Tis the season of cheer and cocktails — what else are we going to do while stuck indoors? 

Just think of the cozy time you could have sitting by a fire, watching a holiday movie, tasty cocktail in hand. Maybe some warm blankets and socks, or a delicious snack on the side to warm right up.

Well, let’s make it happen:

Cranberry Pomegranate Mimosas

1 bottle or 750ml of champagne

½ a cup of cranberry juice 

½ cup of pomegranate juice 

Pomegranate or cranberries for garnish (why not both?)

Yields 4 servings

Nothing says holidays like pomegranate and cranberry, right? This easy little cocktail is perfect for those wintry virtual celebrations. 

Plus, it’s super simple. Just make sure to chill your glass in the freezer for a minimum of 5 minutes prior (longer is preferable) so you can keep your drink cooler for longer.

Also, try putting the garnish in before you pour so you’re not risking over pouring later. Garnishing right after with something as heavy as cranberries can really do a number in a fizzy drink.

Apple Pie Mimosas

1 bottle or 750ml of Prosecco 

1-1.5 tbsp of heavy cream (depending on how creamy you want it to be)

1 cup of apple juice

4 tbsp of caramel (one per glass)

Yields 4 servings

Prosecco is one of those drinks that’s both a little bitter, and a little sweet, making it the perfect option for an apple pie mimosa. 

It’s also pretty inexpensive, as is every other ingredient on here. The caramel is too, though you can really level up the drinks if you make the caramel yourself (just make sure you don’t create the kind that sets hard). If you’re not comfortable making it, there’s always a tub of caramel available in the fruit section of most grocery stores).

Chocolate Peppermint Martini

Ice

½ cup whole milk

1 tsp heavy cream

¼ cup Bailey’s 

1 oz Vodka

1 oz white creme de menthe

2 oz chocolate liquor

Chocolate frosting and crushed peppermints for the rim

Yields 2 servings

This is perhaps the biggest treat on this list, because it’s so chocolatey and delicious. The mixture of Bailey’s and touch of heavy cream keeps it creamy, while the creme de menthe and chocolate make it perfectly sweet and fresh.

As a nice bonus, the vodka is strong, giving it a nice kick. It’s quite a nice balance between strong and boozy, and sweet and festive. 

A good pro tip is to chill absolutely everything, minus the frosting and crushed peppermints of course. We’re talking the glass, the creme de menthe, the vodka (which you can also infuse with peppermint in place of the creme de menthe if you want) — everything

In fact, while you could use candy canes in place of the mints, we highly suggest the big, striped mints that are super soft and crush easily. Not only will they be more pleasant to consume while you drink, they’ll do a good job of soaking in with the liquid with every sip.

— By Jennifer Mendez

Jennifer Mendez is a content creator and Lynnwood resident who specializes in copy, graphic design and photography for her clients. Whenever she’s not creating something, she’s exploring new places to eat in the area.