Christmas Cocktails
Christmas in Australia hits a little differently. It’s sunshine, long lunches, backyard catch‑ups and seafood instead of roast dinners and mulled wine. These cocktails were designed with that in mind - refreshing, vibrant, and impressive enough to wow your guests, without keeping you stuck behind the bar all day.
Paloma
You’ll need:
Sea salt (for rim)
60 mL Agave Spirit
15 mL Lime Juice
15 mL Sugar Syrup
120 mL Grapefruit Soda
Method:
Rim a glass with sea salt. Fill with ice, add agave spirit, lime juice and sugar syrup. Top with grapefruit soda and stir gently to combine.
Garnish: Lime wheel
Gingerbread Martini
You’ll need:
Cinnamon sugar (for rim)
30 mL Vanilla Vodka
30 mL Chai Liqueur
15 mL Caramel Syrup
Vanilla cold foam (recipe below)
Method:
Rim a martini glass with cinnamon sugar. Shake vodka, chai liqueur and caramel syrup hard with ice. Strain into the prepared glass and top with vanilla cold foam.
Vanilla Cold Foam
Aquafaba (liquid from a can of chickpeas)
10 mL Vanilla Syrup
Shake or whisk aquafaba until thick and fluffy, then gently fold through vanilla syrup. Best used fresh.
Pavlova Cloud
A Christmas dessert in cocktail form - light, fruity and beautifully Australian.
You’ll need:
45 mL Lush Pink Gin
30 mL Passionfruit Pulp
15 mL Lemon Juice
15 mL Vanilla Syrup
Vanilla cold foam
Method:
Build gin, passionfruit, lemon juice and vanilla syrup over ice in a spritz glass. Top with vanilla cold foam.
Garnish: Edible flowers and fresh raspberries
Yuzu & Mango Fizz
Tropical, zesty and seriously refreshing.
You’ll need:
Coconut (for rim)
60 mL Yuzucello
20 mL Mango Syrup
15 mL Lemon Juice
Soda or lemonade
Method:
Rim a glass with coconut. Shake yuzucello, mango syrup and lemon juice hard with ice. Strain into a short glass filled with ice and top with soda or lemonade.
Garnish: Fresh or dried lemon
Matcha Martini
A creamy, modern cocktail with subtle spice and café vibes.
You’ll need:
60 mL Matcha
60 mL Milk
45 mL Vanilla Vodka
10 mL Chai Liqueur
10 mL Sugar Syrup
5 mL Vanilla Syrup
Method:
Blend matcha, milk and ice until smooth. Shake with ice and remaining ingredients, then strain into a martini glass.
Garnish: Cinnamon sugar
Christmas Cosmo
A festive twist on a timeless classic - bright, red and party‑ready.
You’ll need:
Sugar (for rim)
60 mL Vodka
30 mL Orangecello
90 mL Cranberry Juice
15 mL Lime Juice
Method:
Rim a martini glass with sugar. Shake all ingredients well with ice and strain into the glass.
Garnish: Lime wheel
Golden Sherry Sour
Elegant, balanced and perfect for slower summer evenings.
You’ll need:
Sugar (for rim)
60 mL Sherry Gin Liqueur
30 mL Cab Sav Gin (or another barrel‑aged gin)
30 mL Aquafaba
15 mL Lemon Juice
Method:
Rim a coupe glass with sugar. Shake all ingredients hard with ice and strain into the glass.
Frozen Espresso Martini
A frozen crowd‑pleaser for warm nights and late‑night dancing.
You’ll need:
60 mL Coffee Liqueur
30 mL Vanilla Vodka
90 mL Milk
Method:
Add all ingredients to a blender filled with ice. Blend until smooth, pour into a martini glass and dust with chocolate powder.
Final Tip
Batch what you can, prep garnishes ahead of time, and keep things chilled. These cocktails are designed to be easy, impressive and perfectly suited to a sunny Christmas - so you can spend less time mixing and more time celebrating.