BETTERSWEETDRINKS

THE DRINKS NOTEBOOK

Seasonal Drink Recipes

Seasonal cocktails and mocktails for Halloween, Christmas, New Year's Eve and other occasions, with clear ingredients and practical serving tips.

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DEC 25

Christmas

All Christmas drinks →

Cocktails

Christmas Orange-Spice Mezcal Ginger Highball

Mix a Christmas mezcal ginger highball with fresh orange, lime and nonalcoholic ginger beer. A smoky, citrusy holiday cocktail in 7 minutes.

  • 7 min
  • ≈ 160 kcal
  • ≈ 9% ABV

Non Alcoholic Drinks

Christmas Apple-Cranberry Cinnamon Sparkler for Kids

Mix a Christmas apple-cranberry cinnamon sparkler for kids with apple juice, cranberry juice, lemon and fizzy water. Zero alcohol or extracts.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 105 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Christmas Cherry-Almond Rye Sour

Shake a Christmas cherry-almond rye sour with tart cherry juice, amaretto, fresh lemon and a silky foam. An easy festive whiskey cocktail.

  • 9 min
  • ≈ 180 kcal
  • ≈ 18% ABV

Non Alcoholic Drinks

Christmas Chocolate-Strawberry Snowman Shake for Kids

Blend a Christmas chocolate-strawberry snowman shake with frozen banana, milk and cocoa. A cold, creamy kids' treat with no alcohol or extracts.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 210 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Christmas Cranberry-Cardamom Gin Sour

Shake a Christmas cranberry gin sour with fresh lemon, cardamom-honey syrup and aquafaba foam. A bright, spiced holiday cocktail in 12 minutes.

  • 12 min
  • ≈ 185 kcal
  • ≈ 16% ABV

Non Alcoholic Drinks

Christmas Peppermint Snowman Hot Chocolate for Kids

Make peppermint snowman hot chocolate for kids with cocoa, milk, chocolate syrup and crushed candy cane. No alcohol or extracts; ready in 11 minutes.

  • 11 min
  • ≈ 230 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Non Alcoholic Drinks

Christmas Raspberry-Cranberry Snowman Slush for Kids

Blend a Christmas raspberry-cranberry slush for kids with orange juice, ice and a marshmallow snowman. Zero alcohol, no extracts or bitters.

  • 8 min
  • ≈ 180 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Christmas Gingerbread Dark Rum Cream Martini

Shake a gingerbread dark rum martini with cream, molasses, maple syrup and warm spices. A festive dessert cocktail ready in 8 minutes.

  • 8 min
  • ≈ 255 kcal
  • ≈ 16% ABV

Non Alcoholic Drinks

Christmas Gingerbread Caramel Hot Cocoa for Kids

Make a cozy alcohol-free gingerbread caramel hot chocolate for kids with milk, cocoa, cinnamon, ginger and optional festive toppings.

  • 8 min
  • ≈ 205 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Christmas Pomegranate-Rosemary Tequila Sour

Shake this Christmas pomegranate tequila sour with lemon, a light foam and fragrant rosemary for a tart festive cocktail.

  • 7 min
  • ≈ 180 kcal
  • ≈ 14% ABV

Cocktails

Maple Espresso Bourbon Flip

A rich Christmas bourbon coffee cocktail with espresso, maple syrup, cream and nutmeg.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 275 kcal
  • ≈ 13% ABV

Cocktails

Christmas Ginger Snowball Cocktail

A fizzy Christmas Snowball cocktail with advocaat, fresh lime, ginger ale, soda and nutmeg.

  • 12 min
  • ≈ 200 kcal
  • ≈ 3.7% ABV

Mocktails

Christmas Morning Punch for Kids

A cranberry-orange Christmas Morning Punch for kids, with sparkling water for a lighter drink or sparkling grape juice for a sweeter one.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 112 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Poinsettia Cocktail

A Poinsettia cocktail with cranberry juice, orange liqueur and chilled Prosecco. Make this Christmas toast in five minutes, one glass at a time.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 138 kcal
  • ≈ 10.2% ABV

Cocktails

Christmas Cranberry Rosemary Spritz

A tart cranberry and rosemary Christmas cocktail topped with chilled sparkling wine, with a quick alcohol-free variation.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 110 kcal
  • ≈ 7.3% ABV

DEC 31

New Year's Eve

All New Year's Eve drinks →

Non Alcoholic Drinks

New Year's Pear-Ginger Cinnamon Fizz for Kids

Make a New Year's pear-ginger fizz for kids with pear nectar, lemon and 0% ABV ginger ale. A cinnamon-scented, zero-alcohol party drink.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 130 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

New Year's Chocolate-Orange Cognac Espresso Coupe

Shake a chocolate-orange Cognac espresso cocktail with chilled coffee, crème de cacao and cream. An elegant New Year's coupe ready in 8 minutes.

  • 8 min
  • ≈ 215 kcal
  • ≈ 19% ABV

Non Alcoholic Drinks

Snowy Pear & Vanilla Fizz for Kids

A sparkling Christmas pear mocktail with vanilla bean, cinnamon and a snowy sugar rim, completely alcohol-free.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 75 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

New Year's Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail

A ruby pomegranate and lemon sparkling wine cocktail for a New Year's toast. Ready in five minutes, with an alcohol-free option.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 105 kcal
  • ≈ 9.1% ABV

NOV 27

Black Friday

All Black Friday drinks →

Cocktails

Black Friday Maple Espresso Martini

A maple espresso martini with fresh coffee and a cocoa dusting for a Black Friday evening gathering. Ready in five minutes.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 217 kcal
  • ≈ 17.1% ABV

OCT 31

Halloween

All Halloween drinks →

Non Alcoholic Drinks

Halloween Mummy White Hot Chocolate for Kids

A creamy alcohol-free white hot chocolate for kids with a simple whipped-cream mummy face and cocoa eyes.

  • 20 min
  • ≈ 320 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Non Alcoholic Drinks

Halloween Frankenstein Honeydew Slush for Kids

A naturally green honeydew Halloween slush for kids with coconut water, lime and a removable Frankenstein face.

  • Make ahead
  • ≈ 121 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Halloween Midnight Mezcal Black Manhattan

A smoky Halloween mezcal Black Manhattan with Averna, chocolate bitters and an orange crescent garnish.

  • 12 min
  • ≈ 222 kcal
  • ≈ 30.4% ABV

Mocktails

Halloween Crimson Beet Shrub Soda for Kids

A fizzy ruby-red Halloween drink for kids made with beet juice, pear nectar, apple cider vinegar and sparkling water.

  • 2 hr 10 min
  • ≈ 67 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Halloween Graveyard Irish Coffee

A hot Halloween Irish coffee with Irish whiskey, brown sugar, softly whipped cream and a cocoa graveyard stencil.

  • 8 min
  • ≈ 249 kcal
  • ≈ 9.2% ABV

Cocktails

Halloween Full Moon Gin Flip

A creamy Halloween gin flip with maple, a pasteurized whole egg and a nutmeg crescent moon on its foam.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 380 kcal
  • ≈ 18.3% ABV

Cocktails

Halloween Pumpkin Oloroso Sherry Cobbler

A nutty Halloween sherry cobbler with pumpkin, maple and spice, served over crushed ice with a jack-o'-lantern orange peel.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 162 kcal
  • ≈ 10.2% ABV

Cocktails

Halloween Ghost Nigori Sake Highball

A cloudy nigori sake Halloween highball with ginger syrup, soda and a crisp edible nori bat garnish. Ready in 10 minutes.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 141 kcal
  • ≈ 6.5% ABV

Mocktails

Halloween Witch's Swamp Kiwi Chia Punch for Kids

A fizzy green Halloween punch for six children, blended with kiwi and cucumber and dotted with hydrated chia seeds. Completely alcohol-free.

  • 40 min
  • ≈ 73 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Halloween Black Widow Brandy Alexander

A creamy brandy and dark crème de cacao Halloween cocktail finished with an easy chocolate-syrup spiderweb. Ready in about 10 minutes.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 310 kcal
  • ≈ 18.3% ABV

Mocktails

Halloween Hibiscus Ice-Hand Punch for Kids

A sparkling alcohol-free Halloween punch for six children, with hibiscus tea, cranberry juice and a frozen-water hand centerpiece.

  • Make ahead
  • ≈ 53 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Halloween Green Fairy Absinthe Frappé

A pale, cloudy Halloween absinthe frappé with simple syrup, chilled water and crushed ice. Shaken and served in about 10 minutes.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 169 kcal
  • ≈ 16.5% ABV

Mocktails

Halloween Shrunken Apple Head Punch for Kids

A warm alcohol-free Halloween apple punch for four children, served with simple carved apple heads and no extracts or bitters.

  • 30 min
  • ≈ 111 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Haunted Scotch Tea Highball for Halloween

A smoky Halloween Scotch highball with Lapsang Souchong tea, honey and club soda. Built over ice in about 35 minutes.

  • 35 min
  • ≈ 169 kcal
  • ≈ 8.5% ABV

Mocktails

Halloween Mango Coconut Mummy Smoothie for Kids

A dairy-free, alcohol-free Halloween mango coconut smoothie for kids, served in cups wrapped like mummies. Makes two small drinks in 10 minutes.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 95 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Halloween Blood Moon Rye Boulevardier

A bitter Halloween rye Boulevardier with Campari and sweet vermouth, stirred cold and served in a coupe with an orange-peel crescent.

  • 8 min
  • ≈ 201 kcal
  • ≈ 24% ABV

Mocktails

Halloween Pumpkin Patch Steamer for Kids

A warm alcohol-free pumpkin milk drink for children with brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice. Makes two small mugs in 12 minutes.

  • 12 min
  • ≈ 193 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Halloween Black Cat Amaretto Cold Brew Highball

A dark Halloween highball with amaretto, cold brew and soda water, finished with removable black-paper cat ears. One fizzy adult drink in 8 minutes.

  • 8 min
  • ≈ 126 kcal
  • ≈ 5.2% ABV

Cocktails

Halloween Vampire Ruby Port and Tonic

A ruby-red Halloween port and tonic with a cocoa-sugar half rim. Build one fizzy adult cocktail in a wine glass in 8 minutes.

  • 8 min
  • ≈ 165 kcal
  • ≈ 8.1% ABV

Mocktails

Halloween Bat-Wing Rooibos Tea for Kids

A caffeine-free Halloween drink for kids made with plain rooibos tea, cinnamon and a little sugar, served lukewarm in bat-decorated cups.

  • 30 min
  • ≈ 18 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Halloween Headless Horseman Cognac Old Fashioned

A stirred Halloween cognac Old Fashioned with a little amaretto, aromatic bitters and an orange-peel pumpkin garnish. Makes one adult drink.

  • 8 min
  • ≈ 166 kcal
  • ≈ 32.4% ABV

Mocktails

Halloween Green Monster Pear-Cucumber Cooler for Kids

Blend ripe pears and cucumber into two pale green Halloween coolers for kids. Serve over ice with cucumber ribbon “tentacles”; no alcohol or extracts.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 79 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Halloween Graveyard Irish Cream Hot Chocolate

Make one Halloween Irish cream hot chocolate with cocoa, milk and a chocolate wafer tombstone. A warm adult drink ready in 10 minutes.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 276 kcal
  • ≈ 3.4% ABV

Mocktails

Halloween Midnight Plum Grape Slush for Kids

Blend two small purple Halloween slush drinks for kids with ripe plums, 100% grape juice and ice. No alcohol, dairy or added syrup.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 123 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Halloween Smoky Mezcal Bloody Maria

A savory Halloween Bloody Maria with mezcal, tomato, lemon, horseradish and olive "eyes." Stir one smoky cocktail in 10 minutes.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 162 kcal
  • ≈ 8.2% ABV

Cocktails

Halloween Candy Corn Martini

Make a Candy Corn Martini with vanilla vodka, pineapple, orange, lemon and grenadine, finished with whipped cream and candy corn.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 180 kcal
  • ≈ 10.6% ABV

Cocktails

Halloween Lychee Eyeball Martini

Make a spooky lychee eyeball martini with vodka, canned lychee syrup, fresh lime and an edible lychee-blueberry garnish in 10 minutes.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 219 kcal
  • ≈ 17.1% ABV

Cocktails

Halloween Witch's Brew Melon Sour

A bright green Halloween cocktail with melon liqueur, vodka, fresh lime and soda water. Shake one Witch's Brew Melon Sour in five minutes.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 198 kcal
  • ≈ 14.6% ABV

Mocktails

Halloween Jack-o'-Lantern Orange Fizz for Kids

Make two small jack-o'-lantern orange fizz drinks for kids with orange juice, pineapple juice and sparkling water. Decorate the outside of the cups.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 56 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Halloween Poison Apple Cider Mule

A Halloween apple cider mule with dark rum, lime and ginger beer. Build one crisp autumn cocktail in five minutes and garnish with red apple slices.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 210 kcal
  • ≈ 10.6% ABV

Milkshakes & Creamy Drinks

Halloween Ghost Milkshake for Kids

Make two small banana vanilla ghost milkshakes for Halloween. A sweet, alcohol-free drink for kids with an optional whipped cream ghost decoration.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 368 kcal
  • Non-alcoholic

Cocktails

Halloween Vampire Bite Margarita

A Halloween margarita with a pomegranate “blood” shot guests add themselves. Measured tequila, lime and orange liqueur; one drink in 10 minutes.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 213 kcal
  • ≈ 17.4% ABV

Cocktails

Halloween Ghost White Russian

Make a Halloween White Russian with coffee liqueur, cream and an edible marshmallow ghost perched above the glass. One cocktail, ready in 10 minutes.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 349 kcal
  • ≈ 20.8% ABV

Cocktails

Halloween Black Cherry Bourbon Smash

A dark cherry bourbon cocktail with fresh lemon and a little maple syrup, served over ice for a Halloween gathering.

  • 5 min
  • ≈ 224 kcal
  • ≈ 13.5% ABV

Cocktails

Halloween Blackberry Witch Fizz

A dark purple blackberry and gin cocktail with lemon, ginger beer and a rosemary garnish. Ready in 10 minutes for a Halloween party.

  • 10 min
  • ≈ 236 kcal
  • ≈ 10.2% ABV