Have yourself a very merry spritzmas with these festive cocktail recipes

Christmas is a time for catching up with friends, family, and anyone you haven’t seen since the year before. But what brings people together through all of this? Booze, of course! How better to celebrate the festive season than over some appropriately themed cocktails? So, without further ado, here are all the Christmassy cocktail recipes you’ll need this December…

The Ginger Grinch (serves one)

This cocktail is a fiery punch, sure to keep you warm from that bitter Manchester cold. Think of yourself curled up in a blanket by the fire (or, electric heater, because your landlord hasn’t fixed the radiator)… and just keep sipping.

• In your cocktail shaker, add 30ml vodka, 30ml melon liqueur (might be a bit tricky to find but Asda and Amazon will be your best bet), 30ml lime juice, and a handful of ice, giving it a shake.
• Now, add the contents of the shaker to your glass, top it up with ginger beer, and there you have it!

Jack Frost’s Frozen Margarita (serves one)

This one’s for the Southside girlies – or anyone else who can’t get enough of tequila during the holidays. While the citrusy flavours of this cocktail are arguably a bit summery, let’s all think of the satsuma in the stocking, or the clementines in your childhood Christingle, and pretend that these are wintery fruits!

• For this cocktail, you’ll need a blender, to which you’ll add plenty of crushed ice, 45ml of blue curaçao, 30ml of tequila, 30ml of triple sec, and 30ml of lime juice.
• Then, simply blend it all together and serve it up. If you’re feeling fancy, garnish with a slice of orange.

The Sugar Cookie Martini (serves one)

Now this cocktail’s gone a bit viral, but nonetheless, it is a deliciously creamy cocktail, embodying that feeling of “how is there alcohol in this?”. This drink is the definition of a milkshake for adults and, if you remove the milk, can also make for the cutest little sugar cookie shot, perfect for a girls’ night in.

• Firstly, add 45ml vodka (vanilla flavoured works best but this is adaptable), 45ml Irish cream, 60ml milk, 30ml amaretto, and a handful of ice to your shaker. Give it a really good shake and, for best results, strain it into the glass.
• If you want to add a bit of flair, grab a tub of icing and some sprinkles to decorate the rim of your glass. This is Christmas at uni after all: go hard or go home.

Cinnamon Brown Sugar Old Fashioned (serves one)

I’m convinced that anyone who orders an Old Fashioned at any other time of the year doesn’t actually enjoy it, and that is definitely not because I’m not a big fan of whiskey. However, if you are a whiskey fiend (or a guy who refuses to order “girly cocktails”), this one is for you. Imagine yourself as Ryan Gosling’s character in Crazy, Stupid, Love, making an old fashioned for Emma Stone, then pop a Christmas hat on him!

• To a glass, add a teaspoon of brown sugar, a sprinkle of cinnamon, one or two dashes of bitters, and a splash of water, and muddle together until the sugar has dissolved.
• Then, drop in your ice and 60ml of whisky or bourbon (depending on your preference), mix together, and there you go: you’re Ryan Gosling. Consider watching Crazy, Stupid, Love with your drink if that reference is lost on you.

Rhubarb And (No Gin)ger Fizz (serves four)

For the final festive tipple, we have a cheeky mocktail. This drink is for those who want to join in on the cocktail fun without having to suffer through a headache the following day. This mocktail takes a little bit more prep than the others but it’s so worth it. With warming flavours of rhubarb and stem ginger, you get the perfect combination of sweetness and spice, and the best accompaniment to your Christmas party.

• To a pan, add a 100g tin of drained rhubarb, making sure to save two tbsp of the syrup for the mixture. With this, you’ll add two tbsp of caster sugar, one sliced ball of stem ginger and one tbsp of water, and bring it all to a gentle simmer, breaking the rhubarb up as it cooks.
• Next, remove from the heat and leave for an hour, to let the flavours infuse. Strain the liquid into a jug, making sure to get as much juice out as possible, then leave to cool completely.
• Luckily, that’s the hard part over. All you’re going to do next is pour one tbsp of the syrup into your glass, add a dash of lime juice (you can alter this to taste), 15 ml of non-alcoholic rhubarb, and ginger-flavoured gin (available from Sainsbury’s). Top this festive drink up with your favourite ‘nosecco’ or alcohol-free sparkling wine and it’s ready to drink.