Traditional Holiday Drink Recipes

However you may celebrate the holidays, 'tis the season for friends, family, and fun! While we love the neverending parade of cookies and other delicious baked goods that abound this time of year, we think it's time to give a little love to an oft-overlooked tradition: holiday drinks. With that in mind, we have set out to compile our favorite festive refreshments from around the internet. Think of it as our gift to you!

Drink Recipe Overview:

Alcohol-Based Drinks
Non-Alcoholic Drinks

Our Favorite Alcohol-Based Holiday Drinks:

Glühwein - from Spice Jungle

Of course, we have to kick off the festivities with our own recipe for this quintessential German classic. While people generally associate mulling with red wines, we also enjoy spicing up a good bottle of white, and you'll find both options here.

Featured Ingredients: cinnamon sticks | whole cloves | whole star anise | hibiscus

English Mulled Wine - from Cookie + Kate

This take on traditional mulled wine is fortified with brandy, and eschews the cloying sweetness found in some recipes in favor of a wine-forward approach. It's bold, flavorful, and best of all, simple to make.

Featured Ingredients: cinnamon sticks | whole cloves | whole star anise

Puerto Rican Coquito - from The Noshery

This traditional Puerto Rican drink will have you second-guessing your allegiance to eggnog! You can think of it as "coconut nog," though that might be doing it a disservice because this delicious coconut concoction has a flavor all its own.

Featured Ingredients: cinnamon | vanilla extract | ground nutmeg

Brazilian Quentão - from Leticia Moreinos Schwartz

This spiced tea is the perfect way to warm up on a cold winter day! While quentão is traditionally made with Cachaça (the most popular distilled spirit in Brazil), you can substitute rum, which may be a little more accessible.

Featured Ingredients: cinnamon sticks | whole cloves | whole star anise | ginger

Traditional Glogg - from BakedBree

Glogg is a traditional mulled wine enjoyed throughout the Scandinavial countries. While its base may be similar to other mulled wines, the inclusion of slivered almonds and raisins gives Glogg a flavor profile all its own.

Featured Ingredients: cinnamon sticks | whole cloves | cardamom pods | ginger

Hot Buttered Rum - from Wholefully

This buttered rum is everything you want in a holiday drink - warm, sweet, and creamy. All your guests will be impressed as you mix this old-fashioned cocktail.

Featured Ingredients: cinnamon | ground cloves | vanilla extract | whole nutmeg or ground nutmeg

Our Favorite Non-Alcoholic Holiday Drinks:

Hot Apple Cider Wassail - from A Spicy Perspective

Wassail is a spiced apple cider that plays an integral role in traditional English Yuletide tradition. This deliciously fruity, spicy recipe is the perfect addition to any holiday gathering of family or friends!

Featured Ingredients: cinnamon sticks | whole cloves | hibiscus

Kinderpunsch - from Spice Jungle

Think of Kinderpunsch (literally "children's punch" in German) as a sort of glühwein mocktail. With a base of hot tea and fruit juices, kinderpunsch has all the spice and flavor of its older brother, with none of the wine, making it the perfect warm-up for the children or non-alcohol-drinkers in your life.

Featured Ingredients: cinnamon sticks | whole cloves | whole star anise | vanilla bean