5 Christmas Cocktails - Shady Style!

If there's one thing we love about the holidays, it's the parties! Business parties, family parties, and the just because you want to party, parties. They are all great in our book. While you may not be able to party at the best restaurant at the Lake of the Ozarks during the winter season, you can still make a few drinks and pretend! Here are a few gator approved recipes that are sure to shake up your holiday party.

Photo Credit: www.DellCoveSpices.com

Berry Cosmopolitan Cocktail

Are you looking for a festive drink that features all of your favorite ingredients? Check out this "berry" good concoction from Dell Coves Spices.

Ingredients
4 oz. Vodka
2 oz. Triple Sec
1 oz. Cranberry Juice
1 oz. Raspberry Juice
1 oz. Strawberry Juice
1 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
Ice
Forest Green Cocktail Rim Sugar

What You Need:
Cocktail Shaker
Pitcher
Martini Glass (chilled)

Instructions
Rim chilled glasses with cocktail rim sugar. Set aside. Next, add the liquids to a pitcher and stir. Fill cocktail shaker with ice and pour in some of the liquid. Cover the shaker and shake well. Strain into two martini glasses and serve. Optional: Garnish with a slice of plum or fresh raspberries.

Santa Hat Martini

Photo Credit: www.OhMy-Creative.com

It's time to get in the holiday spirit with THIS holiday spirit! Delicious, festive, and ready for a good time, the Santa Hat Martini is just what you need.

Ingredients

1.5 oz. Pama Liqueur

1 oz. Vodka

.5 oz. Cointreau

1.5 oz. Cranberry Juice

What You Need:

Thin Stem Martini Glasses

White Nonpareils

2" White Pom Poms

Removable Glue Dots

White Chocolate Morsels

Instructions

Combine all ingredients into a martini shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass.

The Santa Hat

1. Using your fingers, separate the pom until you find the center where it is bound together.
2. Place two or three glue dots around the top of the stem of the glass
3. Wrap pom pom around the glass placing a little glue at the edges of the pom. Squeeze together edges without gluing onto the glass.
4. Pom pom will be a little off-center, but that’s ok! {wink}
5. Melt chocolate, in small increments, using a microwave-safe dish stirring until smooth. Transfer the chocolate to a flat bottom bowl or plate. Dip the rim of the glass into the white chocolate covering the edges of the rim.
6. Carefully dip the melted chocolate rim into the nonpareils. Try not to touch the bottom of the plate with the glass. This causes the chocolate rub off and the nonpareils not to stick. Slowly push the nonpareils on edges of the rim to create the fluffy Santa hat trim. Let harden.

Christmas Martini

Photo Credit: www.GlobesCoffers.com

If you really want to spice up your holiday party, try this Christmas martini! It's simple to make, but has fantastic flavor - plus you'll impress your family and friends when you whip it up.

Ingredients

0.85 floz cointreau
0.85 floz amaretto
0.51 floz vodka
1.69 floz cranberry juice
sugar
1 orange peel for decoration
1 lemon

Instructions

1. Cut a segment out the lemon and run it round the rim of your glass. Pour a mound of sugar onto a plate and lay the glass sideways into it, spinning slowy to coat.
2. Add the Cointreau, amaretto and vodka into the cocktail mixer followed by the cranberry juice and a small handful of ice.
3. Shake for 20-30 seconds and then pour into the glass.
4. Add some orange peel for decoration, serve and enjoy!

Photo Credit: www.Berries.com

White Christmas Martini

Are you looking for a signature drink at your party? Check out this beauty! The striking white color is not only beautiful, but the flavor is delicious.

Ingredients

2 oz vanilla vodka
2 oz white chocolate liqueur
1 oz white creme de cacao
1 oz half-and-half
Honey and coarse sanding sugar for rim garnish

Instructions

Pour the honey into a shallow dish and put the sanding sugar in another shallow dish. Coat the rim of the glass in the honey; then dip the rim in the sugar to coat evenly. Set the glass aside.

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the vodka, white chocolate liqueur, creme de cacao and half-and-half. Shake vigorously and strain into the prepared martini glass.

Candy Cane Martini

Photo Credit: www.PleaseYourManInTheKitchen.blogpsot.com

Tis' the season to be jolly and this will make you VERY jolly! This final martini would be a perfect way to add some zing to your evening.

Ingredients

2 oz. Vodka

2 oz. Peppermint Schnapps

2 oz. Whipped Cream Vodka

Ice

One Peppermint Stick or Candy Cane

Instructions

Crush half of your peppermint stick. Dip the Top Rim of your Martini glass into peppermint schnapps, then roll in crushed candy cane to decorate.
Add all ingredients except Candy Cane to a shaker. Shake well and strain into decorated Martini glass. Add remaining candy cane as a stirrer.

Have a Holiday Celebration!

Deck the Halls, Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas, and DON'T have a Silent Night! Shady Gators is the place to party in the summer, but until then we trust you'll figure out how to have a good time on your own. From the best food at the Lake of the Ozarks, to just being the Party Capitol at the Lake of the Ozarks, you know you'll have a good time with us. We look forward to seeing you again soon, and until then, have a wonderful holiday season!

**Please drink responsibly and don't get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol.

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