5 Christmas Cocktails You Can Make With Indian Ingredients!

The Christmas season often brings a flurry of activity - rushing to the bakery and decor stores, deep cleaning the house for unexpected guests, and brainstorming what to serve when they arrive. Amidst this chaos, you might find it challenging to create an elaborate cocktail menu. However, you don’t want to resort to just serving wine and hot chocolate. No need to worry! You can easily whip up a few festive cocktails using ingredients that are typically available in your kitchen and make Christmas cocktails with Indian spices. So, take notes as you read through this guide on “Homemade Christmas Cocktails with Indian Ingredients.”

5 Quick Indian-Inspired Christmas Drink Recipes

1. Chai Hot Toddy

The Chai Hot Toddy is comforting, soothing, and just perfect for a cold, winter night. After all, a Hot Toddy is one of the most iconic Christmas drinks, and now it has a desi twist! It is ready within minutes, and uses spices like cinnamon as well as the classic Indian chai powder. Alternatively, you can use tea bags to avoid the hassle of filtering chai powder (we’ll be using tea bags in this recipe). The Chai Hot Toddy is a relaxing twist on the classic Hot Toddy and you can use spices like nutmeg and cardamom to lend the drink a spicier, earthy kick.

Ingredients:

• Tea bags
• Bourbon whisky
• Hot water
• Orange
• Honey
• Cinnamon stick (for garnish)
• Star anise (for garnish)

Process:

• Steep a tea bag in hot water for about five minutes.
• After steeping it for five minutes, remove the tea bag and add bourbon whisky, honey, and a squeeze of orange juice.
• Stir it gently until the honey dissolves.
• Garnish the drink with a cinnamon stick and a whole star anise. You can also garnish it with an orange peel.

2. Spiced Hot Apple Cider

You haven't truly experienced the Christmas spirit until you've enjoyed a warm, comforting cup of Spiced Hot Apple Cider. This festive drink is perfect not only for Christmas parties but also for those cozy days when you want to wrap yourself in a warm blanket. The cider is made with spices commonly found in Indian kitchens, such as nutmeg, cinnamon, whole cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, and ginger. This New Year, it's time to transform traditional apple cider into a spiced, desi version that will soothe you like nothing else.

Ingredients:

• Mulling spices (nutmeg, cardamom, cinnamon, whole cloves, etc)
• Apple cider
• Dark rum
• Maple syrup
• Orange slices
• Orange and lemon zest

Process:

• Place the mulling spices in a spice ball or a cheese cloth pouch (make sure to secure it tightly).
• In a medium-sized pot, add fresh apple cider, dark rum, mulling spices, citrus peels, and orange slices and heat over medium-high heat.
• Stir gently to warm up the apple cider. As soon as it starts to boil, lower the heat so that the cider is barely simmering.
• Simmer for about 20 to 40 minutes and let it cool slightly.
• Remove the spice ball/cheese cloth pouch while warm.
• In the same step, add a sweetener like maple syrup.
• Stir and serve immediately with a garnish of orange slices.

Also Read: Top 8 Sparkling Wines In India For A Festive Christmas Celebration

3. Madras Mule

You must’ve heard of the iconic Moscow Mule, but how about we add a South Indian touch to this cocktail this Christmas season? It is one of the most budget-friendly holiday cocktails for an Indian party. All you need is coconut water, ginger beer, and vodka. The key to making a refreshing Madras Mule is using freshly extracted coconut water and mint leaves. The Madras Mule is an Indian cocktail inspired by a classic that can elevate your desi New Year parties within minutes!

Ingredients:

• Vodka
• Mint leaves
• Coconut water
• Lime juice
• Ginger beer
• Ice cubes

Process:

• Muddle the mint leaves in a copper mug.
• Add vodka, lime juice, coconut water, and ginger beer.
• Add ice cubes into the mug. Serve chilled immediately.

4. Chaitini

With just a few ingredients, the Chaitini is a quick, easy, and sophisticated cocktail that can instantly make heads turn at any Christmas party. A refreshing, desi take on the classic Martini, this Chaitini is creamy, decadent, and irresistible from the first sip. Expect a subtle taste of amaretto along with the classic comfort of tea and milk. If you do not prefer whole cow milk, you can go for plant-based milk. Plus, you can also play with garnishes such as star anise, chocolate shavings, or even a biscuit of Parle-G! Without further ado, here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

• Instant chai powder
• Amaretto
• Milk
• Maple syrup
• Hot water
• Gin

Process:

• Place a coupe glass to chill in the fridge.
• Dissolve the chai powder in hot water. Alternatively, you can steep a tea bag into hot water for about five minutes.
• Add all ingredients – dissolved chai, amaretto, milk, maple syrup, and gin into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
• Shake until cold and frothy.
• Strain the mixture into a chilled coupe glass.
• Garnish with the toppings of your choice!

5. Tom And Jerry

Christmas time means a whole lot of preparation and very little time to get things in place. Worry not, this last cocktail on our list of the warm winter cocktails using Indian spices can be made in large batches for guests, helping you save time. Think of it as a warmed-up version of eggnog, equally frothy, creamy, and silk-smooth. The Tom and Jerry uses warm winter spices, eggs, and rum and Cognac, ingredients that lend it a fluffy, cloudy, and boozy kick. Hop on, time to take a look at the recipe!

Ingredients:

• Eggs
• Aged rum and Cognac
• Spices like cloves, cinnamon, etc
• Cream of tartar
• Milk

Process:

• Beat egg whites and cream of tartar until the mixture forms stiff peaks.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks, sugar, rum, and spices together until they are light and fluffy.
• Fold the two batters together.
• Mix this batter with Cognac and aged rum but make sure not to deflate the batter too much.
• Pour in hot milk and combine well, ideally till there’s a creamy layer on top. Adjust the milk to make the drink boozier or creamier.
• Garnish with ground cinnamon or chocolate shavings.

Also Read: Hosting A Cocktail Night: Themes, Games, And Signature Drinks

Summing Up

Here we reach the end of the 5 easy Christmas cocktails with Indian spices. These cocktails are easy to make, use ingredients readily available in most Indian kitchens, and are suitable for Christmas and New Year parties. From Madras Mule and Tom and Jerry to Chaitini and Spiced Hot Apple Cider, winter is about to be a whole lot more comforting, soothing, and enjoyable, thanks to these cocktails!