14 Easy Winter Cocktails to Make at Home

Baby, it’s cold outside! We’ve something for everyone! From pre-dinner warmers to dessert replacements, the ‘super-simple-to-make’ drinks and a few with a little more effort to impress. We have plenty of easy winter cocktail recipes to choose from, just take your pick.

1. French 75 Cocktail

The dapper French 75 cocktail is named after a French field gun used in World War I. This cocktail has the facade of a delicate drink with deceptively strong kick. Created in New York, this prohibition classic is made with gin, Prosecco (or Champagne), lemon juice and simple syrup. Simply shaken up over ice and strained into a sugar-rimmed flute for all the glamour a French lady deserves.

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2. Mulled Wine

Winter is the season for long chilly walks, plates of comfort food and a glass of something delicious. Have you tried our Easy Mulled Wine recipe yet? It’s one of those easy to make winter cocktails. Simply simmer red wine, baking spices, a splash of brandy and sliced citrus in a saucepan. It’s tasty, warning and hassle-free. The bonus? It’s light on your pocket, which means it’s the perfect drink to serve if you’re on a festive-season budget. This is fuss-free hosting at its best!

3. Hot Toddy

Your list of easy winter cocktails  should include the classic Hot Toddy. The simplest of the easy large batch winter cocktails. It can be whipped up in no time for a crowd. Bourbon gives this warm sip a comforting caramel flavour, especially when mixed with honey and spice. If bourbon isn’t your cup of tea, try it with rum or cognac. After all, some of  the best cocktails are invented when you go off piste.

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4. Sidecar Cocktail

This delicious, citrusy Sidecar cocktail combines cognac, orange liqueur and fresh lemon juice. It’s a downright delicious drink which is said to be the inspiration to a host of other classic cocktails, like the Margarita and the Cosmo. One of the perfect easy winter cocktails to make at home.

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 5. White Russian

A creamy White Russian is sure to stop a sweet craving in its tracks. To make this dreamy cocktail, you only need five minutes and three ingredients: coffee liqueur, SKYY Vodka and proper heavy cream. The result? A decadent and highly drinkable treat that you can serve all year round.

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6. Pumpkin Pie Martini

Calling all pumpkin pie lovers! Learn how to make our spiced Pumpkin Pie Martini this winter. This tasty dessert cocktail is packed with decadence, with luscious Irish cream playing a starring role. This is combined with vanilla vodka, pumpkin purée and your favourite baking spices, and the result is the perfect after-dinner treat on a cold evening.

More pumpkin flavour: An Indulgent Hot Pumpkin Pie Cocktail for Thanksgiving

7. Tiramisu White Russian

If you love for a White Russian, you’re going to want to try the Tiramisu version. It’s part cocktail, part dessert! Shake up 60 ml of heavy cream and a teaspoon of sugar in a mason jar until it’s soft and peaky. Fill a tumbler with a handful of ice and stir in 60 ml of both coffee liqueur and Appleton Estate Signature rum (opens in new window). Top with sweetened cream, dust with cocoa powder and dunk a ladyfinger cookie right into the middle of the drink.

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8. Brown Sugar Old-Fashioned

Give our favourite Old Fashioned extra wintery richness. For an ultra-cosy cocktail, mix in the dark caramels of a brown sugar syrup and pair it with vanilla, pear and spiced Wild Turkey Bourbon (opens in new window). The rich sweet flavours will keep the winter blues at bay, and it just feels downright old-fashioned.

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9. Hot Buttered Rum

A Hot Butter Rum will wrap you up in its cosy warm blanket! Keep this cocktail up your sleeve to enjoy fireside with friends, after long wintery walks. This sweet rum concoction is best made in a batch, so whip up the spiced caramel butter. It’s easy to make and store for when the urge strikes. Beat up some butter with brown sugar to sweeten along with your favourite wintery spices. Ready the kettle and add a spoon of spiced butter to each mug. Just pour in an ounce of rum (opens in new window) with a little boiling water. Stir as it all melts into perfection. One of the best easy large winter cocktails. 

More hot drinkspiration: All the Hot Rum Cocktails You Will Ever Need

10. Blood Orange Margarita

The blend of sweet blood orange juice and cheeky bitter Campari makes for a heavenly winter Margarita . Our Blood Orange Margarita is a cocktail with all the tang, perfect to enjoy when the winter season is abundant with this crimson fruit.

More tequila: What is the Best Margarita Recipe? 10 Ways to Make a Margarita

11. Negroni

The quintessential (and much-loved) Negroni is a must on our quick and easy cocktail list! Just the kind of easy gin cocktails winter evenings need. It’s seriously simple to make with an easy to remember recipe of equal parts gin (opens in new window), Campari (opens in new window) and sweet red vermouth (opens in new window). Don’t get left out. Enjoy this popular cocktail with the rest of the globe!

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12. Classic Martini

If you are a newbie to the whole cocktail making game, then the Classic Martini is an excellent place to start. You’ll look like a pro without breaking a sweat! It’s a simple mix of gin and vermouth, with a garnish of either cocktail olives or a lemon twist. It loves being served icy cold, so give it a vigorous shake (or stir). Pour into a chilled V-shaped glass to experience its full deliciousness.

More Martini love: 14 Types of Martinis You Should Know

13. Chocolate Martini

When it’s cold out and the chocolate cravings start, it’s time to whip up a Chocolate Martini. This cocktail is the indulgent treat you can skip dessert for. It’s a quick martini to prepare with just three ingredients; chocolate liqueur, crème de cacao and SkYY Vodka (opens in new window). Serve it in a cocktail glass with cocoa-powder rim.

14. Amaretto Sour

If you love a classic Whiskey Sour as much as we do, then try our lovely Amaretto Sour. This classic winter cocktail is a blend of nutty almond-flavoured liqueur, a good bourbon (opens in new window), lemon juice, bitters and an egg white froth. Serve this classic winter after-dinner drink with a gorgeous cheeseboard.

There you have it – 14 completely easy winter cocktail recipes to try at home when you need warming from the inside out.