Recipes Holidays + Events 14 Festive Holiday Drinks That Aren't Eggnog Enter frozen grasshoppers, mulled wine, and clementine 75s. By Bridget Hallinan Bridget Hallinan As an Associate Food Editor, Bridget Hallinan primarily focuses on home cooking content for Food & Wine.com. She writes and edits recipe content, interviews chefs for helpful tips and tricks, and works on franchises such as our cookbook roundups and taste tests. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on December 17, 2020 Share Tweet Pin Email Creamy, sweet, and often spiced with nutmeg, eggnog is a Christmastime classic—and it can also be pretty polarizing. Some (like me) love the flavor and almost milkshake-like texture, while others can't get past the fact that the drink is made from…well, eggs. (Although we do have a vegan, 100 percent egg-free version available.) Whether you're on #teamnog or not, there are plenty of other holiday drinks to be enjoyed, and we've gathered 14 different options for you. Frozen grasshoppers are a favorite for their festive bright green color, while a steaming mug of mulled wine warms you up with every sip. Read on for those recipes, and even more eggnog alternatives to try this season. Frozen Grasshopper Photo by Victor Protasio / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Minty green and an ideal dessert cocktail, this frozen grasshopper has three components: a homemade rich simple syrup, Grasshopper Whip (aka, whipped cream spiked with white crème de menthe), and finally, the grasshopper cocktail itself. If you'd like, you can top it all off with a little shaved dark chocolate. Get the Recipe: Frozen Grasshopper Blood Orange-Rosemary Fizz Swap summery Aperol spritzes for this fizz, made with Aperol or Campari, rosemary simple syrup, Prosecco, and more. Get the Recipe: Blood Orange-Rosemary Fizz Guava Ponche with Sweet Vermouth DYLAN + JENI This chilled drink is Paola Briseño González's riff on Ponche Navideño, a "spiced tropical fruit punch that's served warm with a shot of tequila in Mexico." Get the Recipe: Guava Ponche with Sweet Vermouth Walker's Mulled Wine Greg DuPree Keep the cold at bay with this mulled wine, which is ready in an hour. Get the Recipe: Walker's Mulled Wine Inverno Arancione Photo by Victor Protasio / Prop Styling by Christine Keely "Spiced mulled cocktails are what I crave when I want to relax in the colder months," says Amy Brandwein of Centrolina in Washington, D.C. "Red wine is usually the base, but Centrolina Wine Director Alissa Diaz developed this cocktail using Pinot Grigio to focus on citrus and ginger—it almost plays off the flavors of a classic panettone, which is a winter specialty in Italian culture." Get the Recipe: Inverno Arancione Hot Mulled Cider Another warm, wintery drink to sip on as the snow falls, this hot mulled cider is spiced to perfection. © Keller & Keller Mulled cider is always an option, too—and this recipe from Ken Oringer comes together in just one step. Get the Recipe: Hot Mulled Cider Citrus-Champagne Punch Justin Walker Lemon sorbet, London Dry gin, and Champagne star in this celebratory citrus-champagne punch, which was "inspired by old-school 7-UP sherbet punch." Get the Recipe: Citrus-Champagne Punch Caffè Di Alpi © Wendell T. Webber Coffee lovers will appreciate this drink, spiked with bourbon and featuring an amaro whipped cream. Get the Recipe: Caffè Di Alpi Clementine 75 This tangy variation on a classic French 75 does double duty for imbibers and abstainers. John Kernick This riff on the French 75 uses clementine juice in lieu of lemon juice, and also includes a homemade juniper syrup made with fresh ginger, crushed juniper berries, dried cranberries, and cinnamon sticks. Get the Recipe: Clementine 75 Babbo Natale Spritz Cranberry liqueur adds a wintry touch to this spritz—don't forget the rosemary sprig for garnish. Get the Recipe: Babbo Natale Spritz Frenched Hot Chocolate © David Malosh This rich drink gets flavor from dark chocolate, a vanilla bean, and a stick of cinnamon, as well as a boozy kick from yellow Chartreuse and Calvados. Get the Recipe: Frenched Hot Chocolate Homemade Hot Chocolate Homemade hot chocolate takes a little more effort than ripping open a bag of instant mix, but—oh boy—does it taste great!. © Evi Abeler If you're looking for a booze-free hot chocolate, try this simple recipe. All you need is dark chocolate chips, sugar, and milk—plus, whipped cream and marshmallows for garnish if you're so inclined. Get the Recipe: Homemade Hot Chocolate Sparkling Cranberry-Ginger Punch with Toasted Spices Photo by Greg DuPree / Prop Styling by Claire Spollen It doesn't get much more festive than this colorful punch, topped with bright slices of clementines (or satsumas) and jewel-like frozen cranberries. Get the Recipe: Sparkling Cranberry-Ginger Punch with Toasted Spices Spiced Maple Gimlets Gregory DuPree This batched drink can be made one day in advance if you want to get a head-start on your menu. Not counting ice or the garnish, you'll only need four ingredients: a juniper-forward gin such as Fords, lime juice, maple syrup, and Angostura bitters (or sarsaparilla). Get the Recipe: Spiced Maple Gimlets Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit