Lift a glass and drink to warm homes, good health, and happy holidays with these wintry cocktail and mixed drink recipes.
We asked some of our favorite makers in the West for their best wintry recipes. Then we Googled “cowboy toasts” and would you believe we got this AI-generated answer: “This holiday time is special and dear, For friends and family far and near, I wish for you all good health and cheer, And renew your subscription for next year!”
Enjoy — and, of course, drink responsibly!
Winter’s Night
TX Whiskey, Fort Worth, Texas
A take on a classic spiked coffee topped with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg or cinnamon. Perfectly ideal for fireside sipping!
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Maverick Distilling
Ingredients
- 1 part TX Whiskey
- 1 part Kahlúa
- 3 – 4 parts hot coffee
- Whipped cream
Instructions
Mix TX Whiskey, Kahlúa, and coffee. Top with whipped cream and sprinkle with nutmeg or cinnamon.
Espresso Rye-Tini
Milam & Greene Whiskey, Blanco, Texas
While an espresso martini can be enjoyed any time of year, it is an excellent beverage to offer guests around the holidays, especially at gatherings like New Year's Eve, when partygoers might need a little energy boost or a pick-me-up to help stay lively and on their feet until the ball drops.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of of Milam & Greene Whiskey
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Milam & Greene Port Finished Rye Whiskey
- 1 ounce espresso cold brew
- ½ ounce Mr. Black Cold Brew Liqueur
- ½ ounce vanilla or regular simple
Instructions
Mix the ingredients. Shake on ice for 20 – 25 seconds. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with coffee beans. Enjoy!
Nog-atomi Plaza
Maverick Distilling, San Antonio
The Nog-atomi Plaza cocktail from Maverick Distilling draws inspiration from the iconic Christmas movie Die Hard. This festive eggnog creation combines Samuel Maverick Private Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey with maple syrup, spiced simple syrup, heavy cream, eggs, and a dash of cinnamon for a rich and indulgent holiday treat. For a truly festive experience, enjoy it freshly made at Maverick Distilling’s bar in downtown San Antonio, and toast to the holiday season in style.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Maverick Distilling
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Maverick Private Reserve Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- 1 whole egg
- 1 ounce heavy cream
- ½ ounce maple syrup
- ½ ounce spiced simple syrup
Instructions
Combine all ingredients and dry shake 20 time (without ice) in a tin until frothy and smooth. Add ice and shake again to chill. Use a Hawthorne strainer to pour into a coupe. Top with a light dusting of cinnamon.
To make the spiced simple syrup: Combine 2 cups hot water and 2 cups sugar with 2 tablespoons pumpkin spice and the peel of 2 whole oranges. Stir and strain into a jar or bottle of your choice.
Wyoming Whiskey Ski Lift
Wyoming Whiskey, Kirby, Wyoming
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Wyoming Whiskey
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Wyoming Whiskey Double Cask
- ¾ ounce lemon juice
- ¾ ounce Orgeat
- ¾ ounce coffee liqueur
- 1 ounce heavy cream
- 1 egg white
- 2 ounces soda water
Instructions
Combine all ingredients aside from the soda water in a shaker tin. Shake hard without ice. Add ice and then shake hard again. Strain into a chilled Collins glass into the soda water to the top of the glass. Allow the cocktail to sit for one minute and then top with the rest of the drink to achieve lift above the rim of the glass. Garnish with a dried lemon wheel.
Wyoming Revolver
Wyoming Whiskey, Kirby, Wyoming
A festive sip for holiday parties and especially New Year’s Eve, with a dash of coffee liqueur to stay up until midnight.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Wyoming Whiskey
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces Wyoming Whiskey Outryder
- ½ ounce coffee liqueur
- 1 ounce Carpano Antica Sweet Vermouth
- 2 dashes orange bitters
Instructions
Combine all ingredients into a mixing glass and stir with ice until properly diluted and chilled. Strain into chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass. Garnish with orange twist and cherry on a garnish pick.
The Bramble
Bingham’s Bourbon, Distilled in Texas
In case you’re a little confused about bourbon versus whiskey, Ryan Bingham can set you straight. All bourbons are whiskey, but not all whiskeys are bourbon. Got that? The Yellowstone actor and singer-songwriter has a brand of his own: Bingham’s Bourbons. And naturally, it’s made in Texas, the state that shaped him. This cocktail is festive and fizzy enough to make our holiday party list.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Bingham's Bourbon
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Bingham’s Original
- Fresh blackberries
- Fresh jalapeño
- ½ ounce sour mix
- Topo Chico
Instructions
Muddle 3 blackberries and a slice (or two) of fresh jalapeño. Add bourbon and ice. Top with sour mix. Shake and strain into a rocks glass and pour Topo Chico to fill.
A Toast With Tequila
RoCoco Cocktail
(By Yana Volfson, beverage director of CasaMata Group)
Here’s a decadently boozy, fireside-worthy take on hot cocoa.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Casa Dragones
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Casa Dragones Añejo Barrel Blend
- 2 ounces whole milk
- ¾ ounces heavy cream
- ½ ounce canela water (also known as cinnamon tea, made by steeping cinnamon stick in hot water)
- 18 grams unsweetened cocoa powder
Instructions
In a small pot, heat your whole milk, cream, and canela water on low to medium heat. Begin to whisk in your chocolate slowly. Once the mixture is to temperature and your chocolate is folded in, turn heat to simmer and continue to whisk. Lastly, add the tequila and serve.
Hot Toddy Times Three
Hot toddys are traditionally made with whiskey, but here are a couple of variations with tequila.
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Casa Dragones
Winter Flower
(Crafted by Jim Meehan, James Beard Foundation Award for Outstanding Bar Program)
The Winter Flower is a tequila hot toddy with hibiscus and grenadine to accentuate the floral and aromatic notes of Casa Dragones Blanco.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces Casa Dragones Blanco
- 4½ ounces hot hibiscus tea
- ¼ ounce Herbal Liqueur
- ¼ ounce Grenadine Syrup
Instructions
Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass. Serve in a preheated glass with a clove-studded lemon wheel.
Hot Toddy Cocktail
(By Yana Volfson, beverage director of CasaMata Group)
Ingredients
- 1¼ ounces Casa Dragones Blanco
- 1 ounce meyer lemon extract*
- 3 ounces water
- 1 barspoon fresh pressed ginger
Instructions
Combine all ingredients into a large snifter and stir to temperature.
*Meyer Lemon Extract
Wash meyer lemons and press them through a Breville juicer. Then combine your extract with equal parts honey in weight. Blend well and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
Dragones Hot Toddy Cocktail
(By Kingston Chan, winner of Casa Dragones Jamming Sessions, 1st edition)
Ingredients
- 1¼ ounces Casa Dragone Añejo Barrel Blend
- ¾ ounces fresh lemon juice
- ¾ ounces acacia honey syrup
- ¼ ounce Ponche Pajarote Clove & Cardamom Liqueur
- 3 ounces hot chamomile tea
Instructions
Stir all ingredients in a mixing glass. Serve in a preheated glass with a clove-studded lemon wheel.
Bacon Bloody Maria
(By Adrian Evans)
Just in time for National Bloody Mary Day on January 1, kick off the new year with this cocktail with a kick!
PHOTOGRAPHY: Courtesy of Casa Dragones
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Casa Dragones Blanco
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 2 ounces tomato juice
- 2 dashes of Worcestershire Sauce
- 4 dashes of Tabasco Sauce
- Dash of sea salt and cracked pepper
- 1 jalapeño chile
- 1 piece of bacon
- 1 celery stick
- 2 olives
- 2 cherry tomatoes
Instructions
Stir all ingredients together and serve in a Collins glass with chili salt rim.
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