Madison, we got the snow, now, let’s get into the holiday spirit! Christmas cocktails are festive drinks that feature seasonal flavors and ingredients and are a great way to break the ice at any holiday gathering.
Here is our top-ten list for Wisconsin-style cocktails:
- A Wisconsin style spritzer is typically a Wisconsin Old Fashioned topped with a splash of soda, which can be sweet (Sprite/7UP), sour (Squirt), or a “press” (a mix of club soda and a sweet soda). To make it, muddle an orange slice and a cherry with a sugar cube and bitters in a glass. Add brandy and ice, stir, and then top with your soda of choice before garnishing with a maraschino cherry.
What you need:
1 orange slice, 1 maraschino cherry, 1 sugar cube or 1/2tsp simple syrup, 2–4 dashes of Angostura bitters, 2oz brandy, Ice, a splash of soda (Sprite for “sweet,” Squirt for “sour,” or a combo for a “press”). - The Wisconsin Tom and Jerry is a hot, spiced holiday cocktail made with a batter of eggs, sugar, and spices, combined with brandy and rum, and topped with hot milk and grated nutmeg. It is prepared by warming a mug, adding the batter, the liquors, and then filling the rest of the cup with hot milk before garnishing with nutmeg.
What you need … for the batter:
Eggs (yolks and whites), powdered sugar, and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
(Separate eggs and beat the whites until stiff peaks form. Beat the yolks with sugar, then fold the two mixtures together.)
… for the cocktail:
1-3 tbs of Tom & Jerry batter, 1oz rum, 1oz brandy, and 6 oz hot milk. - A Wisconsin Bourbon and Apple Cider can be combined in various ways to create both hot and cold cocktails, featuring local products like Door County Distillery’s Maple Bourbon or von Stiehl Winery’s bourbon-aged hard cider. For a hot version, warm spiced apple cider with bourbon, lemon, and maple syrup is a popular choice. For a cold drink, mix bourbon with cider, lemon juice, and other ingredients like bitters or maple syrup, shaking it with ice. Garnish with cinnamon sticks and apple slices
What you need: 4 cups apple cider, 2oz bourbon, (1/2tsp ground cinnamon, 1/4tsp ground nutmeg, 2tbsp maple syrup, 1tbsp fresh lemon juice. - A Wisconsin-style spiced Eggnog cocktail is a variation of the classic eggnog cocktail, made with Wisconsin eggnog and a spiced rum. It can be served warm or cold and may include other ingredients like Kahlua and spices for a richer flavor. Combine, blend and shake all ingredients, garnish and enjoy.
What you need:
1 quart of Wisconsin eggnog, 1/4 cup spiced rum, 1/4 cup Kahlua (optional), 1/2tsp vanilla extract, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves to taste, demerara sugar or cinnamon sugar for the rim of the cocktail glass (optional), whipped cream and a cinnamon stick for garnish. - A Wisconsin Christmas Grasshopper is a variation of the classic cocktail, made with crème de menthe, crème de cacao, and vanilla or mint ice cream, which gives it a creamy, minty, and chocolatey flavor reminiscent of Christmas. To make it, blend until smooth and served in a glass with toppings like whipped cream and chocolate shavings or sprinkles to make it extra festive.
What you need:
Same amounts of Crème de menthe and Crème de cacao, several cups of Vanilla or Mint ice cream, to garnish: Whipped cream, Chocolate shavings or sprinkles. - A Wisconsin-style Peppermint Christmas Martini combines vodka, white chocolate liqueur, and peppermint schnapps, shaken until frosted with ice and served in a glass rimmed with crushed candy canes. Some variations may use whipped cream vodka, crème de menthe, or half-and-half instead of or in addition to the other ingredients. The garnish includes crushed candy canes. Combine, blend and shake all ingredients, garnish and enjoy.
What you need:
2oz vanilla vodka, 1oz white chocolate liqueur or white crème de cacao, 1oz peppermint schnapps, crushed candy canes for the rim and garnish. Optional: Half-and-half, cream, or whipped cream vodka. - A Wisconsin-style Brandy Alexander is a decadent Holiday cocktail made with brandy, crème de cacao, and vanilla ice cream instead of cream. Shake all in a blender until smooth and garnish in a chilled glass with grated nutmeg, whipped cream, and a maraschino cherry. This frozen, dessert-like version is a popular variation for holiday gatherings in Wisconsin.
What you need:
1½oz brandy, 1½oz dark crème de cacao, 1 cup Vanilla ice cream, 2oz heavy cream Garnish with freshly grated nutmeg, whipped cream, and a maraschino cherryGarnish the drink with whipped cream, a sprinkle of freshly grated nutmeg, and a maraschino cherry. - A Wisconsin Cranberry Gin Fizz cocktail is made by gently combining gin, cranberry juice, and rosemary simple syrup , topping with a mixer like club soda or Prosecco in a glass of ice. Garnish with fresh rosemary and candied cranberries for a festive holiday touch.
What you need:
1.5oz Wisconsin gin, 1.5oz cranberry juice, 1oz rosemary simple syrup, club soda, or Prosecco. To garnish use a fresh rosemary sprig and candied cranberries. - A Wisconsin Mulled Wine can be found from various wineries like Door Peninsula Winery and von Stiehl Winery, which offer both ready-to-drink spiced wines and kits. To make it yourself, in a saucepan, combine and heat gently, then simmer the wine with your chosen spices, honey and brandy if you choose. Strain out the spices and serve the mulled wine hot in mugs. Garnish with a fresh orange slice and cinnamon stick.
What you need:
A bottle of red wine, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, orange slices, honey and (optional) brandy. - Wisconsin-style Hot Buttered Rum is a hot popular, traditional Holiday cocktail served in a tea or coffee mug, made with rum, butter, hot water or cider, a sweetener, and spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. The combination of the rum, spices, butter with hot water or cider creates a rich, comforting beverage for a Wisconsin winter. To make it, combine, blend, shake and heat all ingredients, garnish and enjoy.
What you need:
A dark or robust rum, unsalted butter, a sweetener like Maple syrup or brown sugar, spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, hot water or hot cider, garnish with a cinnamon stick and sprinkle with nutmeg.
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