Christmas Drinks Around the World: 6 Festive Recipes

Christmas drinks have a way of making the season feel warmer, even when the weather outside is freezing.

Across the world, holiday celebrations are accompanied by steaming mugs of spiced wine, fragrant fruit punch, creamy egg drinks, strong coffee, and recipes flavored with cinnamon, cloves, citrus, vanilla, and nutmeg.

Some are meant to simmer on the stove while guests gather. Others are simple enough to make one mug at a time.

Inspired by the warm wassail, spiced coffee, mulled wine, and creamy eggnog pictured here, these six Christmas drinks offer a small taste of holiday traditions from Britain, Germany, Mexico, the United States, Puerto Rico, and Scandinavia.

🍎 1. British-Style Christmas Wassail

Wassail has deep roots in English winter celebrations, although recipes have changed considerably over the centuries.

Modern versions often resemble a warmly spiced apple punch, making wassail one of the easiest Christmas drinks to prepare for a crowd.

This alcohol-free base can be served as it is or finished with brandy or rum for adults.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Servings: 8–10

Ingredients

• 8 cups apple cider
• 2 cups orange juice
• 1 orange, thinly sliced
• 1 apple, thinly sliced
• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 6 whole cloves
• 4 whole allspice berries
• 2 star anise
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar or maple syrup, optional
• 1/2 cup brandy or dark rum, optional

Instructions

1. Pour the apple cider and orange juice into a large saucepan or Dutch oven.
2. Add the orange, apple, cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, star anise, and nutmeg.
3. Bring the mixture just to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
4. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 30 to 45 minutes.
5. Taste and add brown sugar or maple syrup if you prefer a sweeter punch.
6. If using alcohol, remove the pan from the heat and stir in the brandy or rum.
7. Strain if desired, then ladle into heatproof mugs.
8. Garnish with fresh orange slices or cinnamon sticks.

🍷 2. German Glühwein

Walk through a German Christmas market and one of the defining aromas is warm red wine scented with citrus and spices.

Glühwein translates simply to “glowing wine,” and the recipe is wonderfully straightforward.

The most important rule is not to boil the wine. Gentle heating preserves the flavor and keeps the drink from becoming harsh.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4–6

Ingredients

• 1 bottle dry red wine
• 1 orange
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 5 whole cloves
• 2 star anise
• 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, plus more to taste
• 2 strips lemon peel
• 1/4 cup brandy or rum, optional

Instructions

1. Pour the wine into a saucepan.
2. Slice half of the orange and add the slices to the wine.
3. Juice the remaining orange half into the pan.
4. Add the cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, sugar, and lemon peel.
5. Warm over low to medium-low heat until steaming, but do not allow the wine to boil.
6. Reduce the heat and let the mixture gently infuse for about 20 minutes.
7. Taste and add additional sugar if desired.
8. Remove from the heat and stir in brandy or rum if using.
9. Strain into mugs and garnish with orange slices and cinnamon sticks.

☕ 3. Mexican Café de Olla

The dark, cinnamon-scented coffee in the original post is a perfect starting point for café de olla, a traditional Mexican coffee flavored with cinnamon and unrefined cane sugar.

The drink is traditionally associated with preparation in a clay pot, or olla, although an ordinary saucepan works perfectly well at home.

Piloncillo gives the coffee a deep caramel-like sweetness, but dark brown sugar can be substituted when piloncillo is difficult to find.

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 1/3 cup piloncillo, chopped or grated
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1/2 cup medium-ground dark-roast coffee
• 1 whole clove, optional
• 1 small strip orange peel, optional

Instructions

1. Combine the water, piloncillo, cinnamon stick, clove, and orange peel in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a gentle simmer and stir until the piloncillo dissolves.
3. Remove the pan from direct heat and stir in the ground coffee.
4. Cover and allow the coffee to steep for about 5 minutes.
5. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer or coffee filter.
6. Pour into mugs and serve hot.

For a sweeter Christmas presentation, add a cinnamon stick to each mug.

🥛 4. Classic American Eggnog

Few drinks look more immediately festive than a glass of creamy eggnog dusted with nutmeg.

Homemade eggnog combines milk, cream, eggs, sugar, vanilla, and warming spice into something richer and fresher than most packaged versions.

This recipe cooks the egg mixture gently, which is both easier for beginners and preferable to recipes built around uncooked eggs.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Chill time: 2 hours
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup bourbon, rum, or brandy, optional
• Ground nutmeg for serving

Instructions

1. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl until pale and smooth.
2. Combine the milk, cream, nutmeg, and salt in a saucepan.
3. Warm over medium-low heat until steaming but not boiling.
4. Slowly whisk about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks.
5. Pour the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan while whisking.
6. Cook gently, stirring constantly, until the mixture reaches 160°F and lightly coats the back of a spoon.
7. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
8. Add bourbon, rum, or brandy if desired.
9. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.
10. Pour into glasses and finish with freshly grated or ground nutmeg.

For a thicker eggnog, chill it overnight before serving.

🥥 5. Puerto Rican Coquito

Coquito brings coconut to the Christmas table.

This Puerto Rican holiday drink is creamy, fragrant, and traditionally made with coconut, sweetened condensed milk, warming spices, and rum.

Recipes vary from household to household, which is part of its charm.

This version is egg-free and comes together quickly in a blender.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Chill time: 2 hours
Servings: 8

Ingredients

• 1 can coconut milk
• 1 can cream of coconut
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• 3/4 to 1 cup white or aged rum, optional
• Cinnamon sticks for serving

Instructions

1. Add the coconut milk, cream of coconut, condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to a blender.
2. Blend until completely smooth.
3. Add the rum, if using, and blend briefly again.
4. Transfer to a covered bottle or pitcher.
5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, preferably longer.
6. Shake or stir well before serving.
7. Pour into small glasses and garnish with cinnamon.

Coquito is rich, so small servings are usually plenty.

🍇 6. Scandinavian-Style Glögg

Glögg is Scandinavia’s answer to mulled wine.

Like Glühwein, it begins with red wine and warming spices, but glögg is often served with raisins and blanched almonds placed directly in the cup.

Some versions include aquavit, brandy, vodka, or another spirit.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 bottle dry red wine
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 6 whole cloves
• 6 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
• 1 small piece fresh ginger, sliced
• Peel of 1 orange
• 1/3 cup raisins
• 1/3 cup blanched almonds
• 1/2 cup brandy, aquavit, or vodka, optional

Instructions

1. Pour the wine into a saucepan.
2. Add the sugar, cinnamon sticks, cloves, cardamom, ginger, and orange peel.
3. Warm gently over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
4. Continue heating for about 20 to 30 minutes without allowing the wine to boil.
5. Remove from the heat and stir in the spirit, if using.
6. Strain out the spices.
7. Place a few raisins and almonds in the bottom of each mug.
8. Pour the warm glögg over them and serve immediately.

🍊 Make a Christmas Drink Bar

If you are entertaining, you do not necessarily have to choose only one recipe.

Wassail and café de olla work particularly well alongside alcoholic choices because they give guests festive nonalcoholic options without feeling like an afterthought.

Set out garnishes such as cinnamon sticks, orange slices, star anise, freshly grated nutmeg, whipped cream, and chocolate shavings.

Label each drink clearly, especially if some contain alcohol.

🌟 Garnishes Make Simple Drinks Feel Festive

Christmas beverages do not need elaborate decorations.

A cinnamon stick instantly makes mulled cider or wine more inviting.

Freshly grated nutmeg transforms a plain glass of eggnog.

A curl of orange peel works with Glühwein, glögg, and wassail.

For coffee, a simple cinnamon stick or light dusting of ground cinnamon is enough.

The best garnishes echo flavors already in the drink rather than competing with them.

🍹 How to Make the Drinks Alcohol-Free

Several of these recipes are naturally easy to adapt.

Wassail and café de olla require no alcohol at all.

Eggnog can simply be made without the bourbon or rum.

Coquito can also be prepared without rum.

For mulled-wine-style drinks, substitute red grape juice, cranberry juice, or a combination of grape and pomegranate juice and reduce the added sugar as needed.

You will not recreate wine exactly, but you can create a delicious spiced Christmas punch using the same citrus and spice profile.

🔥 Don’t Boil Mulled Wine

Both Glühwein and glögg should be heated gently.

Boiling can change the flavor of the wine and drive off alcohol.

Keep the heat low enough that the liquid becomes hot and fragrant without bubbling vigorously.

Slow warming also gives cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, citrus peel, and other spices time to infuse.

🧊 Make-Ahead Christmas Drinks

Several of these drinks actually benefit from advance preparation.

Coquito can be blended and chilled ahead of the celebration.

Cooked eggnog develops a smoother flavor after several hours in the refrigerator.

The spices for wassail, Glühwein, and glögg can be assembled ahead of time so all you need to do is add the liquid and heat.

Café de olla is best made shortly before serving so the coffee remains fresh.

🎄 A Holiday Tradition in a Glass

One of the pleasures of Christmas food is discovering how familiar flavors appear in completely different forms around the world.

Cinnamon might perfume a British apple wassail, a Mexican coffee, German mulled wine, American eggnog, Puerto Rican coquito, or Scandinavian glögg.

The ingredients overlap, but each drink has its own character.

Serve one alongside Christmas dinner, make several for a holiday party, or choose a different recipe for each weekend in December.

A warm mug and a few good spices are often all it takes to make an ordinary winter evening feel like Christmas.

🔗 Related Articles

• Rich Homemade Hot Chocolate: Creamy & Cozy
• Classic Gingerbread Cookies
• Holiday Dessert Recipes from Around the Globe
• 5 Festive Christmas Morning Breakfast Recipes
• Happy Winter Solstice!

📚 Sources & Further Reading

• Encyclopaedia Britannica — Wassail
• Smithsonian Magazine — The History of Eggnog
• Visit Germany — Christmas Markets & Seasonal Traditions
• Visit Sweden — Swedish Christmas Traditions
• Discover Puerto Rico — Puerto Rican Food & Drink