What happens when you mix sweet treats, signature cocktails, and five friends? A lot of fun! Recently, I hosted our neighborhood ladies for a Cookies & Cocktails afternoon. I thought it would be fun to combine my love of baking with some festive libations (which I’m new to). Here are the cocktail recipes that accompanied my Christmas cookies…

Pom-Lime French 75

• 1/4 cup gin
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon pomegranate-lime syrup (recipe below)
• 1/4 cup sparkling wine
• lime zest for simple syrup

For a single cocktail, fill shaker with ice, gin, lime juice and pomegranate syrup & shake. Strain into champagne flute (filled with 3-5 pomegranate seeds). Top with sparkling wine.

To make ahead, I mixed a quadruple batch of everything except the ice & wine. At serving time I stirred in some ice cubes & strained into flutes, topping with wine.

Pomegranate Syrup:

This makes 1 cup of simple syrup:  In small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup each of sugar and pure pomegranate juice. Simmer, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves.  Remove from heat – stir in 1 tsp grated lime zest and 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice. Cool to room temperature. Strain. Keep in fridge until use.

Vodka Cranberry-Cider Punch

The original recipe was roughly 1 part vodka to 3 parts juice including the ice cubes which was a little strong for an afternoon punch. I adjusted the ratios and we enjoyed it quite well!  Adjust the alcohol to your tast.

• 2 cups apple cider for ice cubes
• 2/3 cup sugar (for syrup)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for syrup)
• 8 cups cranberry juice cocktail
• 2 cups apple cider
• 1 1/2 cup orange juice
• 1 1/2 cups vodka
• cinnamon sticks
• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 orange

Cinnamon Syrup:

The day before serving, heat sugar, cinnamon and 2/3 cup water.  Cook until sugar dissolves. Cool then refrigerate overnight.  Note: the cinnamon won’t dissolve – overnight it will settle to the bottom but will infuse the simple syrup. When I made the punch I poured out only the syrup, discarding the cinnamon at the bottom.

Apple Cider Ice Cubes:

Make ahead small apple cider ice cubes with 2 cups apple cider.

Punch:

In the morning, mix cranberry juice, 2 cups apple cider, orange juice, vodka, cinnamon syrup (excluding settled cinnamon), cinnamon sticks, cranberries & sliced oranges. Refrigerate so flavours meld & punch is cold.

Just before serving, add apple cider ice cubes.