Our team is leaning into the traditions of the season as the year comes to a close. These traditions bring a sense of warmth and joy amidst the busyness of the holidays and keep us coming back year-after-year-after-year. Although each of our team members has their own, unique holiday traditions, we chose some shared favorites below and the cocktails for the holidays.
Holiday Tradition #1: Make Cookies
Our team is partial to stroopwafel during the holiday season. This sweet Dutch cookie looks like two crispy round waffles held together by caramel or molasses. Place stroopwafel on top of a Prickly Pear Hot Toddy to soften the cookie crunch. If you need additional cookie-making inspiration, check out this list that includes gingerbread cookies, rum balls, pecan snowballs, and more.
Prickly Pear Hot Toddy
- 1.5 oz Thatcher’s Organic Prickly Pear Liqueur
- 1.5 oz Coppercraft Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies
- 1 oz lemon juice
- .75 oz prickly pear honey
- Hot water
- Stroopwafel, garnish
Combine Thatcher’s Organic Prickly Pear Liqueur, Coppercraft Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies, lemon juice, and prickly pear honey into a glass mug. Top with water and garnish with stroopwafel.
Holiday Tradition #2: Pick Out a Tree
Load up the crew and pick out the perfect tree. Then, enjoy a pine-y gin cocktail while you listen to the songs of the season and trim the tree.
Piney 75
- 1.5 oz Coppercraft Gin
- .75 oz eucalyptus simple syrup
- .75 oz fresh lemon juice
- 2 oz dry champagne, preferably Iron Horse Brut
- Lemon twist, garnish
Combine Coppercraft Gin, eucalyptus simple syrup, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled champagne flute. Top with champagne and garnish with a lemon twist.
See the full recipe and instructions here.
Holiday Tradition #3: Watch Holiday Classics
Choose a festive flick, dim the lights, and cozy up with this Buttered Rum Hot Chocolate.
Buttered Rum Hot Chocolate
- 6 oz Coppercraft Rum
- 4 oz heavy cream
- 4 oz unsalted butter
- 4 oz light brown sugar
- 2 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- .1 oz ground cinnamon
- Dash of salt
- Freshly grated nutmeg (for serving)
Melt butter and chocolate in a medium heatproof bowl in short bursts in the microwave, stirring after each burst, or set over a saucepan of barely simmering water (do not let water touch bowl), stirring, until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Bring 2 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and whisk in Coppercraft Rum and chocolate mixture until combined. Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, beat cream in a medium bowl until soft peaks form. Reheat hot chocolate, if needed, then divide among mugs. Top generously with whipped cream and nutmeg.
See the full recipe and instructions here.
Holiday Tradition #4: Play Games
Gather around the table with this boozy, batched holiday cocktail before pulling out a board game or spinning the dreidel.
Yule Mule
- 4 oz Coppercraft Vodka
- 1.5 oz fresh-squeezed lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 4 oz unsweetened cranberry juice
- 6 oz ginger beer
- 4 to 6 cranberries, garnish
- Rosemary sprig, garnish
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake together the Coppercraft Vodka, lime juice, and cranberry juice. Fill two copper mule mugs or old-fashioned glasses with ice. Strain half of the cocktail into each glass. Top each with ginger beer. Garnish with cranberries and a sprig of rosemary. Serve immediately.
See the full recipe and instructions here.
Holiday Tradition #5: Watch the Big Game
Big bowl games pair well with boozy drinks and a bowl of chips.
Superb Owl
- 2 oz Coppercraft Rum
- .75 oz butterscotch schnapps
- .5 oz peach brandy
- .5 oz ginger schnapps
- Maraschino cherries
Combine all booze into a cocktail glass with ice. Stir. Garnish with maraschino cherries.
See the full recipe and instructions here.
Holiday Tradition #6: Build a Gingerbread House
Decorate a gingerbread house while you sip a classic cocktail. Use extra gingerbread pieces to garnish.
Gingerbread Old Fashioned
- 2 oz Coppercraft Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies
- .5 oz gingerbread syrup
- 1 bar spoon molasses
- 3 dashes gingerbread bitters or 1 dash ginger bitters and 1 dash cinnamon bitters
- Gingerbread cookie and/or orange twist, garnish
Combine all the ingredients in a mixing glass and fill with ice. Stir for 20 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass with one large cube. Garnish with a gingerbread cookie and/or orange twist.
See the full recipe and instructions here.
Holiday Tradition #7: Enjoy Holiday Chocolates
No better time of year to indulge in some sweet treats. Balance out and enhance the decadence with a smoky and spicy cocktail.
The Smokey Robinson
For the maple-spiced simple syrup:
- 4 oz maple syrup
- 2 star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 5 whole cloves
For the cocktail:
- 1.5 oz Coppercraft Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies
- .5 oz mezcal
- .75 oz maple-spiced syrup
- .75 oz fresh lemon juice
- Dash of Angostura Bitters
- Lemon twist, garnish
For the maple-spiced simple syrup:
In a small saucepan, combine maple syrup with spices and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil and turn off the heat. Cover and let stand for at least 30 minutes (or up to overnight), and then strain into a clean container.
*Note: The maple-spiced simple syrup can be made up to 3 weeks in advance and will make enough for 10 cocktails.
For each cocktail:
In a cocktail shaker, combine Coppercraft Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskies, mezcal, bitters, maple-spiced simple syrup, and lemon juice. Add ice and shake. Strain into an ice-filled rocks glass and garnish with lemon twist.
See the full recipe and instructions here.
What are your favorite holiday traditions? Or cocktails for the holidays? Let us know by sharing them with us on social and tagging us using #coppercraftdistillery.
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