mixture into a glass filled with ice.
3. Pour in the club soda and mineral water, and gently stir to combine.
4. Garnish with additional blueberries and a sprig of rosemary, if desired.

Sparkling Lemon Rasp

From the Hyatt Regency Aruba Resort Spa and Casino

Ingredients

• 1 ounce raspberry mix
• 1 ounce lemonade mix
• 6 ounces nonalcoholic beer
• Raspberry and mint leaves for garnish

Instructions

1. Put raspberry and lemonade mixes into a cocktail shaker and shake for 5-8 seconds.
2. Top off with the nonalcoholic beer.
3. Garnish with raspberries and mint leaves.

Eastside Garden

Hotel Barriere Le Carl Gustaf on St. Bart's

Ingredients

• 2 ounce Seedlip Garden nonalcoholic spirit
• 1 ounce fresh lemon juice
• Splash of simple syrup
• 10 fresh mint leaves
• 3 cucumber slices
• 5 basil leaves

Instructions

1. Pour all ingredients into a glass shaker, add ice cubes and shake well.
2. Strain and pour into a coupette glass.
3. Garnish with two basil leaves.

Virgin Cucumber Gimlet

From the Elms Hotel & Spa in Excelsior Springs, Mo.

Ingredients

• 1.5 ounces club soda
• 4-5 slices of muddled cucumber
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• Shaved strips of cucumber for garnish

Instructions

1. Add cucumber and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker (or mason jar).
2. Muddle them together to mash the cucumber.
3. Add lime juice, cover and shake vigorously, until frothy.
4. Pour over ice and top with club soda.
5. Garnish with shaved cucumber.

Winter Cocktails From 2022

What Santa Drinks

From Area 31 at the Kimpton Epic Hotel in Miami 
 
Ingredients

• 1 ounce Hennessy cognac
• 1/2 ounce Licor 43  
• 1/2 ounce Grand Marnier 
• 1/2 ounce spiced simple syrup 
• 1/4 ounce vanilla syrup 

Instructions

Combine ingredients in a mixing glass and serve in a coupe glass with a sugared rim. Garnish with orange zest peels.

Mistletoe Mojito

From 1923 Prohibition Bar, the hidden speakeasy inside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino

Ingredients

• 1.5 ounces Smirnoff Strawberry 
• 0.5 ounce lime juice 
• 1 barspoon of strawberry preserves 
• Club soda 
• Mint for garnish
  
  

Instructions

Add all ingredients except the club soda in mixing glass. Shake and strain over clean ice into Collings glass. Top with club soda. Garnish with mint. 

Snickerdoodle Martini

From the Brown Palace Hotel & Spa in Denver

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Belvedere vodka
• 1/2 ounce St. George Nola coffee liqueur
• 1 ounce Baileys Irish cream
• 1/2 ounce demerara sugar syrup

Instructions

Pour ingredients in a shaker, mix well, and strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a dash of cinnamon and a cinnamon stick.

Sparkling Summit

From the Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Ingredients

• 3/4 ounce cranberry juice
• 1/2 ounce Absolut Vanilla Vodka
• 1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
• Splash of Prosecco

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and strain into a Champagne flute. Top with Prosecco and garnish with a spiral orange twist.

Spiked Hot Chocolate

From the St. Regis New York in New York City

Ingredients

• 3 cups whole milk
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 8 ounces semisweet chocolate powder 
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, to taste
• Pinch of kosher salt (optional)
• 2 ounces bourbon, to taste
• Toasted marshmallows for garnish

Instructions

Place milk and cinnamon in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat, whisking occasionally and making sure the milk doesn’t boil, about 10 minutes. 

Whisk in chocolate, sugar, and salt, and simmer, whisking frequently, until mixture is smooth and creamy and the chocolate has melted, about 5 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup; discard cinnamon.

Add the bourbon to the hot chocolate mixture and stir to combine. Divide among mugs, then top with toasted marshmallows.

Zero-Proof Options

Coco Loco Celebration

From Ms. Jigger at the Kimpton Ma-Lai Bangkok

Ingredients

• 1 ounce coconut juice
• .75 ounce lemon juice
• 1 ounce apple juice
• .35 ounce millileters lychee syrup
• 1 ounce Lemon Perrier sparkling water 

Instructions

Mix all ingredients in a cocktail shaker and strain into a Champagne flute that has been painted with a glucose mix using edible blue color.

Snowed In 

From 1923 Prohibition Bar, the hidden speakeasy inside the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino

Ingredients

• 1.5 ounces cold-brew coffee 
• .75 ounce maple syrup 
• 1 ounce half-and-half
• Club soda 
• Cola 
• Powdered sugar/nutmeg

Instructions

Add coffee, syrup and half and half in a mixing glass. Shake and strain over clean ice into a rocks glass. Top with club soda and a splash of cola. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and nutmeg.