While it’s great to stock up on wines, beers, and seltzers during the holidays, a festive cocktail can elevate any Thanksgiving or Christmas hosting experience. 

Playing bartender doesn’t have to be intimidating—with tips from Alexis Mijares, it’s easier than you think. The owner of Botonica in River Oaks, a cocktail bar known for its Latin spirits and themed pop-up bars, says a seasonal punch is an option that tastes great, packs a punch (pun intended), and has a quintessential holiday feel. 

Mijares notes that serving a mixed drink that's made before guests arrive is a relatively easy and fun hosting hack. Her bourbon punch, a combination of apple cider, cranberry, orange, lemon, and Amaretto, is infused with her choice of spirit (Redemption Whiskey) and La Marca Prosecco or Segura Viudas Cava. 

If you want to get more creative and craft your own cocktail, Mijares recommends trying a riff on a Manhattan. A cocktail that is "a bit more stout really helps cut through some of the rich, fattiness that comes with a holiday meal, so I like something more spirit-forward, but also a little bit bright as well,” she says. 

To achieve this, Mijares mixes rye whiskey with Amaro Montenegro, an orange blossom amaro, then infuses it with cinnamon and Amontillado wine, before finishing it with sweet vermouth. 

For those who prefer not to drink alcohol, several nonalcoholic alternatives work just as well. Favorites from Mijares include Houston-based brand Cut Above Spirits, which makes an entire line of zero-proof options. “You can really plan drinks for your guests [and] do nice little substitutions, so they still feel fully included and not like they're just on a timeout over here because they're not drinking,” she says.

Here are two of Mijares’s recipes to try at home:

Ho-Ho Holiday Punch 
Servings: 10–12

Ingredients: 

24 ounces Redemption bourbon 
6 ounces Amaretto
6 ounces lemon juice
6 ounces cranberry juice
24 ounces apple cider (still)
12 ounces sparkling wine

Instructions: Add all items to a punch bowl over ice. Add apple slices, cranberries, and grated cinnamon, then set out with cups and a ladle so guests can serve themselves.

Coquito
Servings: Makes four to five liters (serves 20–25, or bottle as a gift); serve in 6-ounce portions

Ingredients: 

1 liter Bacardi Ocho
2 cans full-fat coconut milk (13.5–16 oz can)
2 cans evaporated milk (12 oz can)
1 can condensed milk (14 oz can)
2 cans Coco Lopez (15 oz can)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground clove
A pinch of salt

Instructions: Use an immersion blender or hand mixer to combine all ingredients until smooth. Bottle and chill in the refrigerator for at least four hours before serving (for optimal flavor, chill for 24 hours). Shake well before serving to redistribute the spices (no ice after the chill). Serve with toasted coconut and/or grated cinnamon as a garnish.