Holiday Cocktail Recipes from Bartender Khalid Williams

Two people walk into my bar. They both want to make amazing drinks for that holiday dinner. One of them is a bartender that studies the craft on a regular basis. The other person doesn’t know much besides a few drinks they they enjoy and have never made drinks themselves. Does one deserve to have a better time than the other simply because they do this all the time? I say no. We all deserve to have a good time and enjoy our adult beverages or mocktails. 

 IF YOU HAVE SKILLS WITH CRAFT COCKTAILS: Read the room, and read beyond the room. Holiday gatherings aren’t the time for us to prove why it was smart for us to drop out of college by pulling out the molecular mixology kits or playing with dry ice. The holiday gathering is about a laid back good time, or at least pretending that cooking for 17 hours is a relaxing activity. In any case, the beverage should contain flavors that anyone can understand, pronounce and enjoy without much research . 

Use familiar spirits -bourbon and rum are seasonally fun. Vodka is a safe bet. Gin seems adventurous and may get a side eye, but in a sour style fruity cocktail, your guests WILL enjoy it. Sell them on the yummy ingredients.

 Just One Thing-One ingredient can make multiple spirits shine and turn your 3-4 bottles into a complete menu. 

WHAT YOU NEED: 

Fresh citrus (lemons and oranges.)

 Cranberries (fresh or frozen) 

Sugar 

Bourbon, Vodka, Gin, Tequila-any/some/all 

Angostura Bitters (optional but recommended!)

 Homemade Cranberry syrup: 

1 cup sugar 

 1 cup water (or half oj half water to bring up that orange note) 

4 cups cranberries (fresh or frozen) 

 Add cinnamon, clove, and allspice in pinches to make it autumn spiced and be stage 5-hallmark movie-basic like me.

Holiday Cocktails 

Cranberry Old Fashioned

2 Oz Litchfield Batchers Bourbon 

.5 oz spiced cranberry syrup

 2 dashes bitters.

 Stir it until the glass is hazy. 

Water it down for Aunt Helen’s new boo thang. Garnish with orange slice 

Spicy n Saucy Cran Cosmopolitan 

2 oz Cylinder vodka 

1 oz cranberry syrup (orange juice added!)

1 oz lemon juice 

 Shake it mightily.

 I suggest serving it on ice so it can slowly dilute and your guests can leave on time.

Cranberry Collins 

2 oz Highclere Castle Gin

1 oz cranberry syrup

1 oz lemon juice 

Flavored Seltzer

Shake it all up. Pour into tumblers, leaving space to top with soda. Garnish with lemon wedge and a couple of fresh or dried cranberries.

Tom Turkey Margarita

2 oz Tequila

1 oz cranberry syrup

1 oz lime juice (lemon juice works, too!)

Shake it up. Serve over ice and garnish with 2 citrus wheels (one orange, one lemon or lime)