If you are 21 or older, the holidays are a perfect time to experiment with new cocktails, especially if you’re hosting this season. An ideal way to enjoy your favorite spirits while also staying on theme. From Halloween parties to welcoming in 2026, each festive occasion is the perfect opportunity to showcase your bartending skills. Below, we’re sharing recipes from spirits like Del Maguey Single Village Mezcal to Brugal to get you ready for Thanksgiving, Friendsgiving, Navidad, and more.
Whether you’re into tequila or cognac, or your guests prefer creamy liquor, the list covers a variety of spirits and flavors that will make everyone happy. It might be best to have guest rooms, pullout couches, and air mattresses ready because the responsible fun won’t stop. You could also make it a friendly competition and see which of your amigas or amigos has the skill to crank out the tastiest holiday cocktail.
If you’re hosting or just stopping by a family member or friend’s home, these recipes might make you the go-to bartender at gatherings. Check it out and let us know which one is a holiday hit.
Halloween is on Friday, but let’s be honest, for the spooky lovers, you have been celebrating since October 1st. Take your celebration to the next level with these recipes, whether you’re pregaming or throwing a party, and get all the screams, ghouls, ghosts, vampires, and brujas wanting more.
Bloody Marys are usually red, but just like the green bottle, this Buchanan’s Green Bloody Mary recipe is the right color and a reminder of goo for all those who enjoy the classic cocktail, which perfectly fits Halloween and whose name comes from a variation of spooky legends.
1.5 oz Buchanan’s 12-Year-Old DeLuxe Blended Scotch Whisky
1 oz Fresh Cucumber Juice
1 oz Fresh Apple Juice
.75 oz Fresh Lemon Juice
.75 oz Simple Syrup
1 Dash Hot Sauce
1 Dash Worcestershire Sauce
Fresh Cucumber Slice for Garnish
Fresh Celery Stalk for Garnish
3 Fresh Cherry Tomatoes for Garnish
Combine Buchanan’s 12-Year-Old DeLuxe, fresh cucumber juice, fresh apple juice, fresh lemon juice, simple syrup, hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well.
Strain contents into a Highball glass over fresh ice.
Garnish with fresh cucumber slice, fresh celery slice, and 3 cherry tomatoes.
It’s in the name, a BACARDÍ Zombie is not only the most fitting cocktail, but you also get the acidic taste, and if you manage to snag the popular rum’s limited-edition Halloween bottle, you might be crowned the spooky queen or king.
2 parts BACARDÍ Superior Rum
3/4 parts BACARDÍ Black Rum
1 part Triple Sec
2 parts orange juice
1 part lime juice
1 part simple syrup
1/4 part grenadine
Pour all the ingredients into a shaker full of ice, and give it a good shake. Strain and pour into a highball glass filled with crushed ice. Give it a stir with a bar spoon. Garnish with a cherry and orange slice.
Traditionally celebrated on November 1 and 2, Día de Muertos brings family and friends together to pay their respects and remember those who have passed. Whether you choose to make your time joyful or emotional, Del Maguey Vida Puebla Mezcal‘s Vida Rita recipe has the name to celebrate, with a twist on the classic margarita.
2 parts VIDA Puebla or Clásico
3/4 part Lime Juice
3/4 part Agave Syrup
1 large Orange Twist
Build in shaker, shake ingredients & strain into a rocks glass full of fresh ice with a lemon wedge garnish.
Thanksgiving is one of the holiday favorites, where you get to eat, be thankful, watch the parade, or watch your favorite NFL team play, if that’s your thing. From the sides to the entries, you’re always wanting more than one plate, and the cocktail recipes below, catered to turkey day, will also have you asking for seconds or thirds.
Who doesn’t love pie! With Crown Royal’s Pecan Pie drink, you get to enjoy the dessert in a cup. It works if you’re “counting calories” and want to avoid the actual pie this year.
1 oz Crown Royal Fine De Luxe
1.5 oz Pecan Praline liqueur
0.5 oz vodka
Pour all ingredients over ice and stir.
Garnish with whipped cream and whole pecan.
If you’re a Pomegranate and mezcal lover, the Ilegal Mezcal Margarita de Grenada is for you. We know cranberries are usually the Thanksgiving go-to, but pomegranates are in peak season during the fall, and margaritas make any holiday fun.
Ingredients
2 oz Ilegal Mezcal Joven
1oz lime
1oz agave syrup
.5oz pomegranate juice
Pomegranate seeds and lime wheel
Preparation
Add mezcal, lime, agave syrup and pomegranate juice to a shaker, shake until chilled and strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and lime wheel.
Here’s another pie cocktail with a twist on a favorite using Patrón’s Añejo bottle, allowing you to enjoy a spin on a classic with the pumpkin pie martini. If you love a spiced-filled cocktail, this one is for you.
Ingredients
1.5 oz Patrón Añejo
2 oz Orange juice
1.5 oz Pumpkin purée
1 oz Lemon juice
1 oz Honey pumpkin spice syrup*
+ Pumpkin pie spice blend for garnish
+ Orange twist for garnish
In a cocktail shaker, add all of the ingredients for the pumpkin pie martini, except the spice blend and orange twist, and shake.
Strain the cocktail into a martini glass.
Dust with the pumpkin pie spice blend and garnish with an orange twist, then serve.
*Honey pumpkin spice syrup:
1 cup Water
1 cup Honey
2 tsps Pumpkin pie spice blend
In a small pot, whisk together all of the pumpkin spice ingredients. Over high heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Once at a boil, turn off the heat and allow the syrup to completely cool.
Whether you celebrate Nochebuena or Christmas on the 25th, the holiday brings warmth and happiness. Why not bring joy to your loved ones with these Navidad cocktails?
This traditional holiday drink is a must-have at every festive celebration, and while it typically features Puerto Rican rum, this recipe adds a delicious twist. There are many versions of it with different spirits, but the Dominican rum Brugal’s hand shaken coquito will give you the best of two beloved Caribbean countries.
1.50 oz Brugal 1888
.50 oz Heavy Cream
.50 oz Px Sherry
.50 oz Whole Milk
.75 oz Simple Syrup
Grated Nutmeg for garnish
Light Shake & Strain
Cranberries are one of the many holiday symbols, and if you scroll on TikTok looking for Christmas recipes, don’t be surprised if you see them being used. Like Tequila Herradura’s holiday version of their Horseshoe Margarita, and as we mentioned earlier, everything is fun with a margarita in hand, especially a flavored one.
2 parts Herradura Silver
1 part Lime Juice
¼ part Agave Nectar
½ part Cranberry Puree
Combine all the ingredients in a shaker, shake vigorously. Strain and serve on the rocks – in a rocks glass (same as Horseshoe Margarita). Garnish with salt half rim, lime, and cranberries.
As “Let It Snow” says, ‘Oh, the weather outside is frightful,’ well, Dubliner Fiery Irish whiskey’s firecracker recipe will warm you up and keep you snugged for the cold Christmas if you live in chilly weather.
1.5 oz Dubliner Fiery Irish whiskey
0.5 oz Aperol
0.5 oz strawberry purée or syrup
2-3 dashes of bitters (such as orange or rhubarb)
Ginger beer, to top
Optional: Lime wedge and sliced strawberry, for garnish
Fill a highball glass with ice.
Add the Dubliner Fiery Irish, Aperol, strawberry purée, and bitters to the glass.
Stir gently to combine.
Top with ginger beer.
Garnish with a lime wedge and a sliced strawberry, if desire.
It’s in with the new and out with the old when December 31st and January 1st arrive, and we know that Latinos have many traditions to bring in el año nuevo. Ring in 2026 with these cocktails!
1 part Kahlúa Dunkin’ Caramel Swirl Cream Liqueur
2 parts Dunkin’ Cold Brew Concentrate
1 part Milk
Ice
Fill a glass with ice and add Dunkin’ Cold Brew Concentrate & Kahlúa Dunkin’ Caramel Swirl Cream Liqueur. Top with milk and enjoy!
It may be hard to stay up till midnight for some of us, but this Kahlúa Dunkin’ Cold Brew will help you stay up to see the ball drop and welcome 2026.
It wouldn’t be a New Year’s celebration without champagne, the national day for which is December 31st, and if you want to spruce up your bubbly, this Hennessy & Champagne cocktail will do the trick.
30 ml Hennessy V.S.O.P or Hennessy V.S cognac
Top with champagne
3 Dashes Angostura Bitters
1 Sugar cube
1 Cherry
Soak the sugar cube in Angostura.
Place in flute.
Add Hennessy cognac.
Top with champagne.
Garnish with a cherry.
Buchanan’s Green Seal Blended Scotch Whisky is the latest for the brand, and what better way to bring in año nuevo than by trying something new. The seal the coco is the perfect recipe for sealing in your New Year’s resolutions with a refreshing cocktail in a champagne flute.
1.5 oz Buchanan’s Green Seal
1 oz Coconut Water
Pour Buchanan’s Green Seal in a chilled champagne flute
Top off with coconut water.