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This Christmas Whiskey Cocktail is a festive drink full of holiday flavors. Pomegranate and tart Lemon blend seamlessly with Cinnamon, Vanilla, and Cardamom spices. A must-try for your holiday happy hour!

If you love a good whiskey cocktail like me, then this will be right up your holiday alley. This Christmas Whiskey Cocktail is well balanced with sweet and tart, and still let’s the smoky whiskey flavor shine through. With a smack of holiday spice, this really hits the spot when the jingle bells start ringing. Even Santa would approve.

Why you’ll love this recipe:

If you love a good Whiskey Sour, then you will love this spiced Whiskey Cocktail. This is a highly requested drink at my house around the holidays and for good reason. The sweet-tart Pomegranate juice and Cinnamon Vanilla infused syrup are the perfect combination for a holiday sour. Make this for your next dinner party and you will have a loyal following in no time.

Ingredients needed for this Christmas Whiskey Cocktail:

Whiskey or Bourbon. Pick your favorite.
Pomegranate Juice. Fresh, not from concentrate. I use POM for this.
Lemon Juice. Freshly squeezed is always best. In a pinch, you can use bottled pure lemon juice.
Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup. Make this yourself, it’s easy and inexpensive.
Cardamom Bitters. This is the best Cardamom Bitters I’ve ever tried.
Frozen Cranberries. This is an optional garnish.

Tools you will need:

Measuring Jigger
Boston Shaker
Cocktail Strainer
Your favorite Holiday glass.

How to make this Christmas Whiskey Cocktail:

Combine all the ingredients in your shaker.
Shake vigorously with cubed ice and strain into your glass over fresh ice. Top with more ice as needed.
Add 3-4 dashes of Cardamom Bitters on top.
Garnish with the frozen cranberries or a lemon wedge.
Cheers!

How to make Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup:

Ingredients:

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1 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
4-6 cinnamon sticks

Instructions for making Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup:

Add equal parts water and white sugar to a saucepan. Bring the water to a boil and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
Add 4-6 cinnamon sticks. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
Remove from heat then cover with a lid and let sit for a minimum of one hour before you use it. The longer you let it sit the more flavor you will get from the cinnamon.
Next, add the vanilla extract and stir to combine.
Transfer to a syrup bottle with a tight seal.
Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Note: you can remove the cinnamon sticks if you want, but I prefer to leave them in so they continue to marinade and add more cinnamon flavor.

When to enjoy a Christmas Whiskey Cocktail:

Before your 4^th viewing of The Nutcracker.
During the wife’s neighborhood wrap party.
To toast your neighborhood light contest win by not participating.
After cancelling the wife’s Hallmark channel, and you know what’s coming.
As a soothing closer to your busy evening of Christmas shopping at the CVS.
As a remedy for “some assembly required” PTSD.

How to make a Christmas Cocktail more festive:

The Glassware. The vessel in which you choose to serve or enjoy a holiday beverage is an important detail. A seasonal glass adds instant Christmas cheer and makes for a great conversation opener.
The Accessories. The holidays are all about excess, and your Christmas cocktail should be no different. A vintage swizzle stick, a candy cane, a girlie glass hanger…anything to add some Christmas kitsch.
The Garnish. Don’t be frugal with the garnish. A holiday drink should include no less than one edible garnish. The more color the better. Red and green cherries, lemons and oranges, cranberries or pomegranate seeds…be creative and don’t hold back.

Toast the season with more festive cocktails: