There is something magical about a Christmas drink in your hands. The house smells of cinnamon, friends are gathered in the kitchen, and every mug feels like a small celebration. Meghan Markle has always loved that kind of warm, easy hosting, where friends bring a dish, everyone cooks together, and the kitchen counter becomes the buffet. These five drinks are inspired by that style, including her reported signature holiday cocktail and her brand's spiced holiday drinks. They are fan-made recipes inspired by her, not her official recipes, and there is something here for every guest, with and without alcohol.
Here is the whole collection at a glance, so you can pick your favourite in seconds.
| Drink | Type | Serves | Time | Approx. calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almond Milk Spiced Holiday Cocktail | Hot or cold | 2 | 10 minutes | 140 kcal |
| Honey Lemon Hot Toddy | Hot | 1 | 10 minutes | 120 kcal |
| Mulled Spiced Apple Cider | Hot | 6 | 40 minutes | 150 kcal |
| Creamy Christmas Hot Chocolate | Hot | 2 | 15 minutes | 280 kcal |
| Cranberry Christmas Sparkler | Cold, no alcohol | 4 | 10 minutes | 90 kcal |
Nutrition values are approximate estimates per serving and can vary with ingredients and portion size.
1. Almond Milk Spiced Holiday Cocktail
This is the star of the list. Meghan once shared her own version, called the Almond Milk Spiced Holiday Cocktail, served hot or cold. Warm it up with a cinnamon stick, or chill it and serve it in a champagne glass with a sugar or cinnamon rim. Our version keeps that elegant idea and takes ten minutes.
| US | Metric |
|---|---|
| 2 cups almond milk | 480 ml |
| 2 tablespoons maple syrup | 30 ml |
| 1 teaspoon vanilla extract | 5 ml |
| 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon | 1.5 g |
| 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg | 0.5 g |
| 2 cinnamon sticks, to garnish | 2 sticks |
| Spiced rum, optional, for adults | 60 ml, optional |
Warm the almond milk gently, never letting it boil, then whisk in the maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. For the hot version, pour into mugs and add a cinnamon stick. For the cold version, chill the spiced milk, rim champagne glasses with sugar mixed with a little cinnamon, fill with ice and pour over. Add a splash of spiced rum to the adult glasses only, if you like.
Meghan-style tip: Froth the warm milk before pouring for a coffeehouse feel with almost no effort.
2. Honey Lemon Hot Toddy
A hot toddy ends a cold evening perfectly. Simple, soothing and made in one mug, it fits a relaxed Christmas night, and her brand's holiday range even includes spice kits for hot toddies.
| US | Metric |
|---|---|
| 1 cup hot water | 240 ml |
| 1 tablespoon honey | 15 ml |
| 1 tablespoon lemon juice | 15 ml |
| 1 cinnamon stick | 1 stick |
| 3 whole cloves | 3 cloves |
| Whisky, optional, for adults | 45 ml, optional |
Stir the honey into the hot water until it dissolves, then add the lemon juice, cinnamon stick, cloves and whisky if using. Let it sit for two minutes, then sip slowly. For a family version, skip the whisky and add a quarter cup of warm apple juice.
Meghan-style tip: Serve toddies in pretty mugs or mule cups. The mug is half the charm.
3. Mulled Spiced Apple Cider
If one drink could smell like Christmas, it would be this one. Cider warmed with cinnamon, star anise, orange and cranberries fills the house with a festive scent, and one pot serves six people.
| US | Metric |
|---|---|
| 4 cups apple cider | 1 litre |
| 1 orange, sliced | 1 orange |
| 3 cinnamon sticks | 3 sticks |
| 2 star anise | 2 pieces |
| 6 whole cloves | 6 cloves |
| 1 handful fresh cranberries | 60 g |
| 2 tablespoons maple syrup, optional | 30 ml, optional |
Combine everything in a large pan and warm on low heat for thirty minutes, never letting it boil. Stir in the maple syrup if you want it sweeter, then ladle into mugs with cranberries and an orange slice in each.
Meghan-style tip: Keep the pot on low heat so guests can help themselves. That is the secret to relaxed hosting.
4. Creamy Christmas Hot Chocolate
No Christmas list is complete without hot chocolate. Thick, creamy and made with real melted chocolate, it tastes like dessert in a mug and takes only fifteen minutes.
| US | Metric |
|---|---|
| 2 cups whole milk | 480 ml |
| 2 tablespoons cocoa powder | 12 g |
| 50 g dark chocolate, chopped | 50 g |
| 1 tablespoon sugar | 12 g |
| 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract | 2.5 ml |
| Whipped cream and marshmallows, to top | As you like |
Warm the milk until it steams, whisk in the cocoa and sugar, then stir in the chopped chocolate until melted. Add the vanilla, pour into mugs and top with whipped cream and marshmallows, plus a pinch of cinnamon.
Meghan-style tip: Set out toppings in small bowls and let everyone build their own mug.
5. Cranberry Christmas Sparkler
Every party needs one bright, cold drink. Ruby red, fizzy and free of alcohol, this sparkler suits everyone at the table, and frozen cranberries keep it cold and beautiful.
| US | Metric |
|---|---|
| 2 cups cranberry juice | 480 ml |
| 2 cups sparkling water or ginger ale | 480 ml |
| 1 orange, sliced | 1 orange |
| 4 rosemary sprigs | 4 sprigs |
| Frozen cranberries, to garnish | 1 handful |
| Ice cubes | As needed |
Chill the juice first so the sparkle lasts. Fill four glasses with ice, pour in half juice and half sparkling water or ginger ale, stir once, then garnish with orange, frozen cranberries and rosemary. Serve right away.
Meghan-style tip: Use your prettiest glasses. A simple drink looks like a celebration in a beautiful glass.
Benefits: These five drinks cover every guest: hot drinks for cold nights, a cold sparkler for balance, and alcohol-free choices throughout. Most need one pot or one mug, and the spices, citrus and cranberries give real festive flavour that you can sweeten to taste.
Allergen note and swaps: Almond milk contains tree nuts, so anyone with a nut allergy should swap it for oat milk, which works just as well. For dairy-free hot chocolate, use oat milk and dairy-free chocolate. Honey can be swapped for maple syrup for a vegan table. To cut sugar, reduce the syrup and honey and let the fruit sweeten. All drinks with alcohol have a no-alcohol version above, so no guest is left out.
Storage: Hot drinks taste best fresh, so make them just before serving. Leftover mulled cider keeps two to three days in the fridge and reheats gently. The almond base and the sparkler juice keep one day chilled, but always add sparkling water last, or the fizz will be gone.
Variations: Add fresh ginger to the cider for warmth, peppermint extract to the hot chocolate for a candy-cane twist, or pomegranate juice to the sparkler for deeper colour. A splash of amaretto suits the grown-up almond cocktail.
Key Takeaways
- Five festive drinks inspired by Meghan's warm, simple hosting style.
- Every drink has a no-alcohol option, so the whole table can join in.
- Most recipes need one pot or one mug and ten to forty minutes.
- Serve hot drinks in pretty mugs and cold drinks in your best glasses for instant celebration.
- Make the mulled cider ahead and let guests help themselves for the easiest party of all.
