Christmas is close.. Holiday cocktails anyone??

By:  Alex Templer - MSTv

As the weather gets cooler, or hotter, or whatever cause this is Louisiana, right?  Anyway, no matter what the temperature, we all can always go for a nice refreshing cocktail.  We love to make your lives easier, so we rounded up some of our favorites you can easily make at home. 

So, grab some friends or a mob, then hit the kitchen and stir up some of these little mixers.  Plus, don't forget to leave Santa a glass or two!

Got a favorite cocktail you want to share?  Let us know on our Contact page!  We'll try it, then share it!

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Candy Cane Cooler By: intoxicology.net

1 ounce vodka

1/2 ounce peppermint schnapps

1/2 ounce B&B (Benedictine and brandy)

1/2 ounce half-and-half

Peppermint stick for garnish

Mint sprig for garnish

Ice

Add vodka, peppermint schnapps, B&B, and half-and-half into a shaker with ice. Shake lightly to chill and strain into old-fashioned glass full of ice and stir. Garnish with a peppermint stick and mint sprig.

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Mulled Wine

Makes 8 servings  

4 cups apple cider

1 (750-ml) bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon (or red wine of preference)
1/4 cup honey

2 cinnamon sticks

1 orange, zested and juiced

4 whole cloves

3 star anise

Peel of one orange, cut into wide strips, for garnish

Combine the cider, wine, honey, cinnamon sticks, zest, juice, cloves and star anise in a large saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Pour into mugs, add an orange peel to each and serve.

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Poinsettia cocktail

1/2 ounce Cointreau

2 ounces cranberry juice

4 ounces champagne

3 whole cranberries for garnish

Chill liquid ingredients ahead of time. Pour the Cointreau and cranberry juice into a chilled champagne flute. Stir well, and top with champagne. Float the cranberries on top for garnish.

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Christmas Spirit Shooter

• 1/2 ounce sour apple schnapps
• 1/2 teaspoon grenadine
• 3/4 ounce cinnamon schnapps with gold flakes (preferably Gold Strike brand)

Directions Pour the sour apple schnapps into a 1 1/2-ounce shot glass.

Gently pour in the grenadine. (It will sink to the bottom to make the red layer.)

Shake the bottle of cinnamon schnapps, then turn the bottle upside down to bring the gold flakes to the top. Measure out 3/4 ounce. Hold a small spoon upside down inside the glass, directly over the apple schnapps layer. Gently pour the cinnamon schnapps over the back of the spoon to make the third layer.

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