Seasonal cocktail photo courtesy of Klondike Kate’s Restaurant & Saloon
Shake up your cocktail of choice during the holiday season with these festive recipes from talented mixologists across the First State.
The Sleigh Bar at Klondike Kate’s Restaurant & Saloon
Step into Santa’s workshop at Klondike Kate’s in Newark, Delaware. The eatery transforms areas of the restaurant into a Christmas wonderland with a sleigh, gifts and other festive décor. Here, the restaurant shares two cocktails its bar is known for during the holiday.
158 E. Main St., Newark, Delaware; 302-737-6100
Rudolph’s Red-Nosed Mule
- 1.5 ounces Deep Eddy Cranberry Vodka
- Ginger beer
- Fresh lime juice
- Splash of cranberry
- Lime slice for garnish

Boozy Butterbeer
- 1.5 ounces Captain Morgan
- Ginger ale
- 0.5 ounce butterscotch schnapps
- Whipped cream and caramel drizzle for garnish
- Combine ingredients in a glass and enjoy.
Blitzen the Bar
Open seasonally, Blitzen brings Christmas cheer to downtown Wilmington, Delaware’s 9th Street. The space gets a design face-lift yearly from creative director Dallas Shaw to offer patrons something new. Named for Santa’s top reindeer, the indoor and outdoor spaces tell the story of how the little helper relaxes at home. Here, the pop-up shares a popular recipe.
220 W. 9th St., Wilmington, Delaware

Big Elf Energy
- 1.5 ounces Espolon Blanco Tequila
- 1 ounce spiced cinnamon syrup*
- 0.75 ounce cranberry juice
- 0.5 ounce Licor 43
- 0.25 ounce fresh lime juice
- Sugared cranberries for garnish
Add all ingredients to a shaker, except garnish. Shake. Strain over fresh ice. Garnish with sugared cranberries.
*Spiced Cinnamon Syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 3 cinnamon sticks, broken
Combine all ingredients. Bring to boil. Cut heat, and steep for 30 minutes.
*Sugared Cranberries
- 2 cups sugar, divided
- 1 cup water
- 12 ounces fresh cranberries
Combine water and sugar over high heat. Bring to boil. Cut heat. Add cranberries. Stir a few times to coat. Remove with a slotted spoon to a cooling rack. Rest one hour. Toss in reserved sugar, working a little at a time. Place on a cooling rack to dry. Move to a freezer until ready to use.
Swigg Real Wine Craft Beer & Spirits

Dave Govatos knows a thing or two about cocktails. As the owner of Swigg Real Wine Craft Beer & Spirits in Wilmington, Delaware, he’s always making suggestions to patrons about what they can whip up at their home bar. For the chillier months, Govatos suggests the vintage Lion’s Tail cocktail. “First published in the Cafe Royal Cocktail Book (1937), this Prohibition-era cocktail utilizes the warming exotic flavors of Allspice Dram, a liqueur made with rum and pimento berries, which evokes notes of nutmeg, clove and cinnamon,” he explains.
1601 Concord Pike, Wilmington, Delaware; 302-427-9444
Lion’s Tail
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 0.5 ounce St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram
- 0.5 ounce lime juice
- 3/4 ounce teaspoon simple syrup
- 2 dashes Angostura bitters
Related: 8 Delaware Coffee Shops Offering Seasonal Pumpkin Specialties This Fall