Hard cider, mulled wine, and winter ales have long dominated holiday drink lists. While these standards continue to delight, many hosts and aspiring bartenders look for fun, festive alternatives.
The holiday shots on this list capture the looks and tastes of the Christmas season. Whether they’re colorful jello creations or minty layered liquids, these concoctions pack loads of yuletide cheer.
Holiday ice cream cone shots are a feast for the eyes as well as the tongue. Cut-off ice cream cones stand in for shot glasses, providing the perfect vessel for spiked peppermint hot chocolate.
The shots are sure to impress holiday guests; however, creating individual servings requires a bit of time. Allow half an hour to make these show stoppers.
The shot itself is simple. The combination of peppermint schnapps and your favorite hot chocolate is sure to make everyone merry.
Surprise Santa this year by subbing out the chocolate chip cookies with this Christmas cookie shot.
The drink is easy to make and delicious. Butterscotch schnapps, Bailey's Irish cream, and Kahlua lend the shot a creamy sweetness and a powerful abv.
Christmas cookie shots are sure to warm up the coldest Christmas Eve but drink responsibly since every ingredient is alcohol.
Naughty and nice holiday guests will both find delight in this creamy concoction. The Bad Santa's milk & cookies shot captures all the flavors of the quintessential Christmas snack in one little swallow.
Vanilla schnapps and Rumchata recreate milk's creaminess while including a bevy of holiday spices. The shot mixes easily and is best-served ice cold.
Naughty and nice holiday shots work together to create a festive air of holiday cheer. The naughty shot adds a hot cinnamon kick to a bourbon base.
Eight sticks of cinnamon infuse the liquor for 48 hours, ensuring you receive the maximum spicy flavor.
The nice shot owes its warm, yuletide taste to the combination of peppermint tea and creme de cacao to dark rum.
Bartenders can prepare both shots ahead of time instead of spending their holiday party mixing drinks.
The Santa Christmas shot layers three colorful ingredients into one festive shot. Two different mint liquors ensure your breath is at its freshest in case you get caught beneath the mistletoe.
Grenadine adds a tart fruit flavor that perfectly complements the creme de menthe and peppermint schnapps.
The tri-colored shot is so beautiful guests may hesitate to drink it. However, once they've tasted one Santa Christmas shot, they'll be clamoring for more.
The Grinch may be a mean one, but his namesake jello shots are delightful. Bright green Grinch shots combine peppermint schnapps and spiced rum with green jello for a unique mint-fruit flavor fusion.
Sweet candy hearts top a fluffy layer of whipped cream, completing the Grinch's redemption arc. Grinch jello shots charm even as they intoxicate.
Santa Panties shots offer naughty fun to any adult holiday party. The layered shot combines the flavors of grenadine, Kahlua, and rumchata into a spicy, sweet, and fruity concoction.
Besides stunning your guests, preparing this shot will make you feel like a professional bartender. Though the process isn't too difficult, the layered drink looks amazing.
Gingerbread is the quintessential Christmas flavor. The sweet, spicy treat isn't limited to cute little cookies; this festive shot captures all of the cinnamon and ginger indicative of good gingerbread.
Gingerbread shots need three ingredients; Rumchata, cream soda, and cinnamon sugar to garnish the rim. The concoction is sweet, spicy, and sure to warm your heart.
The Christmas tree shot isn't as durable as a scotch pine, but it is more delicious and just as festive. The concoction layers red, green, and white ingredients, creating a bright yuletide tableau.
The shot calls for grenadine, Baileys, and creme de menthe. The drink has a fruity, creamy mint flavor. The Christmas tree shot is the perfect after-dinner drink topped with whipped cream and colorful sprinkles.
The Christmas tree shot isn't as durable as a scotch pine, but it is more delicious and just as festive. The concoction layers red, green, and white ingredients, creating a bright yuletide tableau.
The shot calls for grenadine, Baileys, and creme de menthe. The drink has a fruity, creamy mint flavor. The Christmas tree shot is the perfect after-dinner drink topped with whipped cream and colorful sprinkles.
Christmas is Santa's busy season, and sometimes the big guy needs a little help taking the edge off. The Santa's little helper shot lets you indulge in St. Nick's secret weapon-a sweet, fruity shot with a vibrant red hue.
The Santa's little helper shot tops Kinky Pink Liqueur with amaretto and grenadine. The drink is light and pleasant with very little alcohol taste.
Peppermint and chocolate pair together to make one of the most beloved Christmas flavor profiles. The peppermint patty shot recreates the iconic candy's flavor using four alcohols.
Kahlua, chocolate liqueur, vodka, and peppermint schnapps team up to create the perfect layered shot. The peppermint patty shot is sweet, mild, and goes down easily. However, remember, it's made up of four alcohols, so drink responsibly.
Holly jolly jello shots are the rare drink that doubles as finger food. The festive slabs layer red, green, and white jello into bite-sized chunks, perfect for a holiday party.
Cherry and lime jello provide the treat with a fruity flavor, while condensed milk lends the shots a creaminess. Vanilla vodka ensures the blocks live up to the holly jolly part of their name.
Since each layer needs to be set, these shots require considerable time. Allow four hours to complete the process.
The elf-shot pays homage to Christmas's unsung heroes; Santa's toymakers. The elf shot is very sweet, with a little kick provided by a shot of whiskey.
The concoction uses maple syrup and cream soda to create the sugary base. The elf-shot is best suited to drinkers with a powerful sweet tooth.
The Christmas shot is the perfect picture of holiday cheer and simplicity. The drink needs only two ingredients, grenadine and Midori.
The Christmas shot is a sweet, fruity concoction that goes down easily. The two liquids are layered so party guests can appreciate the bright red of the grenadine and the Midori's vivid green.
Cheers!
These holiday shots are sure to warm your heart and fill you with festive cheer. Each concoction captures the flavor and sight of the Christmas season, using an array of yuletide ingredients.
Did we leave some of your favorite holiday shots out of this list? Let us know in the comments below, and we’ll make sure to check them out!
Celebrate the Season With These 15 Holiday Shots
Ingredients
- Holiday Ice Cream Cone Shots
- Christmas Cookie Shot
- Bad Santa's Milk & Cookies
- Miracle Naughty and Nice Holiday Shots
- Santa Christmas Shot
- Grinch Jello Shots
- Santa Panties
- Gingerbread Shot
- Christmas Tree Shot
- Sugar Cookie Shot
- Santa's Little Helper Shot
- Peppermint Patty Shot
- Holly Jolly Jello Shots
- Elf Shot
- Christmas Shot
Instructions
- Pick your favorite recipe
- Gather all the needed ingredients
- Prep a summer cocktail in less than 5 minutes
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