Ina Garten’s 7 Best Cocktails Perfect for Christmas Celebrations
Ina Garten knows all about hosting holiday gatherings — no matter how large or small. The Food Network star known as The Barefoot Contessa has a plethora of recipes for a delicious menu, the very best decorations, and she serves a fantastic cocktail. Here are seven of Ina’s best cocktails perfect for Christmas celebrations.
1. Ina Garten’s Pomegranate Gimlet is the ‘perfect holiday cocktail’
From her cookbook Modern Comfort Food, the recipe for Ina’s Pomegranate Gimlet begins with sticking martini glasses in the freezer to chill.
Mix together gin, pomegranate juice, lime juice, and simple syrup in a pitcher, then shake the drink over ice for 15 seconds — which Ina warns is “longer than you think.” Finish up by pouring the drink into your chilled glasses and garnishing with lime slices and pomegranate seeds.
2. The Raspberry Royale couldn’t be easier
Easily impress your guests — with almost zero effort — by serving up the Barefoot Contessa’s Raspberry Royale. All you need to do is pour a teaspoon of raspberry liqueur into each champagne glass, then add two or three raspberries. When your guests arrive, Ina says to pop the cork on a bottle of good, chilled champagne and fill each glass.
3. The Limoncello Vodka Collins isn’t just a summer cocktail
The Limoncello Vodka Collins may be best suited for the hot summer months, but it can also be an easy drink to sip on during a holiday party. Combine Grey Goose vodka with freshly squeezed lemon juice, sugar syrup, and Limoncello liqueur in a large pitcher. When you are ready to serve, pour in some club soda and stir. Serve in highball glasses with ice and garnished with a slice of lemon.
4. Ina Garten’s Hot Spiced Apple Cider is perfect for cold weather
Ina’s Hot Spiced Apple Cider is the perfect hot drink for a cold winter evening. Ingredients needed include fresh apple cider, whole black peppercorns, cinnamon sticks, whole dried cloves, a star anise, a navel orange, good bourbon (Ina recommends Maker’s Mark), and a crisp red apple.
5. Sidecars with Dried Cherries is a cocktail that must be served with sugared rims
Ina’s recipe for a classic Sidecar with Dried Cherries begins with her method for sugaring glass rims. Pour the juice of one lemon into a shallow bowl, then put the sugar on a small plate. Dip the rim of two highball or martini glasses into the lemon juice, then into the sugar. Set them aside to dry while you make the cocktail mixture.
6. Blood Orange Cosmos in a chilled martini glass
Another quick and easy cocktail recipe from Ina is her Blood Orange Cosmos. Combine two cups of good vodka, one-and-a-half cups of blood orange juice, one cup of Cointreau, and a half-cup of freshly squeezed lime juice in a large pitcher. Fill a cocktail shaker half-full with ice, pour in the mixture, then shake for 30 seconds.
Pour the drink into chilled martini glasses, then rub the rim of each glass with a blood orange peel and add it as a garnish.
7. Ina Garten’s Frozen Palomas are an adult cocktail treat
If you loved snow cones as a kid, you’re gonna love Ina’s Frozen Palomas as an adult during the Christmas season. You’ll need ruby red grapefruit juice, white tequila, freshly squeezed lime juice, simple syrup, ice, kosher salt, and wedges of ruby red grapefruit for garnish.
This cocktail needs to be made in advance because the mixture of grapefruit juice, tequila, lime juice, and simple syrup must freeze for at least six hours.
The Barefoot Contessa airs on Food Network.
