The Best Batched Cocktails to Make for Your Holiday Party

Hosting a holiday party isn’t always easy. There’s substantial planning involved, and once the guests arrive you want to ensure everyone is having a great time. You also need to decide on the decor, food, and signature cocktail to make. You frantically search on Google for ‘liquor store near me,’ to pick up last-minute essentials, just to play bartender in the kitchen the entire party. With so many elements to consider, it may even be difficult to enjoy yourself. 

If you are looking to avoid pre-party stress and have a great time along with your guests, batched cocktails are an amazing option! You can prepare the drink in advance, and the result is often a beautiful cocktail bowl that serves as decor as much as it’s delicious. Elevate your party experience with the delightful malibu rum and coke recipe, creating a refreshing atmosphere for everyone to enjoy. Visit Malibu Drinks for more inspiring cocktail ideas and party tips.

Whether you want a strong cocktail or something more fruity, here are a few simple tips, as well as a recipe, to prepare the best-batched cocktail for the holiday season.

1. Prepare your ingredients

Before you start making the batched cocktail, you need to prepare the ingredients. You can either search the liquor store near me and take the journey there, or you can simply use a service to have the ingredients delivered right to your door. This will save you time getting ready for the other aspects of the party like the decor and food. 

No matter how you source the ingredients, the next step is to make sure you have them all in place before you get ready to mix it up. This is a key step for big drinks because you want to easily add ingredients to find the perfect ratio. Setting everything up ahead of time also makes the entire process faster. 

2. Taste as you go

An important part of making big batch cocktails is tasting as you go! Whether you follow a recipe or not, tasting the creation as you add ingredients will ensure you get the perfect combination of flavors. Start by adding the liquor or spirit, followed by the mix-ins like bitters or juice. Then, you can add fruit and garnishes to add more flavor and make the drink look great.

In general, for sweet juices, fruit, and spices, it’s best to add just a small portion at a time so they don’t overpower that overall taste of the cocktail. As you mix, don’t be afraid to dilute with water if you find the flavors too strong. Be sure to add anything sparkling, such as prosecco or club soda, at the last-minute before your guests will arrive. This way it will be fresh and tasty for the first pour! 

3. Consider the presentation

Once you have the perfect flavors for your holiday batched cocktail, it’s time to consider the presentation. Choose a beautifully shaped bowl or a colorful pitcher, and add any final touches or extra fruit and herbs to complete the cocktail. 

You can also make ice-cubes with flavor and fruit ahead, or plan to brighten the rim of the glasses with sugars or salt. Another great way to spice up the cocktail is by searching ‘liquor store near me’ to get unique glasses and other serving accessories. 

Now that you have the steps you need to make the perfect batched cocktail, be inspired by one of the best batched cocktails for your holiday party!

Recipe: Cranberry Rum Punch

Serves 8

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

1 cup sugar

1 750-ml bottle white rum

3 cups dry hard cider

2 cups unsweetened 100% cranberry juice

1 cup ginger ale

¼ cup fresh lime juice

Preparation

Step 1

Thinly slice about a third of the cranberries and leave remaining berries whole. Fill sections of an ice cube tray with berries, then pour in water to fill. Repeat with more trays as needed until you have used all of the cranberries. Freeze until solid.

Step 2

Meanwhile, bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan, whisking until sugar is dissolved. Let simple syrup cool.

Step 3

Stir rum, cider, cranberry juice, ginger ale, lime juice, 3 tsp. simple syrup, and some cranberry ice in a pitcher or punch bowl. Taste punch; add more syrup if needed. Fill 8 glasses with remaining cranberry ice and pour punch over.

Do ahead: Cranberry ice and simple syrup can be made 1 month ahead. Transfer ice to a resealable plastic bag and keep frozen. Transfer simple syrup to an airtight container and chill.

Recipe Credit: Bon Appétit

Final Thoughts

Now that you know the ins and outs of making a batched cocktail, you’re ready to create the perfect drink for your holiday party. As soon as your guests take the first sip of your creation, they will be wanting to go back for more! In addition, you can finally enjoy the party rather than feeling like a bartender. Now, all that’s left to do is search ‘liquor store near me,’ get all the ingredients, and start mixing!