The holiday season is full of opportunities to celebrate with friends and family. And whether you’re serving up a delicious brunch or a dessert buffet, we have a unique cocktail recipe for you. Say goodbye to hum-drum and say hello to bacon-infused vodka with a giant hunk of waffle on the side. Or the easiest apple pie you’ve ever made, that also happens to fit in a mug. Do we have your attention yet?
Oh, and if you happen to be looking for a less labor-intensive way to try out these festive cocktails (or you just need to get everyone out of the house!) we’ll make it easy on you. Just stop by the Lodge Lounge. Our first two drinks are also featured on the breakfast menu at Traditions.
The Waffled Breakfastini
If you’re looking to turn heads, we think this one will do it. It’s a fascinating combination of sweet, creamy, and salty. We recommend making your own waffles (and your own bacon-infused vodka!) but in a pinch store-bought will certainly do. We served our maple syrup shot on the side as a bonus, but feel free to drizzle yours right on top before serving.
- Ice
- 1.5 oz Bacon-Infused Vodka (We’ll tell you how to make your own below!)
- .5 oz Buttershots Butterscotch Schnapps Liqueur
- .5 oz White Creme de Cacao
- Cream
- 1/4 Waffle
- Maple Syrup
- Optional: Bacon Pieces and Bacon Dust” for Rim of Glass (See below for a simple “how-to”)
- Pour vodka, Buttershots, Creme de Cacao, and cream into a shaker filled with ice (Don’t have a shaker? Try a large mason jar with a lid.)
- Shake until combined
- Straining ice, pour liquid into martini glass, rimmed with bacon dust
- Garnish with 1/4 of waffle and bacon pieces
- Drizzle with maple syrup or serve on the side
- Pour vodka into a large pitcher or several mason jars, keeping the bottle for later use. Add cooked bacon to the vodka, allowing it to infuse for six hours, minimum
- Remove bacon strips. Cover pitcher with plastic wrap and place it in the freezer overnight
- The next day, skim hardened fat from the top of the vodka. Set a funnel over the bottle and a piece of cheesecloth over the funnel; strain the infused vodka back into the bottle and close securely
- In a food processor or strong blender, pulverize one piece of cooked bacon into “dust”
Bacon Bloody Mary
Here’s another cocktail sure to add a little spice to your brunch menu. We’ve dressed up a classic with bacon-infused vodka and plenty of savory garnishes.
- Ice
- 1.5 Bacon-Infused Vodka (See Breakfastini for a DIY recipe)
- Bloody Mary Mix
- Optional Garnishes: Skewers of Cooked Bacon, Lemon and Lime Slices, Green Olives
- Fill glass with ice
- Pour vodka over ice
- Top with Bloody Mary Mix
- Enjoy!
The Spiced Holidayrita
The classic margarita may never go out of style, but why not give it a holiday spin with hints of orange and spices? Whether you choose to make your own spiced syrup or buy it at the store, it can be your little secret.
- Ice
- 1.5oz Herradura Tequila Reposado
- Spiced Orange Syrup (Homemade by our chefs, try [url href=”http://www.marthastewart.com/313365/spice-infused-simple-syrup”]this recipe[/url] with some additional orange peel to make your own.)
- 1/2 Lemon, Juiced
- 1/2 Lime, Juiced
- Optional Garnishes: Orange peel, Allspice
- Pour tequila, syrup, and juices into an ice-filled shaker (Don’t have a shaker? Try a large mason jar with a lid.)
- Shake until combined
- Pour into glass and add optional garnishes and serve
Hot Apple Pie
If you, like me, are truly a dessert-lover then any cocktail with a little whipped cream on top has your heart. This simple and festive cocktail could stand in as an adult-only dessert or serve to warm up chilly guests as they arrive.
- 2 oz Jose Cuervo Cinge Cinnamon Tequila
- Hot Apple Cider (We hear [url href=”http://www.abeautifulmess.com/2011/10/spiced-apple-cider-recipe.html”]this recipe [/url]is good)
- Whipped Cream
- Cinnamon Stick
- Pour tequila into mug or heat-safe glass
- Add hot cider
- Top with whipped cream and cinnamon stick
What’s your favorite holiday cocktail? Would you rather make your own or stop by the Lodge Lounge and leave it to a professional? If you give any of these a try, we’d love to hear about it! Comment with your pictures or tag them with #makinghistoryblog
Your bacon and waffles recipe looks awesome! My question is: for the bacon infused vodka, how much vodka is used and how many strips of bacon?? Thanks!
David
Hi David, Thanks for stopping by! You can certainly adjust depending on your taste preferences, but for an average sized-bottle of vodka you’ll need 4-6 slices of bacon.