Day 12: The Twelve Days of Christmas Cocktails

On The Twelfth Day of Christmas...

Grown Up Hot Cocoa is something I know my family will be drinking all winter long, including my nephews who can enjoy the non-alcoholic version of this delightful cup of chocolaty goodness.  There are so many options and preferences when it comes to hot cocoa but I felt it was best to just keep it simple.  You know, the way we all remember it as kids during Christmastime.


Hot Cocoa
Ingredients
4 cups milk (whole, 2%, 1% or skim, whichever you drink)
8 ounces dark chocolate chopped
3 teaspoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1-3 large marshmallows
Dash of cinnamon 

In a medium sauce pan heat the milk on low heat to a simmer.  Whisk the milk occasionally so that it doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.  Do not boil. Add the vanilla extract, powdered sugar, sea salt and dark chocolate.  Whisk until ingredients are combined and chocolate is completely dissolved, about 4-5 minutes.  Serve hot and top with marshmallows and dash with cinnamon.

Grown Up Hot Cocoa
Pour 1-1/2 ounces of your favorite liqueur.  I suggest Baileys Irish Cream, Amaretto, Kahlua, and my favorite, Frangelico.  Follow the directions to Hot Cocoa recipe and serve.  Cheers!

Day 11: The Twelve Days of Christmas Cocktails

On The Eleventh Day of Christmas...

Pumpkin Martini is the perfect dessert in a glass.  So if you saved some pumpkin puree from Thanksgiving, break it out of the freezer and let it thaw for this decedent cocktail.  If not there are still some cans of pumpkin puree on the shelves at the grocery store ready for this cocktail.  Using real pumpkin puree makes this martini a bit more authentic than those holiday cocktails that most restaurants and bars put on their seasonal menus.  Along with pear-infused vodka and the dark brown sugar simple syrup this cocktail is full of sweet and fresh flavors.  The aroma and taste will bring you back to the holidays of when you were a kid but with a grown up kick.



Ingredients
1-1/2 ounces pear-infused vodka (see recipe and instructions below)
1 ounce pumpkin puree
1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
1 teaspoon brown sugar simple syrup (See recipe and instructions below)
1 dash of Angostura Bitters
Dash of nutmeg
Dash of Cinnamon

Pear-Infused Vodka
750 ml vodka
3 fresh pears sliced into quarters

Pour a 750ml bottle of vodka into a large airtight container.  Add sliced pears, close container and let it steep for about 1 week.  The pears will brown as the vodka becomes infused.  Strain the vodka back into the original bottle and discard the pears.

Brown Sugar Simple Syrup
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup water

In a small sauce pan heat the dark brown sugar and water until sugar has dissolved completely.  Do not boil.  Cool and store in and airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.

Pumpkin Martini
Pour the pear-infused vodka, pumpkin puree, Grand Marnier, brown sugar simple syrup and Angostura Bitters into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.  Shake vigorously to mix all ingredients, especially the pumpkin puree.  Pour the cocktail into the martini glass and garnish with a dash of cinnamon and nutmeg.  

Day 10: The Twelve Days of Christmas Cocktails

On The Tenth Day Of Christmas...

Spiced Cranberry Mimosa is how every Sunday or Christmas brunch should begin.  As for my sister and I, we have been sharing this cocktail for the last few years every Christmas Eve morning.  We have made it a tradition that I spend the night on the 23rd and we watch a movie, drink wine and I help her wrap the presents for my nephews.  In the morning she makes a wonderful breakfast while I pour us these delicious drinks.  We spend the day sipping our cocktails and playing board games with my nephews relaxing a bit before the craziness of Christmas Day comes.

Ingredients
1 bottle prosecco ( Or champagne but I prefer prosecco)
1-2 ounces spiced apple cider (I bought mine at Trader Joe's)
Splash of pure cranberry juice
Dash of nutmeg
Dash of cinnamon
1 cinnamon stick

Fill the champagne glass about half full with prosecco.  Add the spiced apple cider and splash with cranberry juice.  Dash the cocktail with the nutmeg and cinnamon and drop the cinnamon stick in for garnish and extra flavor.  

Note: This recipe is based upon our (mine and my sister's) taste but feel free to adjust the amount of prosecco, spiced apple cider and cranberry juice to yours.

Day 9: The Twelved Days of Christmas Cocktails

On The Ninth Day Of Christmas...

With my huge obsession with bourbon I had to add this Holiday Spiced Manhattan to the list.  I'm in love with the mulled sweet vermouth with my favorite spices of the season giving this cocktail the perfect blend of a classic drink with a festive cheer.  
I first did a test run of the Holiday Spiced Manhattan on my husband and a couple who are great friends of ours, serving them up in a martini glass as pictured below.  Then I served the same cocktail on the rocks prepped in a large pitcher at a southern themed party to pair with AMC's The Walking Dead mid-season finale.  You wouldn't believe how great this cocktail is with southern fried chicken and The Walking Dead, my other obsession.  Not only will this cocktail spice up your holiday season but may help you ward off some zombies as well.

Mulled Sweet Vermouth
Ingredients
2 cups sweet vermouth
3 cinnamon sticks
 4 whole cloves
2-4 dashes cayenne pepper
2-4 dashes salt

In a small saucepan heat the sweet vermouth just before boiling.  Turn off heat and add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, cayenne pepper, and salt.  Cover with a lid and let it steep for 6-8 hours.  Strain sweet vermouth into a jar and discard solids.  This can be stored in an air tight container for up to 6 months.

Holiday Spiced Manhattan
Ingredients
2-1/2 ounces bourbon (I prefer Maker's Mark with this recipe)
3/4 ounce mulled sweet vermouth
2-3 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Dash of nutmeg
Orange peel for twist

Pour the bourbon, mulled sweet vermouth and the Angostura Bitters into an ice filled shaker.  Shake well and pour into a martini glass. Peal a small piece of the orange rind and moisten the rim with it.  Give the orange peel a twist over the glass and drop it into the cocktail.  Dash nutmeg into the cocktail and take in the amazing aroma.  Cheers!

Day 7: The Twelve Days of Christmas Cocktails

On The Seventh Day Of Christmas...

This Gingerbread Cookie Cocktail is not for wussies.  Although it may actually taste like a cookie, don't be fooled by its yummy sweetness and cute name.  I made this cocktail for the first time a few years ago for some co-workers who couldn't stop raving about it and how wonderfully delicious it was.  Since then it has become a part of my holiday tradition and has definitely spread some good cheer!


Ingredients
1-1/2 ounces Stoli Vanilla Vodka
1-1/2 ounces Frangelico Liqueur
3/4 ounce Butterscotch Schnapps
4 ounces ginger beer (I prefer Reeds Extra Ginger Brew which is a bit spicier)
Myer's Rum Original Dark for float

Mix the Stoli Vanilla Vodka, Frangelico Liqueur, and Butterscotch Schnapps in a mixing glass.  Pour the mix in to a tall glass filled with ice.  Add the ginger beer and carefully float with Myer's Dark Rum.  Drink this cocktail in layers or use a festive straw to stir and mix the flavors together.  Cheers!

Day 6: The Twelve Days of Christmas Cocktails

On The Sixth Day of Christmas...

Maple-Bacon Old Fashion is a cocktail that I found at a wonderful barbecue restaurant, Boneyard Bistro.  I fell in love and it had me coming back again and again.  However, with much sadness they have recently taken it off the menu and although they don't serve my favorite cocktail we still go there because the ribs are just that good, not to mention the fried mac n' cheese.  With such a strong love for this twist on a classic I had to make my own.  So if you love bacon dipped in maple syrup with pancakes and or breakfast for dinner this will soon become your new favorite cocktail.  The aroma alone will make you want to savor every sip and this sweet and savory old fashion will be sure to warm you up this winter.

I made a smaller batch of this using 1 cup of bourbon and 1 bacon slice

Bacon-Bourbon Infusion
750 ml bourbon
4 slices of cooked bacon

Place 4 slices of cooked bacon in a jar.  Pour the bourbon in the bacon filled jar.  Let it stand for 1-3 days at room temperature to infuse.  Strain the bourbon and discard the bacon.  Return the strained bourbon to its original bottle.

Maple-Bacon Old Fashion
Ingredients
3 ounces bacon infused-bourbon
1/4 ounce maple syrup 
2-3 dashes Angostura Bitters
Orange peel 


Fill a bourbon glass with ice.  Add bacon-infused bourbon, maple syrup, Angostura Bitters and stir.  Rim the glass with the orange peel and then twist it over the glass and drop it in.

Note: Another option is to infuse Tap 357 Canadian Maple Rye Whiskey, which is wonderful, and skip the maple syrup when making the cocktail.

Day 4: The Twelve Days of Christmas Cocktails

On The Fourth Day of Christmas...

This Candy Cane Martini will be sure to give you a good kick to get you into the holiday spirit. After doing some research on candy cane and peppermint martinis I thought it might be best to concoct my own.  Most recipes call for Peppermint Schnapps but in order to keep most of my friends and sorority sisters from gagging I had to come up with an alternative.  So after many tastings, mixing and remixing, and the help of my husband and a wonderful friend this is what I give you for the Fourth Day of Christmas.

Ingredients

1 candy cane

1 tablespoon Hershey's Chocolate Syrup

3 ounces Stoli Vanilla Vodka

3/4 ounce Baily's Irish Cream

1 drop peppermint extract

Crush the candy cane and place on a small plate.  Pour the Hershey's Syrup on to a separate small plate.  Dip the rim of the martini glass first in the chocolate syrup and then into the crushed candy cane.  

Fill a shaker with ice and pour in the Stoli Vanilla Vodka, Baily's Irish Cream and the peppermint extract.  Give it a good shake and strain it into the candy cane rimmed martini glass.  Enjoy!

Day 3: The Twelve Days of Christmas Cocktails

On The Third Day Of Christmas...

Holiday Gin Fizz reminds me of the smell of a Christmas tree being brought into the house.  

Decorating the tree is my favorite time to spend with my husband during the holiday season. Although we may spend a couple of hours untangling lights and figuring out where all the ornaments will go (mine are in the front of course) we love listening to Christmas music and sipping on a cocktail as we go.  Holiday Gin Fizz will definitely be what we will be having this year as we put up our tree.  

Ingredients

3 one inch sprigs of fresh rosemary

1 small lemon, juiced (I used a Meyer lemon)

1/2 teaspoon honey

1-1/2 ounces gin (I prefer Bombay Sapphire)

3 ounces club soda

Muddle the fresh rosemary, lemon juice and honey in a small glass.  Fill the glass with ice, add the gin and club soda.  Stir and enjoy!

Day 2: The Twelve Days of Christmas Cocktails

On The Second Day Of Christmas...

Christmas in a Cup is the perfect way to end your day with something sweet or make a large batch for a holiday party.

Ingredients
3 scoops of vanilla bean ice cream
2 ounces Baily's Original Irish Cream
Cinnamon
Peppermint stick (I found these at World Market)




Pour Baily's Irish Cream into a blender and add the vanilla ice cream.  Blend until smooth and creamy.  Pour mixture into a short glass, sprinkle cinnamon on top and garnish with a peppermint stick.  Enjoy!