Yo-ho-ho, ho-ho-ho. They're oddly similar. Coincidence? More like serendipity! Pirates = rum. Santa = Christmas. I think you can see where I'm going here...
Rum is a versatile spirit, and it's one that tastes great every season of the year. The winter holiday season is no exception, despite rum's summery reputation. There's no limit to Christmas or holiday drinks with rum. Whip up drinks that are as chilly as the weather outside or as warm as the balmy air blowing from the vents through your home. Deck your halls with your favorite of these holiday rum cocktails, just like pirates or Santa would.
Spiced Rum Hot Chocolate
Mingle the flavors of hot chocolate and warm spiced rum together for something new and unexpected this holiday season. It would be arrr-right with Santa.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces spiced rum
- ¼ ounce vanilla liqueur
- 8 ounces hot chocolate
- Marshmallows and candy cane for garnish
Instructions
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In the warm mug, add spiced rum and vanilla liqueur.
- Top off with hot chocolate.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with marshmallows and, if you're feeling festive, a candy cane.
Rum Eggnog
Set your eggnog apart from the rest with some smooth, dark rum and a hint of nutty almond. Feel free to keep your secrets to yourself. Unless someone you like has a nut allergy. Then, definitely tell them your secret.
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, eggnog, dark rum, and amaretto.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into cocktail glass.
- Garnish with ground cinnamon.
Christmas Rum Punch
The bright flavors of a rum punch aren't just for you and a sandy beach. They're also for you, your couch, and the warmest blanket too.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces silver rum
- 2 ounces cranberry juice
- 2 ounces cherry juice
- 1 ounce freshly-squeezed orange juice
- 2-3 dashes cinnamon bitters
- Ice
- Cinnamon stick for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, silver rum, cranberry juice, cherry juice, orange juice, and cinnamon bitters.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into cocktail glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick.
Jolly Hot Buttered Rum
Feeling cold? No need to shiver me timbers when you've got a mug of hot buttered rum in your hand. Average, traditional hot buttered rum is for the cold months that aren't December. But for December, add a special touch. You'll dream of this hot buttered rum when you hear those first notes of a Christmas carol.
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter
- ¼ ounce vanilla vodka
- ¼ ounce cinnamon liqueur
- 2 ounces dark rum
- Hot water to top off
- Cinnamon stick for garnish
Instructions
- Warm a mug by filling with hot water.
- After mug is warm to touch, pour out the water.
- In the mug, combine the brown sugar, butter, vanilla vodka, and cinnamon liqueur.
- Stir well to combine.
- Add rum.
- Top off with hot water.
- Garnish with cinnamon stick.
Coquito
Traditionally a Puerto Rican drink enjoyed around Christmas, you can easily prep the coquito ahead of time and keep it refrigerated all holiday season long, ready for you to pour over ice at a moment's notice. This will make approximately eight servings.
Ingredients
- 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk
- 15 ounces cream of coconut
- 12 ounces evaporated milk
- 8 ounces unsweeteend coconut milk
- 12 ounces dark rum
- 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ teaspoons ground nutmeg
- Ground nutmeg and cinnamon stick for garnish
Instructions
- In a blender, add all of the ingredients.
- Blend until totally smooth.
- Carefully pour into resealable bottles.
- Store bottles in refrigerator.
- Serve in rocks glasses over fresh ice.
- Garnish with ground nutmeg and cinnamon stick.
Christmas Mule
Dark rum gives vodka the season off. Want to know more for your friends that are hesitant to try new things? Let them know it's a smooth, rich riff on their reliable mule.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dark rum
- ¾ ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce cranberry juice
- Ice
- Ginger beer to top off
- Cranberries, orange wedge, and rosemary sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a rocks glass or copper mug, add ice, dark rum, lime juice, and cranberry juice.
- Top off with ginger beer.
- Stir to mix.
- Garnish with cranberries, orange wedge, and rosemary sprig.
Christmas Mojito
Cranberry juice goes a long way with rum during the holiday season. It's the perfect between-meals cocktails because mint is excellent for digestion. Draw your own conclusions.
Ingredients
- 3-5 fresh mint leaves
- 2 ounces white rum
- ¾ ounce simple syrup
- ¾ ounce cranberry juice
- ¾ ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- Ice
- Club soda to top off
- Mint sprig and cranberries for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle mint leaves with simple syrup.
- Add ice, rum, cranberry juice, and lime juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with club soda.
- Garnish with mint sprig and cranberries.
Holiday Rum Old-Fashioned
Santa seems like an old-fashioned guy, which leads us to his perfect Christmas cocktail. Sure, you can have another one of your usual whiskey or bourbon old-fashioneds, OR you can dip your toes into a rum old-fashioned with warm notes of maple and allspice.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dark rum
- ½ ounce maple syrup
- ¼ ounce simple syrup
- ⅛ ounce allspice dram
- 1-3 dashes aromatic bitters
- 2-3 dashes orange bitters
- Ice
- Orange peel for garnish
Instructions
- In a mixing glass, add ice, dark rum, maple syrup, simple syrup, allspice dram, and bitters.
- Stir rapidly to mix and chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with orange peel.
Red Ribbon Punch
Lean into the merriment of rum and fruit flavors with a punch that'll look oh-so-perfect next to the presents tied with red ribbons.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces silver rum
- 4 ounces pomegranate juice
- ¾ ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce blood orange liqueur
- Ice
- Blood orange wheel and rosemary sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, silver rum, pomegranate juice, lime juice, and blood orange liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with blood orange wheel and rosemary sprig.
Christmas Stocking Cocktail
Get ready to feel as warm and fuzzy as your favorite Christmas stocking. The Christmas stocking cocktail is a cross between a madras and a traditional punch - but it absolutely needs to be served in a decorative cup, even if it happens to be a mug.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces silver rum
- 3 ounces cranberry juice
- 2 ounces freshly-squeezed pineapple juice
- Ice
- Decorative holiday cup for garnish
Instructions
- In a decorative holiday cup, add ice, silver rum, cranberry juice, and pineapple juice.
- Stir to mix.
- Spread the merriment!
Sparkling Lights Cocktail
Be as lit as the glittering holiday lights with a rum highball in hand. It pairs well with decorating the Christmas tree or directing the decorating of the Christmas tree.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces coconut rum
- 2 ounces cranberry juice
- ¾ ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- Ice
- Lemon-lime soda to top off
- Cranberries for garnish
Instructions
- In a highball glass, add ice, coconut rum, cranberry juice, and lime juice.
- Stir to mix.
- Top off with lemon-lime soda.
- Garnish with cranberries.
The Grinch's Heart Drink
As red as the Grinch's growing heart, this recipe will guarantee that your heart will grow, too. Or at least make you slightly less cranky.
Ingredients
- Lime wedge and sugar for rim
- 2 ounces silver rum
- 1 ounce cranberry juice
- ¾ ounce orange liqueur
- ½ ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce agave
- Ice
- Rosemary sprig for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, rub the rim of the glass with the lemon wedge.
- With the sugar on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the sugar to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, silver rum, cranberry juice, orange liqueur, lime juice, and agave.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
- Garnish with rosemary sprig.
Naughty Elf
Oh, that naughty Elf on the Shelf - always getting into mischief. Whether you need a drink to get through his chaos or he needs a cocktail to help come up with even more creative hijinks, this sweet-tart rum based cocktail is the official sponsor of naughty Elf shenanigans everywhere. So crack open a can of ginger ale to make a delicious cocktail that's as red as a naughty elf's outfit.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces spiced rum
- 2 ounces cranberry juice
- ¾ ounce pomegranate liqueur
- ¾ ounce orange liqueur
- Ice
- Ginger ale to top off
- Lemon wheel for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, rum, cranberry juice, pomegranate liqueur, and orange liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into cocktail glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with ginger ale.
- Garnish with lemon wheel.
Holiday Mai Tai
Are you lucky enough to enjoy Christmas in a tropical paradise or just want to feel as if you are? Don't worry. Santa will still find you and may even ask for one of these for himself.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces silver rum
- 3 ounces pineapple juice
- 3 ounces freshly-squeezed orange juice
- ½ ounce amaretto
- Ice
- ¾ ounce dark rum for float
- Mint sprig for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, silver rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, and amaretto.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Slowly add dark rum by pouring down the back of a bar spoon to create a float.
- Garnish with mint sprig.
Green as the Grinch Cocktail
With a cocktail as green as the Grinch's, uh, exterior, don't let the grinchy mood infect you. This cocktail is the antidote to the holiday humbugs.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces silver rum
- 1 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce melon liqueur
- Ice
- Vanilla club soda to top off
- Cherry for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, silver rum, lime juice, and melon liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice
- Top off with vanilla club soda.
- Garnish with cherry.
Drunken Gingerbread Man
Everyone deserves some R&R around the holidays, and your local gingerbread man is no exception.
Ingredients
- Honey and crumbled gingerbread cookie for rim
- 2 ounces heavy cream
- 1 ounce spiced rum
- 1 ounce Irish cream
- ¾ ounce ginger liqueur
- Ice
- Gingerbread man for garnish
Instructions
- To prepare rim, dip the rim of the glass in honey.
- With the gingerbread crumbs on a saucer, dip either half or the entire rim of the glass in the crumbs to coat.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, heavy cream, spiced rum, Irish cream, and ginger liqueur.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into prepared glass.
- Garnish with gingerbread man.
Yuletide Dark and Stormy
It was a dark and stormy night ... wait, wrong holiday. A not-so-subtle flavor of vanilla flips the dark and stormy into Christmas gear without skewing too sweet. You have enough frosted cookies to get through this season.
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces dark rum
- ¾ ounce vanilla liqueur
- ½ ounce freshly-squeezed lemon juice
- Ice
- Ginger beer to top off
- Lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, dark rum, vanilla liqueur, and lemon juice.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into rocks glass over fresh ice.
- Top off with ginger beer.
- Garnish with lime wedge.
Tinsel Daiquiri
Are you daiquiri purist? Love your daiquiris with no extra sugar or added flavors? Then this holiday riff will appeal to you... it loses none of that tart flavor. And, it keeps all of that boozy kick, obviously.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces silver rum
- ¾ ounce pomegranate juice
- ½ ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Lime ribbon for garnish, optional
Instructions
- Chill a coupe or Nick and Nora glass.
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, silver rum, pomegranate juice, lime juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into chilled glass.
- Garnish with lime ribbon, if desired.
Mistletoe Daiquiri
Here's a sweeter daiquiri for the rest of the crowd. If you don't want something very tart and would much rather have the gift of a fruity holiday rum drink, this one's for you. If you want to give this a little something extra, add a bit of edible glitter.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce silver rum
- ¾ ounce strawberry liqueur
- ½ ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- Ice
- Mint sprig, cherry, and lime wedge for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, silver rum, strawberry liqueur, lime juice, and simple syrup.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into cocktail glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with mint sprig, cherry, and lime wedge.
Kris Kringle's Rum Sour
You know, with just a wiggle of his nose, Kris Kringle can fly up and down a chimney. He can also make his rum sour appear in an instant.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dark rum
- ¾ ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce cranberry simple syrup
- 1 egg white
- Ice
- Layered orange peels for garnish
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add dark rum, lime juice, cranberry simple syrup, and egg white.
- Dry shake for approximately 45 seconds to mix ingredients and create a froth.
- Add ice to shaker.
- Shake to chill.
- Strain into cocktail glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with orange peels.
Holiday Rum Drinks That Are Better Than Presents
Another pair of socks or a tasty rum drink? I think you know what your loved ones would prefer. Maybe still gift them something tangible, and then hand them a Christmas rum drink while they're unwrapping it. Who knows, maybe they'll even slip an extra bill into your Christmas card.
