The UK’s favourite Christmas cocktails for the festive period - and how you can make them at home

In the year of the Negroni Sbagliato the results of the UK’s favourite Christmas cocktail may surprise you…
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‘Tis the season to be jolly, and with all the family hanging around, a cocktail can be a must for most. The festive season comes with many festive cocktails like eggnog or a snowball, as well as the opportunity to dig into your favourite classics like an Espresso Martini.

New research from NIO Cocktails found that at Christmas, 2.9m  adults in the UK will choose to celebrate the festive season with a cocktail over a glass of prosecco or wine, suggesting that cocktails are increasingly becoming the drink of choice for moments that matter.

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According to Google Trends, global searches for “cocktails” peak every year in December, whilst on TikTok, content tagged with #cocktails has clocked up more than 4.2b video views. It’s not just the classic festive  cocktails people are loving either, just last month the lesser known but equally stunning ‘Negroni Sbagliato’ cocktail went viral thanks to House of Dragons actors Emma D’Arcy and Olivia Cooke.

NIO Cocktails’ Global Marketing Director, Karla Castro said: “Cocktails served at home add a delightful surprise element to any occasion. With the holiday season approaching, people looking to level up their home entertainment can opt for ready-to-enjoy cocktails, like NIO Cocktails.

NIO Cocktails also has revealed the UK’s most popular winter cocktails. According toto Google searches, the popular tipples are the traditionally-festive eggnog and the coffee-infused Espresso Martini, with both averaging more than 135,000 online searches per winter month (Dec - Feb). Both cocktails originated in the UK.

Karla added that it wasn’t just the classics that are hot on the menu: “We are definitely seeing a growing trend for twists on the classics. Trying new ready-to-enjoy cocktails at home has made buying new flavours more appealing - especially to add a fun element to hosting. For instance, a Snow Daiquiri or a Christmas in Manhattan brings that newness through a seasonal topic, while boosting the imagination on the garnishes to make the evening more special.”

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To help hosts and party goers alike find the right cocktails for their events, or to order at a bar this year, NIO Cocktails have analysed 84 cocktail types across 187 countries to find out which cocktails are the most popular with consumers during the holiday season.

So, what are the must-have cocktails of the festive season? Here’s a breakdown of the list and how to make the cocktail in the top spot.

Top 10 UK festive cocktails

  • Eggnog - 135,000 searches
  • Espresso Martini - 135,000 searches
  • Dirty Martini - 90,500 searches
  • Negroni - 90,500 searches
  • Porn Star Martini - 90,500 searches
  • Cosmopolitan - 74,000 searches
  • Mulled Wine - 74,000 searches
  • Old Fashion - 74,000 searches
  • Mimosa - 60,500 searches
  • Pina Colada - 60,500 searches

How to make Eggnog

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

  • 50g caster sugar
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • 397g can of condensed milk
  • 100ml brandy

Method:

  1. Put the sugar in a saucepan with 75ml water. Simmer until the sugar has dissolved, then cool and chill.
  2. Beat the yolks with the vanilla until smooth. Add the condensed milk, brandy and cooled sugar syrup, mixing well.
  3. Pour into a jug and chill for at least 2 hrs. Serve within 24 hrs, over ice.
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