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  3. Holiday Cocktail Party

Holiday Cocktail Party

By Food & Wine
Updated January 12, 2017
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Lemon Curd Toasts with Coconut
Credit: © John Kernick
From juicy cocktail meatballs to a festive Champagne punch, here are great holiday cocktail party recipes.
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Mott & Mulberry

Mott & Mulberry
Credit: © Nicole Franzen
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Leo Robitschek of The Nomad Bar in NYC uses fresh apple cider and maple syrup in his perfect cold-weather cocktail.

  • More Fall Cocktail Recipes

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Anjou Punch

Anjou Punch
Credit: Nicole Franzen
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Leo Robitschek of The NoMad Bar in NYC makes his perfect holiday punch with warming flavors of pear, cinnamon and citrus.

  • More Fall Cocktail Recipes

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Popcorn with Sesame-Glazed Pistachios

Popcorn with Sesame-Glazed Pistachios
Credit: © John Kernick
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Mixing popcorn with glazed pistachios creates a sweet-salty snack that's fantastic with cocktails.

  • More Bar Snack Recipes

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Autumn Fruit-Infused Bourbon

Autumn Fruit–Infused Bourbon
Credit: © Con Poulos
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Don’t throw away fruit scraps like juiced citrus and the cores of apples and pears; instead, use them to make this aromatic infused bourbon.

  • More Bourbon Cocktail Recipes

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Forbidden Black Rice with Ginger and Cardamom

Forbidden Black Rice with Ginger and Cardamom
Credit: © John Kernick
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This rich-tasting black rice from chef Akasha Richmond is fragrant with cardamom.

  • More Rice Recipes

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Ricotta and Roasted Grape Crostini

Ricotta and Roasted Grape Crostini
Credit: © Fredrika Stjärne
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Designer and blogger Athena Calderone’s signature aesthetic comes through in this striking appetizer. Roasting the grapes concentrates and deepens their sweetness.

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Sufferin' Sassafras!

Sufferin' Sassafras!
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Instead of making cocktails one at a time, borrow a mixology trend: Premix them in batches and serve in small bottles. This spiced, wintery cocktail is made with rye whiskey, Punt e Mes vermouth, allspice dram and root-beer liqueur.

  • Christmas Cocktails and Drinks

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Cocktail Meatballs

Cocktail Meatballs. Photo © Con Poulos
Credit: © Con Poulos
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According to Southern tradition, the hostess at a ladies’ luncheon should serve little meatballs in a chafing dish or on a platter with toothpicks as a satisfying snack for any men in attendance.

  • Christmas Party Ideas

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Smoked Salmon Crisps

Smoked Salmon Crisps
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Thomas Keller's salmon cornets (tuiles shaped into tiny cones and topped with crème fraîche and fresh salmon) are a famous kickoff to his luxe and whimsical meals. Shaping the tuiles into cones is tricky and involves working very quickly with a cornet mold. Instead, leave the tuiles flat, like crackers. Top them with store-bought smoked salmon and crème fraîche.

  • New Year's Eve Recipes

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Prosciutto-Wrapped Persimmons

Prosciutto-Wrapped Persimmons
Credit: © Dave Lauridsen
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Persimmons are typically reddish-orange in color. Two varieties are commonly sold in the U.S.: round fuyu, which can be eaten right away, and heart-shaped hachiya, which require ripening or cooking (when underripe, they are extremely astringent). Jason Travi wraps prosciutto around persimmon wedges and roasts them until the meat crisps and the fruit turns tender and sweet.

  • Christmas Party Ideas

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Sugar-and-Spice Nuts

Sugar-and-Spice Nuts
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Coated with cinnamon and chile powder, these spiced nuts are addictive with cocktails. The egg white in the coating makes them especially crispy.

  • Christmas Party Ideas

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Wild Mushroom and Burrata Bruschetta

Wild Mushroom and Burrata Bruschetta. Photo © John Kernick
Credit: © John Kernick
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Suggested wine pairing: These creamy mushroom toasts pair well with white or red wine. For white, pour an unoaked Chardonnay to cut through the richness of the cheese; for red, try an earthy Pinot Noir.

  • Christmas Salads

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Cranberry-Spice Cocktail

Cranberry-Spice Cocktail
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This festive cocktail is made with homemade Cranberry-Anise bitters.

  • Christmas Cocktails and Drinks

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Oysters on the Half Shell with Rosé Mignonette

Oysters on the Half Shell with Rosé Mignonette. Photo © Michael Turek
Credit: © Michael Turek
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Great oysters are delicious "naked," as Island Creek founder Skip Bennett says, but sometimes chef Jeremy Sewall dresses them up with a mignonette (vinegar sauce) like this one, made with sparkling rosé.

  • Christmas Party Ideas

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Egg Salad with Capers and Spinach on Toasted Brioche

Egg Salad with Capers on Brioche
Credit: © Anna Williams
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For a more luxe version of this simple sandwich, replace the chopped capers with 2 teaspoons of white truffle oil.

  • Sensational Christmas Party Ideas

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Figgy-Orange Cocktail

Figgy-Orange Cocktail
Credit: © Johnny Valiant
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Forget the pudding! This figgy cockail is a seasonal drink that will surely get you into the holiday spirit.

  • Christmas Punch Recipes

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Hogs in a Blanket

Hogs in a Blanket
Credit: © Chris Court
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This high-brow take on pigs in a blanket swaps spicy andouille sausage for the hot dogs and adds sweet mustard chutney as a condiment.

  • More Wonderful Christmas Recipes

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Scallop Ceviche with Sweet Potato

Scallop ceviche and sweet potato
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This authentic Peruvian scallop ceviche is made with aji limo paste, a Peruvian ceviche staple made from tiny aji chiles and sweet potatoes.

  • Christmas Salads

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Mini Smoked-Salmon Croque-Monsieur

Mini Smoked-Salmon Croque-Monsieur
Credit: John Kernick
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For Alison Attenborough and Jamie Kimm, make-ahead recipes are key for holiday entertaining. The night before the party, Jamie spreads a creamy chive-flecked smoked salmon mixture (based on a béchamel, or white sauce, often used in a classic croque-monsieur) between cocktail-size slices of bread. He cooks the sandwiches right before guests arrive. Alison serves the sandwiches with small, disposable wooden forks so guests can keep their hands grease-free.

  • Christmas Dinner Ideas

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The Witches' Coffee

The Witches' Coffee
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To underscore the rich flavor of dark Sumatra coffee, Bryan Dayton mixes it with aged rum, spicy, saffron-based Strega and molasses-y raw sugar. He even spices up the whipped cream, with bittersweet Italian Averna.

  • Christmas Cocktails and Drinks

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Caramel-Pear-Cheesecake Trifle

Caramel-Pear-Cheesecake Trifle
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This decadent pear-and-caramel trifle is perfect for a party because it can be made a day ahead and it serves a crowd.

  • Wonderful Christmas Desserts

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Zucchini Latkes with Red Pepper Jelly and Smoked Trout

Zucchini Latkes with Red Pepper Jelly and Smoked Trout
Credit: © Keller & Keller
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"My mom used to make zucchini fritters on the Jewish holidays," says Rachel Klein. Klein's latke version is unexpected and delicious, especially with red pepper jelly and smoked trout.

  • Hanukkah Recipes

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Bacon Candy

Bacon Candy
Credit: JOHN KERNICK
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Crispy, sweet and salty, this three-ingredient snack is the ultimate cocktail party hors d'oeuvre.

  • Christmas Treats

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Chocolate & Whiskey Liqueur

Chocolate & Whiskey Liqueur
Credit: © Hans Gissinger
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Christopher Elbow of Kansas City's Christopher Elbow Artisanal Chocolates is a Midwestern pioneer. For his first annual employee Christmas party, he mixed up a chocolate-and-whiskey liqueur that's creamy, boozy and delicious—straight up, over ice or even over ice cream. Elbow says, "The consensus at the Christmas party was that if we could get a liquor license, we should sell this at our shop!" You can also make the recipe with vodka instead of whiskey for a more neutral flavor.

  • Christmas Punch

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Champagne Holiday Punch

Champagne Holiday Punch
Credit: © Tina Rupp
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Erick Castro, former bar manager at San Francisco's Rickhouse, created this sparkling punch. It's terrifically light, but the malted grain–based genever adds whiskey-like depth.

  • Christmas Punch Recipes

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Garlic Bread "Fries" with Marinara "Ketchup"

Garlic Bread "Fries" with Marinara "Ketchup"
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In this imaginative party snack, addictive garlicky bread sticks and smoky, bacon-laced tomato sauce resemble french fries and ketchup.

  • Christmas Party Ideas

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Mini Blini Napoleons

Mini Blini Napoleons
Credit: © Lucy Schaeffer
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Pinch Food Design chef Bob Spiegel loves to rethink classic combinations, like this architectural take on blini and caviar. This recipe makes more blini than you’ll need, but extras are great with smoked salmon.

  • Christmas Dinner Ideas

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Capricious

Capricious
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This riff on the classic martini recipe uses St-Germain elderflower liquor. Because gin has botanical elements, it's a natural pairing.

  • F&W's Ultimate Holiday Guide

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Butternut-Squash-and-Sage Wontons

Butternut-Squash-and-Sage Wontons
Credit: © Tina Rupp
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"Wonton wrappers are terrific for making ravioli when you don't have time to make homemade pasta," says Jill Donenfeld. The wontons here, filled with mashed butternut squash and roasted garlic, get nicely crispy when sautéed in a touch of oil, but they're also delicious simply steamed.

  • New Year's Eve Recipes

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Vanilla and Cranberry Panna Cotta Parfaits

Vanilla and Cranberry Panna Cotta Parfaits
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This dessert is made up of two elements—creamy vanilla panna cotta and a clear cranberry jelly. Alison Attenborough created a graphic look by tilting the plastic glasses at a 45-degree angle as the first two layers are poured and allowed to set.

  • Christmas Baking

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Terrazza

Terrazza

Bittersweet, artichoke-flavored Cynar and citrus bitters stand in for the Aperol in this light, dry cocktail, with rosé Vermouth adding a spicy, floral accent.

  • Christmas Cocktails and Drinks

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Chips in Salsa

Chips in Salsa
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For her version of flavored tortilla chips, Traci Des Jardins tosses just-fried chips with homemade salsa, then sprinkles them with Mexican Cotija cheese.

  • Christmas Party Ideas

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Lemon Curd Toasts with Coconut

Lemon Curd Toasts with Coconut
Credit: © John Kernick
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Olive oil and cocoa butter make this lemony curd extraordinarily creamy and luscious. Spread on baguette toasts, it becomes a fantastic dessert.

  • More Lemon Recipes

33 of 33

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    Skip slide summaries

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    View All

    1 of 33 Mott & Mulberry
    2 of 33 Anjou Punch
    3 of 33 Popcorn with Sesame-Glazed Pistachios
    4 of 33 Autumn Fruit-Infused Bourbon
    5 of 33 Forbidden Black Rice with Ginger and Cardamom
    6 of 33 Ricotta and Roasted Grape Crostini
    7 of 33 Sufferin' Sassafras!
    8 of 33 Cocktail Meatballs
    9 of 33 Smoked Salmon Crisps
    10 of 33 Prosciutto-Wrapped Persimmons
    11 of 33 Sugar-and-Spice Nuts
    12 of 33 Wild Mushroom and Burrata Bruschetta
    13 of 33 Cranberry-Spice Cocktail
    14 of 33 Oysters on the Half Shell with Rosé Mignonette
    15 of 33 Egg Salad with Capers and Spinach on Toasted Brioche
    16 of 33 Figgy-Orange Cocktail
    17 of 33 Hogs in a Blanket
    18 of 33 Scallop Ceviche with Sweet Potato
    19 of 33 Mini Smoked-Salmon Croque-Monsieur
    20 of 33 The Witches' Coffee
    21 of 33 Caramel-Pear-Cheesecake Trifle
    22 of 33 Zucchini Latkes with Red Pepper Jelly and Smoked Trout
    23 of 33 Bacon Candy
    24 of 33 Chocolate & Whiskey Liqueur
    25 of 33 Champagne Holiday Punch
    26 of 33 Garlic Bread "Fries" with Marinara "Ketchup"
    27 of 33 Mini Blini Napoleons
    28 of 33 Capricious
    29 of 33 Butternut-Squash-and-Sage Wontons
    30 of 33 Vanilla and Cranberry Panna Cotta Parfaits
    31 of 33 Terrazza
    32 of 33 Chips in Salsa
    33 of 33 Lemon Curd Toasts with Coconut

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