T’is the season to be merry and sip on Christmas cocktails guaranteed to keep you toasty throughout the new year – from Cranberry Mojitos to Merry Margaritas!
With only a few days left before Christmas, the countdown has begun! Cocktails with a unique Christmas twist are the ideal way to start the holiday season for those who are totally committed to getting into the festive mood. As part of their brand-new analysis, NIO Cocktails‘ drinks specialists have revealed the top five Googled cocktails of 2022. The report explores the ideal food pairings to go along with the world’s most popular cocktails. Take a look at these tasty beverages that would be ideal to prepare for party attendees, or to sip during a romantic night in with your significant other:
Cranberry Mojito
Coming in as the most Googled cocktail of 2022 is the mojito, with a whopping 1.3 million searches. If you’re looking to elevate this summery, refreshing cocktail into a Christmas tipple, why not try a Cranberry Mojito? Here’s how to make one:
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp cranberry sauce
- 60ml white rum
- 1 lime
- Handful of fresh mint leaves, plus extra leaves to serve
- Crushed ice
- Handful of fresh cranberries to serve
- Sparkling water for mixer
Method:
- Juice half a lime and add to your glass, along with the cranberry sauce, white rum and handful of mint leaves
- Stir well until the ingredients are combined
- Add some crushed ice to your glass
- Top up your mojito with some sparkling water
- Garnish with some fresh cranberries and lime slices, using the remaining half of the lime
Winter Aperol Spritz
The Venetian wine-based cocktail, Aperol Spritz, comes in as the second most Googled cocktail, with an impressive 1 million searches. The beautifully bitter cocktail with an orange slice garnish is perfect for Christmas; but if you’re wanting to add that extra Christmas flavour, try this Winter Aperol Spritz recipe that incorporates cranberry and rosemary to the mix:
Ingredients:
- 50ml Aperol
- 75ml Prosecco
- 25ml cranberry juice
- 25ml soda water
- Orange slice to garnish
- 1 sprig of rosemary to garnish
- Cubed ice
Method:
- Fill a large wine glass with your cubed ice
- Pour in your Aperol, prosecco and cranberry juice
- Top with a dash of soda water
- Pop your orange slice into your cocktail
- Garnish with a sprig of rosemary
Moscow “Yule”
In third place for the most Googled cocktail of 2022 is the Moscow Mule, with a respectable 923,000 searches. This delicious cocktail already contains Christmassy flavours, with it’s ginger beer mixer. However, if you want to maximise those festive flavours, you can add cranberry juice. Here’s how to make a Moscow “Yule”:
Ingredients:
- 50ml vodka
- Crushed ice
- 150ml ginger beer
- 100ml cranberry juice
- 1 sprig of rosemary to garnish
- 1 lime slice to garnish
- Handful of fresh cranberries to garnish
Method:
- Add your crushed ice into your chosen tumbler (a Moscow Mule is commonly served in a metal cup)
- Pour in the vodka, cranberry juice and then top with the ginger beer
- Stir gently to maintain the fizz
- Add your lime slice, sprig of rosemary and cranberries to garnish
Merry Margarita
The classic Margarita comes in fourth for the most Googled cocktails of 2022, with 905,000 searches. This classic tequila cocktail is a party classic, and by adding the Christmas element of cranberry, this is the perfect beverage to serve when hosting guests over the festive season. Here’s how to make a Merry Margarita:
Ingredients:
- 60ml tequila
- 30ml triple sec
- 25ml cranberry juice
- 25ml freshly squeeze lime juice
- Cubed ice
- Salt to rim the glass
- Slice of lime to serve, plus an extra slice to moisten the rim of your glass
Method:
- Run a slice of lime around the rim of a margarita glass
- Place some salt on a plate, tip your margarita glass upside down and place into the salt until coated
- Add the tequila, triple sec, cranberry juice, lime juice and your cubed ice to a cocktail shaker
- Shake until combined. If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, simply stir all the ingredients together well in a large glass
- Strain into a margarita glass and serve with a slice of lime
Christmas Cosmopolitan
Coming fifth place in the ranking for the most Googled cocktail of 2022 is the elegant Cosmopolitan, with 902,000 searches. The beautiful and Christmassy red colours of a Cosmopolitan makes it the perfect tipple to enjoy during the most wonderful time of the year! Even more so, the cranberry juice mixer lends itself as a classic Christmas flavour. However, if you want your cocktail to taste just as Christmassy as it looks, you can add festive flavours like ginger, following this Christmas Cosmopolitan recipe:
Ingredients:
- 50ml vodka
- 15ml triple sec
- 30ml cranberry juice
- 10ml lime juice
- 2 tbsp ginger syrup
- Cubed ice
- Orange peel to garnish
Method:
- Add your cubed ice into a cocktail shaker (if you don’t have one of these, you can use a jar or stir well in a large glass)
- Add in all of your ingredients and shake until combined
- Strain into a cocktail glass
- Garnish with an orange peel, or get creative and Christmassy with candy cane or decorative sugar
