10 Creative Cocktail Garnishes That Add a Festive Touch to Your Holiday Drink

'Tis the season to be jolly—and imbibing fun cocktails is arguably one of the best parts of holiday hosting. Attention to detail and festive flair doesn't have to be limited to your holiday decor or experiments in the kitchen—it's the perfect time of year to elevate your cocktail game with garnishes that not only please the taste buds, but also dazzle the eyes. With these holiday cocktail garnish ideas, Instagram-worthy drinks are just a shake and a swizzle away. 

Sugar-Frosted Fruit

Sugar-frosted fruit is a simple way to make a magical garnish that evokes a winter wonderland.

How to: Dip fresh fruit into simple syrup, roll in sugar, and let dry for a sweet and sparkly finishing touch. You can even use spiked syrup to make things extra festive, as seen in this Sugared Cranberries and Rosemary recipe. Or soak your fruit first in a sparkling wine (like Prosecco) to infuse it with extra flavor.

Fruits that work very well dipped in sugar:

• Cranberries
• Grapes
• Blackberries
• Raspberries

We recommend spearing sugar-frosted fruit on a cocktail pick and placing it horizontally atop the rim of the glass—suspending it over the top of the cocktail. Your guests can then enjoy the frosted fruit as a snack, or if they prefer to sweeten their cocktail, they can submerge it and release a little sweetness into the drink.

Festive Rims

Rimming your glass with decorative and colorful sugars, salts, sprinkles, and even candy packs a visual punch.

How to: Fill a small plate with a few tablespoons of simple syrup to use as your 'glue,' and invert the glass, pressing the rim into the syrup. Then, line a second plate with your rim garnish and repeat the process. This can be done ahead of time for a stress-free presentation.

Try rimming your glass with:

• Crushed-up candy canes or peppermint candies
• Coconut flakes
• Colorful sanding sugar
• Crushed gingersnaps
• Festive nonpareils or sprinkles
• Infused salts for savory cocktails like Bloody Marys—think truffle salt, chili salt, Old Bay salt, or even smoked salt

Decorative Ice

Filling your ice cubes with festive fruits, herbs, or flowers creates a showstopping presentation—and it requires very little skill besides planning ahead.

How to: Fill ice cube trays partially with water, and then add your items. For the holidays, try sprigs of fresh rosemary, cranberries, orange or lemon peels, and pomegranate arils. Freeze, then top them off with more water and freeze again.

We love taking this same method to large-format ice rings designed to float in a punch bowl—which is not only a fantastic way to decorate a punch, but keeps it nicely chilled throughout the party. You can use a round cake pan, a ring mold, or a Bundt pan. We recommend preparing this at least one day ahead and freezing it overnight to get a nice, solid block.

Be sure to check out our tips for making crystal-clear ice.

Fresh Herbs

Garnishing holiday cocktails with fresh herbs adds visual impact and deepens the sensory experience of sipping a great cocktail by adding fabulous aroma. These herbs work especially well in winter cocktails:

• Rosemary: Rosemary is perhaps the most commonly used holiday garnish, thanks to its resemblance to evergreens. Its savory essence adds dimension to pretty much anything you add it to, like our Rosemary Gimlet. Pro tip: Thread some fresh cranberries on the end of your rosemary sprig to mimic the effect of holly berries.
• Mint: Mint leaves are vibrant and invigorating. They bring a refreshing twist to a decadent chocolate martini or a classic mojito, but we especially love their pop of green when used to garnish vibrant red cocktails like our Cranberry Margarita.
• Thyme: The earthy warmth of thyme can complement a spiced apple cider or even sparking cocktails like Pear Mimosas. If you don't want to float the thyme inside the cocktail, try using a mini clothespin to clip it onto the rim or stem of the glass and enjoy those aromas.

Seasonal Fresh Fruit

Keeping things in season is always an elegant way to entertain. Winter fruits add a splash of color and vibrant flavor to holiday cocktails. The best seasonal fruits for holiday cocktail garnishes include:

• Cranberries: Thread fresh cranberries onto a toothpick or cocktail pick, and use them to garnish a Cranberry Mule or Adonis Punch. 
• Citrus: Oranges, blood oranges, clementines, tangerines, and Meyer lemons are all in season in the winter and can be use to garnish and brighten drinks. Cut a thin strip of citrus peel, twist it over the drink for a burst of citrus aroma, and use it to garnish our Cranberry Blood Orange Spritz. 
• Pomegranate Seeds: Sprinkle vibrant pomegranate seeds right into your drinks and enjoy the flavor and color of these little gems. We love them in Pomegranate Champagne Punch or Pomegranate Cosmopolitans.
• Pear Slices: Maybe it's their presence in holiday gift baskets or even the famed partridge in a pear tree, but pear slices add an instant festive touch. Thinly slice a pear and fan out the slices on the rim of the glass, or spear them with a cocktail pick and fan them out that way.

Spices

Infuse your holiday libations with rich, warm, and aromatic spices. The beauty of using spices as cocktail garnishes is not only their robust flavor, but also their visual allure. If you've already stocked up on cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves for holiday baking, you can go straight to your spice cabinet or pantry and come out with some simple but stunning garnishes.

• Cinnamon: Use a cinnamon stick as a stir stick for warm and spiced cocktails. Or use ground cinnamon to gently dust the surface of cocktails like Coquito.
• Nutmeg:  Grate fresh nutmeg over creamy cocktails. Classic eggnog comes to mind, but this is also a wonderful way to put a holiday spin on dessert cocktails like a White Russian. If you're dreaming of warmer destinations this winter, try a classic tropical cocktail called a Painkiller—traditionally garnished with nutmeg.
• Star Anise: Float a star anise float on top of a spiced drink, like Mulled Wine.
• Candied Ginger: Skewer a few pieces of candied ginger for a sweet and spicy garnish, making classic cocktails like the Moscow Mule feel all dressed up for the holidays. 
• Cloves: One of the best ways to use cloves in cocktails is to stud them into the skin of an orange slice, evoking a traditional holiday pomander. Perch that on the rim of the glass for an extra dose of warm, spicy aroma.

Dried Fruit

Dried fruit garnishes not only embody the essence of winter but also nod to the timeless tradition of preserving the season's bounty. In cocktails, dried citrus wheels bring a delightful visual appeal to your festive drinks while not disturbing the balance of sweet-to-sour like a fresh squeeze of citrus would. You can make your own dried orange, tangerine, or lemon slices, or purchase them already packaged and dried.

Float them in a cozy mulled wine, perch them on the rim of a sparkling champagne flute, or let them dance in a jewel-toned punch. 

Powdered Sugar

Topping cocktails with a light dusting of powdered or confectioners' sugar is a traditional garnish in classic cocktails like the Sherry Cobbler. Since it looks like delicate, freshly fallen snow, it's a charming and romantic way to add a wintry sheen to your drinks, especially if you use pellet ice. Rimming your glass with powdered sugar is another way to 'frost' your glassware.

Edible Glitter

Nothing embodies holiday magic quite like glitter, so why save it just for craft projects? Consider adorning your libations with a touch of sparkle. Edible glitter doesn't change a drink's flavor, but it makes it a lot more fun to toast with. Available in many colors, you can match the glitter color to the cocktail (gold for Champagne, green for a Last Word). While edible glitter dust used for decorating cookies and pastries will work, you can also find edible glitter made specifically for cocktails that has a lower sinking speed in liquid.

Hot Water

Trading out the ice in a cocktail for hot water instantly winterizes it into a delicious and warming Hot Toddy. Try this in spirit-forward cocktails like an Old Fashioned. You'll have a perfect wintertime sip—ideal for a chilly stroll while taking in the festive lights in your neighborhood or a comforting tipple around the fire.