5 Italian Christmas Cocktails to Have for Your Next Holiday Party

The holidays are here, and so are the parties. When your guests arrive, you want to make sure they have the best cocktails in hand to get the party started right. You don’t want any old cocktails. Sure, the classic Rum and Coke is sure to be a crowd-pleaser, but why not have something a little more “eccellente.”  

Impress your guests this holiday season with a touch of Italy in all your cocktails. You’ll find these recipes to be a little complicated yet simple, how the holidays always seem to be. The combinations of flavors and Italian spirits will help your guests relax and enjoy the party. 

Kick back and pour yourself (or your guests) one of America Domani’s favorite Italian Christmas Cocktails. 

Italian 75 recipe

Serving: 1 cocktail

This is a twist on the classic cocktail the “French 75.” To make this Italian instead of French, use Fig Leaf Liquor instead of the traditional simple syrup. You’ll find that this is sweet and aromatic with a nice touch of Dry Gin. You’ll top this simple cocktail with Italian White Wine.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces Dry Gin 
• 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 ounce Fig Leaf Liquor
• 2 ounces dry Italian sparkling white wine
• Garnish: lemon twist 

Instructions

Add the gin, lemon juice, and Fig leaf liquor into a shaker with ice and shake until well-chilled.

Double-strain into a glass of your choice (we used a champagne flute)

Top with sparkling wine.

Garnish with a lemon twist.

Vin brulé recipe

Servings: 6 cups

Vin Brule is a Piedmont tradition and a classic Italian holiday cocktail. You can find this drink all over Christmas Markets. Vin Brule is a combo of mulling spices and red wine. The drink is then fortified with either brandy or rum. 

This recipe allows for alterations. You can add different ingredients to it to change the flavor profile. You can add brown sugar or honey to make it sweeter than if you use regular sugar. If you don’t want as strong of an alcoholic drink, then use a cider instead of rum or brandy. Since this cocktail has an orange and lemon in it, adding a splash of orange juice will bring out the citrus flavors. 

Ingredients

• 1 bottle Barbera wine
•  1 orange
• 1 lemon
• 1-2 anise stars
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 2 cloves
• 2 cardamom seeds
• 200 grams sugar
• 170 grams brandy
•  Garnish: Orange slice or peel

Instructions

Peel the orange and lemon so you have the complete, colorful rinds. You won’t need the fruit and white inner rinds.

Combine the rinds with all other ingredients except brandy in a large pot. 

Heat the mixture while stirring with a wooden spoon. 

For a low-alcohol version, add the apple cider with all ingredients at the beginning. For the regular version, before the wine reaches boiling, remove it from the heat.

Let the mixture stand, but make sure to cover and remove it from the heat for 20 minutes. 

After you let stand, stir in the brandy. Strain, and serve in a mug. Garnish with an orange slice or peel.

Blood Orange Gin Tonic

Servings: 1 cocktail

This is a spin on the classic gin and tonic. Make it a winter treat! Blood Orange season starts in December, making them the perfect fruit to add to your cocktail. Blood Oranges are native to Sicily and the southern Mediterranean. We used the Malfy Arancia Gin, combining the flavors of Italy and intensifying the Blood Orange flavors. 

Ingredients

• 2 ounces fresh blood orange juice
• 1 1/2 ounces Gin (We used Malfy Arancia Gin)
• 1/2-ounce fresh lime juice
• 2 dashes of orange bitters
• 4 ounces of tonic water
• Garnish: Blood orange slice

Instructions

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine blood orange juice, gin, lime juice, and bitters.

Shake vigorously.

Strain into a glass with ice. 

Top with tonic water and garnish with a blood orange slice.

Fireside Aperitivo

Servings: 1 cocktail

Crafted by Braden Alsnauer of Frasca Food and Wine in Boulder, Colorado, this cocktail highlights the citrus notes. This aperitivo cocktail uses Pimm’s Cup, perfect for the cold weather. The Campari in this cocktail adds to the bitterness while the beer adds a softer taste. You’ll find this drink to be slightly bitter yet surprisingly light. 

Ingredients

• 1 oz Pimm’s
• 5 oz Campari
• 5 oz regular lemon juice
• 25 oz simple syrup
• Italian Lager (I.E. Birra Moretti)
• Garnish: Grapefruit slice, blood orange slice, sage leaves

Instructions

In a cocktail shaker, shake the Pimm’s Campari, lemon juice, and simple syrup.

Double strain into a glass over ice. You can use any glass; we used a wine glass.

Top with Italian style lager. 

Garnish with grapefruit, blood orange, and sage leaves.

Fil da Fer

Servings: 1 cocktail

While this one may not have alcohol (although you can gladly add some if you please), you’re bound to feel the holiday spirit with the Fil Da Fer. This is a regional specialty from Piedmont. The Fil da Fer uses local eggnog made with rum, eggs, milk, sugar, and a touch of orange. 

Ingredients

• 2 ounces rum
• Eggnog
• 2 Splashes of Orange Bitters
• Garnish: Whipped Cream, cocoa powder

Directions:

Warm up a cup of eggnog on the stove 

Pour in 2 ounces of rum and stir

Top with whipped cream and cocoa powder.