Us, too!
(Actually, we’re a mix of both.)Since naughty is the new nice, we want to share our favorite social elixirs and mixed drinks to spice up your holiday season.
Jonathan’s
Sugar Cookie Martinis
Happy Holidays! 2023 has been a whirlwind of marketing adventures, from unexpected twists to triumphant campaigns. I'm profoundly grateful for our shared journey and the stories we've crafted together. Here's to another year of creativity, collaboration, and captivating narratives. Cheers to all our clients and friends who make this ride so memorable!
— Jonathan
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1/4 cup Baileys
- 2 oz vanilla vodka
- 2 oz amaretto
- Ice
- 1/2 cup vanilla frosting
- 1/4 cup sprinkles, plus 1 tsp, divided
- Pre-made sugar cookie dough
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350° and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll sugar cookie dough out to 1/4” thick. Using a cookie cutter, cut out desired shapes then place cookies on prepared baking sheet. Bake until just set and lightly golden around the edges, 12 minutes. Let cool.
- Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of frosting onto rim of two martini glasses. Pour 1/4 cup sprinkles onto a small plate then dip rims in sprinkles to coat. Use an offset to frost cookies with frosting then decorate with the remaining 2 tablespoons sprinkles.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine milk, Baileys, vodka, and amaretto. Add ice and shake until cold. Pour into glasses and garnish rim with a cookie.
Irish Coffee
á la The Buena Vista (San Francisco)
May your holidays be filled with family, friends and all the ingredients to make great memories.
— Scott
INGREDIENTS
- Hot water
- 2 sugar cubes
- 1 1/3 oz good Irish whiskey
(Jameson or Tullamore) - 4 oz brewed coffee (decaf ok)
- Heavy cream
(whipped by immersion mixer — yes, go buy one)
DIRECTIONS
- Pre-heat a 6 oz Tulip Irish Coffee glass
(optional, not really, buy 'em) - Once glass is warm, empty hot water
- Add sugar cubes
- Pour coffee to 3/4 full —
stir to thoroughly dissolve sugar - Add 1 1/3 oz Irish Whiskey
- Float a layer of whipped cream over the top by pouring gently over a spoon
- Prepare to make more...
Hot Cocoa via Smitten Kitchen,
adapted from Cook’s Illustrated
Wishing you a cozy and calm holiday season and a bright new year!
— Kelcey
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 TBSP (8 grams) cornstarch
- 3 oz (85 grams) semi- or bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
- 1/2 cup (40 grams) cocoa powder, any kind you like
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract or the seeds from a tiny segment of fresh vanilla bean
- 1/8 tsp fine sea salt or 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
DIRECTIONS
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until powdery. Don’t have a food processor? Chop or grate the chocolate until it is as fine as you can get it, and stir it into the remaining ingredients. Mixture keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 months.
TO USE
Heat one cup of milk (coconut, almond or others would work here too) in a saucepan over medium heat until steamy. Add 3 tablespoons hot cocoa mix. Whisk over heat for another minute or two, until it begins to simmer and mix is completely dissolved. Pour into mug, top with mini-marshmallows or a dollop of whipped cream and hide somewhere nobody will make you share give it to someone you love.
Holiday Sangria
Adapted from The Modern Proper
Wishing you and yours a healthy and happy holiday season. Looking forward to working with you in the new year!
— Summer
INGREDIENTS
- 1 (750 ml) bottle red wine
- 1 cup brandy
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups cranberries
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 apple, cubed
- 2-3 cinnamon sticks
- 4 star anise
- 4 sprigs rosemary, plus more for garnish
- 1 bottle sparkling apple cider, chilled
DIRECTIONS
- In a large pitcher (or punch bowl) combine the red wine, brandy, sugar, cranberries, oranges, apples, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and rosemary. Mix well, cover, and place in the refrigerator overnight to allow flavors to come together.
- Just before serving add the sparkling apple cider, stir to combine. Serve over ice, in a sangria in a glass rimmed with cinnamon-spiked sugar, here's how.
OPTIONAL
Feel free to punch this drink up with a cinnamon and brown sugar rim. Mix equal parts cinnamon and sugar together in a small and spread it out on evenly on a small plate. On a second small plate, pour out some maple syrup or honey. Dip the edge of your glass in the honey or syrup and then press the rim of your glad into the sugar mixture. Fill the glass with ice and carefully pour the sangria without hitting the side of the glass, garnish with rosemary and serve.
Apple Butter Mocktail
Via A Pinch of Adventure
Make this holiday season one to remember! Enjoy the sparkle of spending quality time with your loved ones and make memories to last throughout the years!
— Hailey
INGREDIENTS
- 1 oz of apple juice
- 2 TBSP of apple butter
- Dash of non-alcoholic orange bitters
- Juice of half a lemon
- Ginger beer
- Coarse cinnamon sugar and simple syrup, for rimming
- Thinly sliced apples and a cinnamon stick, to garnish
DIRECTIONS
- Pour some simple syrup on a plate and some coarse cinnamon sugar on another
- Dip the rim of your cocktail glass into the syrup and then into the sugar, twisting to coat, before adding ice cubes to the glass
- Combine the apple juice, apple butter, lemon juice and bitters in a cocktail shaker and give it a dry shake (in other words, a shake without ice)
- Shake vigorously until properly combined then strain into your prepared cocktail glass Top up with ginger beer and garnish with a cinnamon stick and apple slice on the rim to serve
Whiskey
Apple Cider Punch
May this holiday season bring joy, or prepared in a crockpot and served warm peace, and rejuvenation to you and your loved ones. Here’s to celebrating our achievements and looking forward to the new year.
— Jacob
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/2 parts Irish whiskey (Jameson)
- part Angostura bitters per serve
- 2 parts apple cider
- 1/2 parts lemon juice
- 1/2 parts honey syrup
- Apple slices
- Cloves
- Lemon wheels
- Star anise
DIRECTIONS
- Batch all of the ingredients together in a punchbowl/crockpot
- Garnish with apple slices, clove studded lemon wheels and star anise
OPTIONAL
Can be prepared in a punchbowl and served over ice, or prepared in a crockpot and served warm
Seville-Otterson
Holiday Cider
Wishing you and yours the very best holiday season, especially with some warm and delicious apple cider!
— Massimo
INGREDIENTS
- 1 Seville orange
- 2 tsp whole clove
- 1 Otterson crab apple
- 1 tsp whole allspice
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 1 gal apple cider
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
- Pierce orange with cloves (if you have a tea infuser, tea bag or cheese cloth, you can use that to keep the spices under control)
- Pierce apple with allspice
- Put the orange, apple, cinnamon sticks, apple cider, brown sugar and nutmeg into your slow cooker
- Turn on high for 3 hours, then keep warm on low until you’re ready to drink.
- Drink as is or....
with a shot (or two) of whiskey, rum, etc. - Enjoy!
Winter Ginger
Spice & Sparkle
Wishing you and yours a splendid holiday season. Cheers!
— Karen
INGREDIENTS
- Ginger beer — up to 3 oz or to taste (BRAND: Q)
- 1 shot gingercello (BRAND: Marble Distilling)
- Ice (1 molded sphere or a few cubes)
- 1 TBSP (approx) honey
- Ginger powder
DIRECTIONS
- Add ice to a short glass
- Drizzle honey along the upper inside side of the glass
- Sprinkle ginger powder onto honey (into the glass)
- Pour ginger beer into glass (desired amount)
- Add gingercello*
- Swirl glass or gently stir
OPTIONAL
*Make it a mocktail — skip the gingercello!
Cojinganmek
or Coca-Cola Soju Bomb
Wishing you and your loved ones a bright holiday season and a happy New Year!
— Cindy
INGREDIENTS
- 1 shot of Coca-Cola
- 1 shot of Soju
- A bottle of your favorite beer
DIRECTIONS
- Fill the first shot glass with Coke, and place inside the beer glass.
- Fill the second shot glass with Soju, and place on top of the first shot glass to make a stack.
- Fill the remaining empty space around the two shot glasses with beer, until the glass is full.
- Down the drink in one!
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