With the holidays gearing up, I know I’m not the only one excited for some good, old-fashioned cooking. With that delicious cooking though, also comes drinks! We’ve collected 10 of the most delicious holiday drinks that are sure to impress any guest this holiday season. For those who don’t drink, don’t worry— we’ve split the list equally to include 5 alcoholic beverages and 5 non-alcoholic beverages.

Keeping in line with my real life, we’ll start off with the alcoholic beverages!

1. Mulled Wine

The folks over at Gimme Some Oven write, “This traditional hot mulled wine recipe is incredibly easy to make, and so cozy and delicious!”

Ingredients

• 1 (750 ml) bottle of dry red wine
• 1 orange, sliced into rounds
• 1/4 cup brandy (optional)
• 1/4 cup honey or sugar
• 8 whole cloves
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 star anise
• optional garnishes: citrus slices (orange, lemon and/or lime), extra cinnamon sticks, extra star anise

Instructions

2. Hot Buttered Rum Mix

Ingredients

Buttered Rum Batter

• 1 cup of butter, softened
• 3/4 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
• 2 tsp. cinnamon

Rum Drink

• 2 cups apple cider
• 1 cup rum

Instructions

1. Make the Buttered Rum Batter: In a mixing bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in ice cream and cinnamon, then spoon into a large mason jar or Tupperware container. Store in freezer until mostly hardened, about 2 hours (or store there until you’re ready to serve drinks).
2. Make the Drinks: In a large saucepan, heat cider until boiling, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and pour into a pitcher or easy-to-serve container.
3. Place about 2 tbsp of the buttered rum batter into each mug. Fill about 1/3 of the way up with rum, then top with hot apple cider. Stir and serve.

3. Pink Peppermint Eggnog Punch

The folks over at Through Her Looking Glass write, “Pink Peppermint Eggnog Punch makes a great punch for Christmas parties, Christmas Eve andNew Year’s Eve. It’s festive and pretty, super easy to make and tastes fabulous. So clink clink. Cheers to this punch!”

Ingredients

• Peppermint Stick Ice Cream, 1 quart
• Eggnog (regular or light), 1 quart
• Ginger Ale, 4 (12 fluid ounce) cans, chilled
• Rum, 1 cup
• Optional- peppermint stick or candy cane for garnish

Instructions

1. Set aside 2 or 3 round scoops of ice cream in the freezer for garnish.
2. Stir remaining ice cream until softened.
3. Gradually stir in eggnog and rum.
4. Transfer to a punch bowl, and stir in ginger ale.
5. Hang candy canes around the edge of the punchbowl. Float reserved ice cream scoops on top, and serve immediately.

4. Holiday Party Punch

Sue Ubis Manos writes, “Nice combination of flavors! I did not add the full amount of vodka but I probably would next time. The lemon juice really brightened the flavor. Nice balance of citrus, sweet and ginger.”

Ingredients

• 4 cups cranberry juice
• 1 bottle sparkling cider
• 1 liter ginger ale
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice, about 2 lemons
• 12 ounces vodka, optional
• 1 orange, sliced

Instructions

In a large bowl, over ice combine all of the liquid ingredients. Float the orange slices on top, for garnish and serve.

5. Chocolate Peppermint Stick Cocktail

The folks over at Mix That Drink write, “The Chocolate Peppermint Stick tastes exactly like you’d expect from the name. The main flavor is strongly peppermint, but the creme de cacao is powerful, too. If you’ve ever had one of those peppermint sticks that has a chocolate ribbon woven through it instead of the usual red fruity ones, that’s about what this drink tastes like.”

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounce white creme de cacao
• 1 ounce cream
• 1 ounce peppermint schnapps

Instructions

Shake well with ice. Strain ingredients into chilled martini glasses. Garnish with a small peppermint candy cane (or, optionally, crush the candy cane and sprinkle it on top) and serve.”

Non-Alcoholic Beverages

1. Spiced Cranberry Apple Cider

Lizzy T. writes, “Make your taste buds dance with this easy Spiced Cranberry Apple Cider. Simmer this mulled drink on the stove for 10 minutes and serve hot at your next holiday party.”

Ingredients

• 2 quarts apple cider
• 1 1/2 quarts 100% cranberry juice
• 1/2 cup white sugar to taste
• 1/4 cup brown sugar to taste
• 1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon whole allspice
• 3 sticks cinnamon broken into pieces

Instructions

1. Pour the apple cider and cranberry juice into a large saucepan.

2. Add the sugar and spices.

3. Bring to a low boil and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.

4. Strain the spices, then discard them.

5. Serve the apple cider warm.

2. Coquito

Genius Kitchen user jb41848 writes, “Coquito is a Puerto Rican version of Egg Nog. It is to die for. I experienced this for the first time last year and I can not get enough. My friend gave me the recipe and she makes it only at Christmas, she fills wine bottles with it and then makes them look pretty and gives them as gifts. One taste and you will want more and more.”

Ingredients

• 2 cans coconut cream
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 -2cup rum
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon ground nutmeg

Instructions

• Blend all ingredients in a blender on high for 5 minutes.
• Refrigerate.
• Serve cold, sip and enjoy.

3. Mexican Hot Chocolate

Olivia of Olivia Cuisine writes, “If the weather stays how it is here in NY, I might be making this delicious rich and decadent hot chocolate daily. I guess that wouldn’t be too good for my figure… But I’m burning calories when I freeze to death outside, right? (Say yes, please!)

P.S. To make a very traditional Mexican hot chocolate, try to use Mexican chocolate, which has a very distinctive and rich flavor. I usually just use some good quality bittersweet chocolate.”

Ingredients

• 2 (3.5oz) bars good quality bittersweet chocolate (such as Lindt)
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• ½ cup water
• 2 cups milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ tsp chili powder (optional)
• ½ Tbsp light brown sugar (optional)
• pinch of nutmeg
• Whipped cream to serve

Instructions

1. In a medium saucepan, melt the chocolate with the water and cinnamon sticks over medium-high heat.
2. Once the chocolate is melted, add the milk, heavy cream, chili powder and sugar (if using), and the nutmeg. Stir until everything is combined.
3. Once it boils, lower the heat to medium and let it cook until it thickens a little (about 5 minutes). If you think it’s too thick/sweet for you, add an extra cup of milk.
4. Serve with some whipped cream on top.

4. Cranberry Sparkler

Jessica from A Happy Food Dance writes, “Add booze to these, or don’t – they are damn good either way. Plus they are super festive and you can use up any of those extra cranberries you have around the house (cause they are just too nasty to eat plain!). And that sprig of rosemary – so fragrant and like a Christmas tree in your drink!”

Ingredients

• 2 ounces cranberry juice
• 4 ounces club soda (or flavored sparkling water – I used a La Croix)
• 2 ounces of vodka, optional
• cranberries and rosemary sprig, for garnish

Instructions

1. In a tall glass filled with ice, pour in cranberry juice then add soda water and vodka if using.
2. Add a sprig of rosemary and top with fresh cranberries.
3. Serve immediately!

Mock Champagne

Robin Lee Starns writes, “It wasn’t too sweet or too tart. Perfect! I used cranberry ginger ale which gave the punch a kind of pinkish tint and froze the ginger ale in a bundt pan, which made a really pretty ice ring. Everyone loved it.”

Ingredients

• 2 (2 liter) bottles of ginger ale, chilled
• 1 (46 fluid ounce) can pineapple juice, chilled
• 1 (64 fluid ounce) bottle white grape juice, chilled

Instructions

1. Ice ring: Fill a ring-shaped cake pan to 1/2 with ginger ale. Freeze until partially frozen. At this stage, you can place edible flowers or pieces of fruit around the ring. Fill pan with ginger ale and freeze until solid. Place in punch bowl just before serving.
2. In a large punch bowl, combine 1 bottle ginger ale, pineapple juice and white grape juice.

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By Britanie Leclair

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Britanie Leclair is a contributor at SBLY Media.