20 Holiday Themed Shots to Celebrate the Season

Bring some cheer to your holiday celebrations with festive shots that go beyond the usual drinks. This roundup features fun and flavorful recipes that mix classic Christmas flavors with a modern twist. From bright jello shots that shine under party lights to minty layers that taste as cool as they look, each one adds something special to the season. These shots are made with easy-to-find ingredients that feel right at home during the holidays. Perfect for parties or cozy nights in, these recipes are sure to impress your guests. Scroll through the full list for easy, festive drink ideas to try.

1

Santa Shot

Add a festive touch to your holiday celebrations with the Santa Shot. This vibrant, layered shot combines the sweetness of grenadine, the cool mintiness of green crème de menthe, and a peppermint schnapps finish. Perfect for holiday parties, this visually striking shot captures the colors and flavors of the season in each sip.

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2

Jolly Rancher Shot

The Jolly Rancher Shot is a vibrant, sweet, and fruity cocktail that captures the playful spirit of the holidays. Bursting with bold flavors reminiscent of the classic candy, this colorful shot is perfect for festive gatherings. Easy to make and delicious to sip, it's a crowd-pleasing treat for any celebration!

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3

Lemon Drop Shot

The Lemon Drop Shot is a zesty, refreshing crowd-pleaser, perfect for kicking off holiday festivities. With its tangy lemon flavor and hint of sweetness, this vibrant shot delivers a delightful burst of citrusy goodness. Simple, elegant, and irresistibly fun, it's a must-have addition to your holiday party menu!

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4

Cinnamon Toast Crunch Shot

For enthusiasts of sweet and spicy flavors, the Cinnamon Toast Crunch shot is a delightful must-try. Crafted from the fusion of Fireball Whisky and Rumchata Liqueur, this popular shot is easy to make and can be served at parties or enjoyed as a nightcap.

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5

Red White and Blue Jello Shots

Red, White, and Blue Jello Shots are the ultimate festive treat, perfect for holiday celebrations or patriotic gatherings. Layered with vibrant colors and bursting with fruity flavors, these fun and festive shots are as delicious as they are eye-catching. They're sure to be a crowd favorite at any party!

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6

Holiday Ice Cream Cone Shots

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.

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7

Christmas Cookie Shot

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.

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8

Bad Santa’s Milk & Cookies

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.

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9

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Miracle Naughty and Nice Holiday Shots

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.

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10

Santa Christmas Shot

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.

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11

Grinch Jello Shots

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.

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12

Santa Panties

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.

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13

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Gingerbread Shot

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.

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14

Christmas Tree Shot

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.

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15

Sugar Cookie Shot

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.

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16

Santa’s Little Helper Shot

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.

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17

Peppermint Patty Shot

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.

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18

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Holly Jolly Jello Shots

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.

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19

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Elf Shot

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.

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20

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Christmas Shot

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.

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