22 Classic Cocktails to Make This Winter
I'm freezing my toes off out here. After a couple of mild winters, we're knee deep in it now. ("It" being snow, sleet, and icy rain.) In 2025, winter wonderlands and frigid temperatures are widespread. Even the deep South has seen snow this year! And if you're not adequately prepared for how absolutely down-right glacial it is out these days, we've got some cocktail recipes that will warm you right up.
Writing about cocktails usually means going out and trying a lot of them at various outposts and hotspots. But from January to March, my body's natural impulse is to hibernate like a grizzly bear. If that's your MO too for this time of year, I've got you covered. You have the right to enjoy a delicious cocktail from the comfort of your own cocoon, whether that be the perfect espresso martini or a super cozy hot toddy. It doesn't take much to make your favorites more seasonal, either. Make that Negroni a Boulevardier. Tap into the allspice undertones of a Rum Old Fashioned. Winterize a Marg like you winterize your car. You don't need to step outside to get the drink of your dreams.
Hot Buttered Rum
Even the name of this cocktail makes us drool. Give yourself a rich and luxurious treat next time it's cocktail hour.
Ingredients
2 oz dark rum
2 sugar cubes
1 pat unsalted butter
Directions
In a mug, dissolve the sugar cubes in a little hot water. Add rum and butter. Fill the mug with hot water. Sprinkle nutmeg on top.
Irish Coffee
When the temperature drops, the urge to sip on a hot, whipped, Irish coffee goes up. This is our perfected recipe, so that you can get one your freezing hands ASAP.
Ingredients
2 oz. Irish whiskey
5 oz. hot coffee
2 tsp. sugar
heavy cream
Directions
Pour the whiskey, coffee, and sugar into a stemmed, heated glass mug. Stir, then top off with a thick layer of lightly whipped heavy cream. Don't stir it in. Optional: sprinkle some pumpkin spice on top.
Black Russian
Sometimes you've only got two ingredients and a dream. And this Black Russian cocktail can make that dream come true. It's so simple to throw together and so delicious.
Ingredients
2 oz vodka
1 oz coffee liqueur
Directions
Stir ingredients with ice in a mixing glass. Strain into an old-fashioned glass over fresh ice.
Vesper
You can have it all when you make yourself a vesper. It's part gin, part vodka with a splash of vermouth. Garnish that thing anyway you like it.
Ingredients
3 oz London dry gin
1 oz vodka
1/2 oz Lillet Blanc
Directions
Stir ingredients briskly with ice in a mixing tin until very cold. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a large, thin-cut lemon peel.
Moscow Mule
Nobody knows drinking in the cold better than Russians. And they were onto something when they introduced the world to the refreshing and so easy to drink Moscow Mules.
Ingredients
2 oz vodka
1/2 oz lime juice, freshly squeezed
6 oz ginger beer
Directions
Squeeze lime juice into a copper mug (or a Collins glass) and drop in the spent shell. Add ice cubes, then pour in the vodka and fill with cold ginger beer. Serve with a stirring rod.
Blood and Sand
There's a reason that brandy used to be given to treat hypothermia. Remember those St. Bernard's with the barrel of brandy around their necks? Enjoy that level of relief from this blood and sand cocktail.
Ingredients
3/4 oz. scotch whisky
3/4 oz. rosso vermouth
3/4 oz. cherry brandy or liqueur
3/4 oz. fresh orange juice
Directions
Shake all ingredients together with ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange twist.
Espresso Martini
Nothing screams cozy and boozy like an espresso martini. The renaissance of this cocktail is not going away anytime soon.
Ingredients
2 oz. Grey Goose vodka
1/2 oz. Mr Black coffee liqueur
3/4 oz. simple syrup
1 1/2 oz. fresh espresso
Directions
Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a martini glass. Garnish with two or three coffee beans.
Gold Rush
We all love a hot toddy. But sometimes, you crave the taste minus the heat. The Gold Rush is the perfect answer to that.
Ingredients
2 oz. bourbon
3/4 oz. lemon juice
3/4 oz. honey
Instructions
Combine the ingredients into a shaker and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Strain into a rocks glass over ice. No need to garnish.
Toby's Toddy
(By Tristan Willey)
"Using a split base of cognac and rum adds a depth of flavor and makes it a little more delicate. You still get that warm, sippable cocktail, but it doesn't beat you over the head."
Ingredients
• 1 oz cognac
• 1 oz aged rum
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1 oz simple syrup
• 5 dashes bitters
Directions
Add ingredients to 3 ounces of boiling water in a mug. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and a lemon wheel studded with cloves.
For a traditional Hot Toddy: Mix 2 oz bourbon with.5 oz honey and a splash of lemon juice, then combine with hot water or herbal tea—we like Chai. Garnish with lemon. Read more on the Hot Toddy here.
New York Sour
(By Tristan Willey)
"It's a traditional Whiskey Sour, but to make it a New York Sour, you float red wine—Côtes du Rhône or Beaujolais, something with a backbone to it—on top. The rich aromatics push it into winter."
Ingredients
• 2 oz bourbon
• 3/4 oz lemon juice
• 3/4 oz simple syrup
• red wine float
Directions
Shake the bourbon, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice and strain into a double Old Fashioned glass over ice. Top with a red wine float.
For a traditional Whiskey Sour: Shake 2 oz bourbon, 2/3 oz lemon juice, 1 tsp superfine sugar, and an egg white well with cracked ice. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, then garnish with a maraschino cherry and/or lemon wedge. Read more on the Whiskey Sour here.
Winter Margarita
(By Tristan Willey)
"It's just like a traditional Margarita, but with an egg white. And we split the base between reposado tequila and mezcal. It gives you those summer flavors, but with the thickness of the body and the smoke of the mezcal."
Ingredients
• 1 oz reposado (slightly aged) tequila
• 1 oz mezcal (like Del Maguey Vida)
• 1 oz lime juice
• 3/4 oz simple syrup
• 1 egg white
Directions
Shake ingredients without ice, then shake again with ice. Strain into a coupe glass and serve up with a salted rim.
For a traditional Margarita: Chill a cocktail glass, then rub its rim with lime juice and dip it in coarse salt. Shake 2 oz tequila, 1 oz Cointreau, and 1 oz lime juice with ice, then strain into the glass over fresh ice. Read more on the Margarita here.
Champagne Cocktail
(By Tristan Willey)
"It's really beautiful, and perfect for an elegant party. It elevates the pomp and circumstance of your traditional glass of Champagne."
Ingredients
• 4 oz sparkling wine
• 1 sugar cube
• Angostura bitters
Directions
Soak the sugar cube in Angostura bitters and drop into a champagne flute. Fill with sparkling wine (a dry prosecco will also do). Garnish with a lemon twist.
Read more on the Champagne Cocktail here.
Cognac French 75
(By Tristan Willey)
"Winter isn't about eliminating refreshing drinks, but there are things that can make them more seasonally appropriate. By swapping the gin for the richer, silkier flavors of the cognac, it turns it into a more wintery version of itself."
Ingredients
• 1 oz cognac
• 1/2 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz simple syrup
• splash of sparkling wine
Directions
Shake the cognac, lemon juice, and simple syrup with ice. Strain into a Champagne flute, and top with Prosecco or another dry sparkling wine. Garnish with a lemon twist.
For a traditional French 75: Shake 2 oz London dry gin, 1 tsp superfine sugar, and.5 oz lemon juice well with ice. Strain into a Collins glass half-full of cracked ice, then top off with Champagne. Read more on the French 75 here.
Good Tidings
(By Tristan Willey)
"With the cranberry and allspice you get those more traditional winter flavors and scents, but it drinks like a tall, easy Collins."
Ingredients
• 1 1/2 oz vodka
• 1 oz Cointreau
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1 oz cranberry juice
• 1 bar spoon of allspice dram
Directions
Shake ingredients with ice. Strain into a Collins glass over ice and top with club soda. Garnish with a lemon wheel studded with cloves.
For a traditional Tom Collins: Shake 2 oz London dry gin, 1 oz lemon juice, and.5 oz simple syrup with ice, then strain into a Collins glass over fresh ice and top with club soda. Read more on the Tom Collins here.
Aged Rum Daiquiri
(By Tristan Willey)
"You take the typical white rum out of a Daiquiri and replace it with an aged rum that has those caramel notes. It's still balanced, it's light and effervescent, but it has that rich spiciness to it."
Ingredients
• 2 oz aged rum (like Diplomatico Venezuelan)
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• 3/4 oz simple syrup
Directions
Shake ingredients with ice and strain into a coupe glass. Serve up with no garnish.
For a traditional Daiquiri: Squeeze.5 oz lime juice into a shaker, stir in.5 tsp superfine sugar, and then add 2 oz white rum. Shake well with cracked ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Read more on the Daiquiri here.
Penicillin
(By Tristan Willey)
"It's a classic, with a blended scotch paired with ginger, honey, lemon, and that smoky Laphroaig misted over the top. It fits so perfectly with the season."
Ingredients
• 2 oz blended scotch
• 1 oz lemon juice
• 1/2 oz honey syrup
• 1/2 oz ginger syrup
• 1/4 oz Laphroaig scotch
Directions
Shake the blended scotch, lemon juice, and syrups with ice and strain into a double old fashioned glass with a single large ice cube. Pour Laphroaig over the back of a bar spoon so that it floats atop the drink, and finish with a lemon wheel.
Aquavit Manhattan
(By Tristan Willey)
"It excels at what the Scandinavians do, which is cope with a cold, long, dark winter. The aquavit is a little herbaceous, which gives it a great caraway and rye background."
Ingredients
• 2 oz aquavit (like Linie)
• 3/4 oz sweet vermouth
• 1/4 oz cherry spirit (like Leroux Kirschwasser)
• 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Directions
Stir ingredients with ice, then strain over ice into a double old fashioned glass. Garnish with an orange twist or cherries.
For a traditional Manhattan: Stir 2 oz rye, 1 oz sweet vermouth, and 2 dashes Angostura bitters well with cracked ice, then strain into a chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a cocktail cherry. Read more on the Manhattan here.
Martinez
(By Tristan Willey)
"Using a sweet vermouth instead of dry, and adding a little bit of maraschino, makes the whole thing so cozy. It's the kind of Martini you'd pull up next to a fire and drink."
Ingredients
• 2 oz gin
• 3/4 oz sweet vermouth
• 1 bar spoon of maraschino
• 1 dash orange bitters
Directions
Stir ingredients with ice, then strain into a coupe glass. Serve up and garnish with an orange twist.
For a traditional Martini: Fill a metal shaker with cracked ice, pour in 1 oz dry vermouth, stir briefly, and strain out. Add 4 ounces of gin, stir briskly for about 10 seconds, strain into a chilled cocktail glass, and garnish with an olive or a lemon twist. Read more on the Martini here.
Boulevardier
(By Tristan Willey)
"It's a Negroni, but with rye whiskey instead of gin. It's a natural evolution, bringing a dark spirit into a classic drink that we love. It's great for fall and winter, but I drink it year-round."
Ingredients
• 1 1/2 oz rye whiskey
• 3/4 oz Campari
• 3/4 oz sweet vermouth
Directions
Stir ingredients with ice, then strain into a coupe glass. Serve up and garnish with an orange twist.
For a traditional Negroni: Stir 1 oz London dry gin, 1 oz Campari, and 1 oz vermouth rosso well with cracked ice. Strain into a glass over cubed ice, then garnish with a twist of orange peel. Read more on the Negroni here.
Applejack Sazerac
(By Tristan Willey)
"It uses so many wintery things, like the Applejack and maple syrup. You could not make a more fireside-appropriate cocktail."
Ingredients
• 2 oz apple brandy (like Applejack)
• 1/4 oz maple syrup
• 3 dashes Peychaud's bitters
Directions
Stir ingredients with ice, then strain into an old fashioned glass. Serve up and garnish with a lemon twist.
For a traditional Sazerac: In an Old Fashioned glass, muddle a sugar cube with a few drops of water. Add several small ice cubes, then 2.5 oz rye whiskey, 2 dashes Peychaud's bitters, and 1 dash Angostura bitters. Stir well. Roll a few drops of absinthe around a second, chilled Old-Fashioned glass, then pour off the excess. Strain the contents of the first glass into the second. Read more on the Sazerac here.
Rum Old Fashioned
(By Tristan Willey)
"The rum and its molasses flavors, plus the allspice and Angostura bitters, make for this lovely, rich, slightly thicker Old Fashioned variation. It's perfect to have late at night."
Ingredients
• 2 oz rum (like Eldorado 12-Year)
• 1 bar spoon of demerara syrup
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters
Directions
Build ingredients into a double Old Fashioned glass with ice. Finish with lemon and orange twist.
For a traditional Old Fashioned: Place a sugar cube in an Old Fashioned glass, wet it down with 2 dashes Angostura bitters and a short splash of club soda, then muddle. Add a large ice cube and 2 oz rye or bourbon, then garnish with an orange twist. Read more on the Old Fashioned here.
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