DRINKS GUIDE
Best Christmas Drinks: Easy Eggnog, Hot Cocoa and Holiday Cocktails
Author and Visit Details
This is a researched guide, not a taste test from our own kitchen. We did not host a party, mix every drink, or buy a bottle of each spirit while writing it. Every fact in this guide comes from current 2026 drink guides, recipe collections, and nutrition listings, all rechecked on November 6, 2026. Where sources disagree, we say so in the text instead of picking the number that looks neatest. Christmas drinks vary by recipe, by brand, and by how strong you pour, so the costs and calories here are ranges and estimates, not promises. If you want the exact price of a bottle, check your local grocery or liquor store before you shop, because prices differ by state and by store.
Christmas Day 2026 falls on Friday, December 25, 2026, and Christmas Eve falls on Thursday, December 24, 2026. Most families serve their christmas drinks across both nights, plus at least one party in the weeks before. This guide covers the whole season in one place: the classic eggnog recipe, a rich hot cocoa recipe, the best christmas cocktails for a party, warm mulled wine and hot buttered rum, big batch punch, and mocktails that kids and non-drinkers will actually enjoy. Read the At a Glance table first for the short version, then read the full sections for the recipes and the detail behind each number.
Introduction
Every Christmas gathering needs a drink plan, and most hosts leave it until the last minute. The food gets a menu, a shopping list, and a cooking schedule, while the drinks get a quick trip to the store on Christmas Eve. That is how you end up with a fridge full of random bottles, no ice, and nothing for the kids to drink except water. The best christmas drinks are simple to plan ahead, and a little planning turns the drinks table from an afterthought into one of the best parts of the night.
Three drinks carry almost every Christmas party. Eggnog is the classic, creamy, spiced, and rich enough to count as dessert. Hot cocoa is the family favorite, warm, sweet, and loved by every age group at the table. Holiday cocktails are the grown up fun, from a candy cane martini to a glass of mulled wine by the fire. Add a big punch bowl and a couple of mocktails, and you have christmas drinks for every guest, from toddlers to grandparents, without buying a full bar.
If you are planning the food too, start with our Christmas dinner menu guide, which covers the full holiday meal, and our Christmas party food guide for the snacks that go with these drinks. The cocktails in this post pair with the party food, the hot cocoa pairs with Christmas cookies, and the eggnog is the classic drink to serve with Christmas brunch leftovers on Christmas morning.
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Christmas Drinks At a Glance
Here is the short version of the best christmas drinks for 2026. Every line in this table is backed by the current 2026 guides and listings named in the sources section at the end of this post.
| Drink | Best for | Time to make | Alcohol | Cost per serving (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Classic eggnog | Christmas Eve and Christmas Day dessert drink | About 20 minutes, plus chilling | Optional, rum, bourbon, brandy, or Baileys | About $1 to $2 |
| Hot cocoa | Kids, family nights, Christmas morning | About 10 minutes | None, or spiked with Baileys or peppermint schnapps | About $0.50 to $1 |
| Mulled wine | Arriving guests, cold nights, parties | About 30 minutes on the stove | Yes, red wine plus brandy | About $1.50 to $3 |
| Candy cane martini | Holiday parties, dessert cocktail | About 5 minutes | Yes, vanilla vodka and peppermint schnapps | About $2 to $3.50 |
| Christmas punch | Crowds, self-serve tables | About 15 minutes | Optional | About $1 to $2 |
| Virgin eggnog | Kids and non-drinkers | About 20 minutes, plus chilling | None | About $1 to $2 |
| Cranberry mimosa | Christmas brunch | About 5 minutes | Yes, sparkling wine | About $1.50 to $2.50 |
Why We Made This Guide
We also made this guide because the safety questions around christmas drinks are real, and most guides skip them. Classic eggnog is made with raw eggs, and that matters if you are serving pregnant guests, small children, or anyone with a weak immune system. This guide to christmas drinks gives you a cooked eggnog recipe and a virgin eggnog recipe, so nobody has to guess whether the drink is safe for them. It also gives you the alcohol content in plain terms, so the person pouring knows what is in each glass.
Ingredients and Prices
We did not shop for this guide, so the table below is not a receipt. It is a price guide built from current grocery and liquor listings, rechecked November 6, 2026. Every price is a range, because prices differ by store and by state. Check your local store for the exact price before you shop.
| Ingredient | Used for | Price range 2026 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Store-bought eggnog, half gallon | Eggnog, eggnog cocktails | About $4 to $7 | Check the date, it sells out close to Christmas |
| Whole milk, 1 gallon | Eggnog, hot cocoa | About $3.50 to $5 | Skim milk saves about 55 calories per cup of cocoa |
| Heavy cream, 1 pint | Eggnog, hot cocoa topping | About $3 to $5 | Also makes whipped cream |
| Eggs, 1 dozen | Eggnog | About $2.50 to $5 | One eggnog batch uses about 6 yolks |
| Cocoa powder | Hot cocoa, hot chocolate mix | About $4 to $7 | Unsweetened cocoa, not drink mix |
| Chocolate chips or baking chocolate | Hot cocoa, hot chocolate bar | About $3 to $6 | Chopped chocolate beats a packet |
| Red wine, 1 bottle | Mulled wine | About $8 to $15 | Use a medium bodied wine, never an expensive one |
| Dark rum, bourbon, or brandy, 1 bottle | Eggnog, hot buttered rum, hot toddy | About $20 to $35 | Price varies by state and brand |
| Baileys Irish Cream, 1 bottle | Eggnog, spiked hot chocolate | About $25 to $35 | One bottle serves many drinks |
Our Review
This is a researched review, not a taste test. We have not mixed every drink in this guide in our own kitchen, and this section does not claim that we have. It brings together what the 2026 guides and recipe writers report, what works for a crowd, and what to watch out for. If you want a single recipe to follow step by step, the sources section at the end names the guides we used, and each one gives full ingredient amounts.
The biggest weakness of christmas drinks is sugar and calories. Eggnog and spiked hot chocolate are dessert in a glass, and two or three servings can add up to a full meal in calories. The fix is portion size and choice, not skipping the drinks. Serve eggnog in a small glass, offer a lighter mulled cider next to the mulled wine, and keep a sparkling water and cranberry mocktail on the table so guests who want something light have a real option. The best drinks table has a rich drink, a warm drink, a light drink, and a drink for kids, and this guide gives you all four.
The Complete Guide to Christmas Drinks
Easy Eggnog Recipe: The Classic Christmas Drink
Eggnog is the drink most people name first when they talk about christmas drinks, and it has been a Christmas drink since medieval England. The classic eggnog recipe is simple: eggs, milk, cream, sugar, and holiday spices, with nutmeg and cinnamon on top. Most home versions use 6 egg yolks whisked with about 3/4 cup of sugar until pale, then warm milk and cream stirred in, with vanilla and a grating of fresh nutmeg. The whole process takes about 20 minutes, plus chilling time. Serve it cold, in a small glass, with fresh nutmeg on top.
There are three eggnog choices to make, and each one changes the drink. The first is raw or cooked. A classic eggnog uses raw yolks, and many families have made it that way for years. A cooked eggnog heats the milk, cream, and yolks gently on the stove until the mixture thickens, which removes the raw egg risk. If you serve pregnant guests, small children, or anyone with a weak immune system, use the cooked version or a store-bought carton, which is pasteurized. The second choice is the alcohol. Rum, bourbon, and brandy are the traditional spirits, and Baileys turns eggnog into a creamier dessert drink. A virgin eggnog skips the alcohol entirely and is a cooked custard of whole milk, heavy cream, egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla, chilled until cold. The third choice is the flavor. Chocolate eggnog, peppermint eggnog, gingerbread eggnog, and spiked chai eggnog all start from the same base, and coquito, the Puerto Rican cousin of eggnog, adds evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cream of coconut, and rum.
Best Hot Cocoa Recipe: Rich, Creamy and Kid Friendly
Hot cocoa is the most loved of all christmas drinks, and the gap between a packet and a real hot cocoa is wide. A real hot cocoa uses chopped chocolate and milk, not a packet, and it takes about 10 minutes on the stove. Warm the milk, stir in cocoa powder and chopped dark, milk, or white chocolate, add a little sugar, and finish with vanilla. Top it with whipped cream, mini marshmallows, or crushed candy cane. That is the whole recipe, and it tastes richer than any mix.
The grown up versions of hot cocoa are some of the easiest christmas cocktails to make. A spiked hot chocolate uses about 1.5 ounces of alcohol per mug, and the best choices are Baileys Irish Cream, Kahlua or another coffee liqueur, bourbon or whiskey, peppermint schnapps, or whipped cream vodka. Red wine pairs well with dark chocolate for a rich flavor, and a rum and peppermint white hot chocolate is a festive twist. A spiked red velvet hot chocolate and a spiked Mexican hot chocolate add spice and color. Set up a DIY station and let guests add their own rum, brandy, or whiskey to a mug of hot cocoa, with marshmallows and cinnamon on the side.
Top Christmas Cocktails for a Holiday Party
The best christmas cocktails for a party are the ones that look festive, taste like the season, and take about 5 minutes to make. Start with the classics. The Brandy Alexander is the creamy classic that started it all, cognac, dark creme de cacao, and heavy cream, shaken over ice and finished with nutmeg. The candy cane martini is the dessert cocktail, vanilla vodka, peppermint schnapps, and white creme de cacao. The Christmas martini takes the citrus vodka martini format and adds cranberry juice, Cointreau, lemon juice, and simple syrup. A white chocolate martini is the chic option, and a Baileys chocolate martini is the richest.
Cranberry is the flavor that ties most christmas cocktails together. A cranberry orange mimosa mixes sparkling wine with cranberry juice and orange, and a poinsettia is champagne with cranberry juice. A cranberry Christmas punch with ginger ale is the big batch option for a crowd, and a pomegranate yule mule adds pomegranate to the Moscow mule format. The Jack Frost cocktail is the showstopper, icy blue, creamy, with a coconut rim, and the Grinch cocktail is the green one kids ask about. An apple spritz is the modern aperitif, apple cider with sparkling wine, light enough to serve before dinner.
Mulled Wine and Hot Buttered Rum: The Ultimate Warmers
Mulled wine is the official smell of the Christmas market, and it is the simplest warm drink on this list. The recipe is one bottle of medium bodied red wine, an orange, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, and a little sugar or honey, heated gently on the stove. The one rule every guide agrees on is to never boil the wine. Heat it to about 160F, just below a simmer, for about 30 minutes. Boiling kills the alcohol and the flavor. Use a wine you would drink, but never an expensive one. A Cotes du Rhone, a Garnacha, or a Beaujolais works well, and a Zinfandel, a Grenache, or a Primitivo gives a bigger, bolder flavor. German gluhwein is the same drink with a German name, French vin chaud is the French version, and Swedish glogg adds cardamom pods, almonds, and raisins. A mulled cider uses the same spices with apple cider instead of wine, and it is the non-alcoholic warmer for the same pot.
Christmas Mocktails and Kid Friendly Drinks: Do Not Miss These
The mocktails are the drinks most hosts forget, and they are the ones guests remember. A cranberry pomegranate mocktail is the lighter, fizzy option, cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, and sparkling water or ginger ale, served in a wine glass with a rosemary sprig. A creamy cocoa mocktail mixes milk, chocolate syrup, and a drop of vanilla, and it tastes like dessert. Hot mulled apple cider is the warmer every guest wants, and a hot chocolate bar is the kid favorite. A virgin eggnog is rich enough for dessert, and a Shirley Temple with cranberry juice instead of grenadine is the festive version kids love.
What to Serve With Christmas Drinks
Drinks taste better with the right food next to them. Eggnog pairs with Christmas cookies, gingerbread, and fruitcake, because the creamy drink matches the spiced baking. Hot cocoa pairs with marshmallow treats, brownies, and shortbread, and a mug of cocoa with a cookie is the classic Christmas night snack. Mulled wine pairs with cheese, cured meats, and spiced nuts, and a glass by the fire with a small cheese board is a full evening on its own.
Picky Eats
Picky eaters are easy to please with christmas drinks, because the drinks are sweet, warm, and familiar. Hot cocoa is the safe pick among christmas drinks for almost every child, and a plain mug with milk and chocolate, no spices, no alcohol, and no strange garnish, is the one to offer first. If a child does not like marshmallows, skip them and offer whipped cream instead. If a child does not like cinnamon, leave it out of their mug and add it to the adults only.
Parents Review and Family Tips
Parents love christmas drinks when the drinks are planned around the kids, and they dread them when the drinks are an afterthought. The best family tip is to give kids their own christmas drinks station. A small table with a pot of hot cocoa, a pitcher of cranberry punch, marshmallows, and candy canes keeps children busy and happy while adults talk, and it stops kids from reaching for the adult punch bowl by mistake. Label the adult drinks clearly, and keep the alcohol bottles out of reach.
Nutrition and Carbohydrate Info
Christmas drinks are rich, and the numbers show it. The table below lists christmas drinks with sourced figures only, and every figure is labeled as an estimate where recipes vary. The biggest disagreement is eggnog, and we state it plainly instead of hiding it.
| Drink, 1 cup unless noted | Calories (estimate) | Carbs | Sugars | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eggnog, USDA current entry | About 224 | About 20.4 g | About 20.4 g | 1 cup, 254 g, 11.6 g protein, 10.6 g fat |
| Eggnog, older USDA-based listings | About 343 | About 34 g | About 34 g | Same serving size, different entry, sources disagree |
| Hot cocoa, homemade, USDA | About 193 | About 30 g | About 24 g | Whole milk, cocoa, sugar |
| Hot chocolate, coffee shop, whole milk | About 190 | About 24 g | About 24 g | About 250 with whipped cream |
| Mulled wine | About 200 to 250 | About 20 to 25 g | About 18 to 22 g | Estimate, depends on sugar added |
| Spiked hot chocolate with Baileys | About 250 to 300 | About 25 to 30 g | About 22 to 28 g | Estimate, 1.5 oz Baileys per mug |
Is It Worth It?
Yes, making christmas drinks at home is worth it, and the reason is simple: the cost is low, the time is short, and the difference in taste is large. A pot of mulled wine, one of the cheapest christmas drinks, costs about $10 to $17 and serves 6 people, a batch of eggnog costs about $6 to $10 and serves 6 to 8 people, and a hot cocoa bar costs about $5 to $8 for a family of 6. A coffee shop charges about $4 to $6 for a single mug of hot chocolate, and a bar charges about $12 to $18 for a single holiday cocktail. The homemade versions cost about $1 to $3 per serving, and they taste better because you control the chocolate, the spice, and the sweetness.
FAQ
What are the best christmas drinks for a party?
The best christmas drinks for a party are eggnog, hot cocoa, mulled wine, and a cranberry punch. Those four cover a creamy drink, a family drink, a warm drink, and a light drink, and they serve every guest from kids to grandparents. Add one cocktail, such as a candy cane martini or a Christmas martini, for the adults.
Can I make eggnog without raw eggs?
Yes. Cook the milk, cream, sugar, and egg yolks gently on the stove until the mixture thickens, then chill it before serving. That cooked eggnog recipe removes the raw egg risk. Store-bought eggnog is also pasteurized, so it is safe for pregnant guests, small children, and anyone with a weak immune system.
How long does homemade eggnog last in the fridge?
Homemade eggnog keeps in the fridge for about 2 to 3 days, kept cold and covered. Do not leave eggnog out on the table for more than 2 hours. Throw away any eggnog that has sat out all night.
What is the easiest christmas cocktail for a beginner?
A spiked hot chocolate is the easiest christmas cocktail for a beginner. Make a mug of hot cocoa, stir in about 1.5 ounces of Baileys, Kahlua, bourbon, or peppermint schnapps, and top it with whipped cream. A hot toddy is just as easy: hot water, whiskey, lemon, honey, and cloves in a mug.
What non-alcoholic christmas drinks can I serve kids?
Hot cocoa, virgin eggnog, hot mulled apple cider, cranberry pomegranate mocktail, and a creamy cocoa mocktail are the best non-alcoholic christmas drinks for kids. Set up a hot cocoa bar with marshmallows, whipped cream, and candy canes, and serve the mocktails in the same glasses as the adult drinks so kids feel included.
How much do christmas drinks cost per person?
Most homemade christmas drinks cost about $1 to $3 per serving. Eggnog is about $1 to $2 per glass, hot cocoa is about $0.50 to $1 per mug, mulled wine is about $1.50 to $3 per glass, and a candy cane martini is about $2 to $3.50. A coffee shop charges about $4 to $6 for one mug of hot chocolate, so the homemade versions save money at a party.
Related Guides
- Christmas dinner menu: the full holiday meal, with turkey, ham, sides, and desserts, and the drinks to serve with each course.
- Christmas cookies: the best cookies to bake for the season, and the perfect match for a mug of hot cocoa or a glass of eggnog.
- Christmas party food: snacks and small plates for a holiday party, made to go with the cocktails in this guide.
- Christmas brunch ideas: easy menus for Christmas morning, with cranberry mimosas and hot cocoa for the table.
Sources and Review Notes
All facts in this guide were rechecked on November 6, 2026. Sources used: Cozymeal, Christmas Cocktails Guide 2026 (41 best holiday cocktails, Brandy Alexander, eggnog, coquito, boozy hot chocolate, hot toddy); Classpop, Christmas Drinks, 63 Best in 2026 (eggnog, hot buttered rum, Christmas punches, mulled wine, glogg, Ponche Navideno); HomeBarMenu, Christmas Cocktails (candy cane martini, eggnog martini, spiked hot chocolate, Christmas martini, virgin eggnog, cranberry pomegranate mocktail); Veena Azmanov, Holiday Drinks (homemade eggnog, eggless eggnog, hot chocolate mix, 11 eggnog cocktails); Alush Life Manual, Easy Christmas Cocktails (13 recipes, eggnog as the star); Scratch to Basics, 60+ Festive Christmas Drinks (peppermint eggnog cocktail, vin chaud, gluhwein, Baileys hot chocolate); The Three Drinkers, Most Popular Drinks at Christmas (Baileys hot choc, hot buttered rum, eggnog, mulled wine, mulled cider); XmasTips, Christmas Cocktails and Drinks (mulled wine at 160F for 30 minutes, hot chocolate bar, homemade eggnog in 20 minutes); Homecrux, 40 Hot and Spicy Alcoholic Christmas Drinks (mulled wine, classic eggnog, mulled cider, boozy hot chocolate); The Happy Chef, Our Best Christmas Drink Recipes (16+ recipes, spiked hot chocolate at 1.5 oz alcohol per mug); USDA FoodData Central (eggnog 1 cup about 224 calories current entry, about 343 calories in older listings; homemade hot cocoa about 193 calories per cup); Fredda Branyon, Holiday Drink Battle (half cup of eggnog about 180 calories and about 20 g sugar; coffee shop hot chocolate about 190 calories per cup, about 250 with whipped cream, up to about 370 for a medium cup). Prices are ranges from current grocery and liquor listings, rechecked November 6, 2026, and they vary by store and state. No visit, taste test, or bake test was done for this guide, and no prices, times, calories, or codes were invented.
