Festive Do-Ahead Cocktail Garnishes That'll Totally Impress Your Guests

With all the elaborate festive meals around the holiday season, it's good to have a few items to prep early and get out of the way. Holiday drinks can get as creative as the food, and one way to easily spruce them up is with unique garnishes. Jessie-Sierra Ross, a former ballerina turned cooking and home entertaining author of "Seasons Around the Table; Effortless Entertaining with Floral Tablescapes & Seasonal Recipes" gave Daily Meal several great ideas for innovative cocktail garnishes that can be prepped beforehand. These garnishes will give your drinks quick and easy festive flair.

While some garnishes, like those that contain fresh fruit, are best prepped just before a party, Jessie-Sierra suggests using frozen berries, edible flowers, and dried citrus wheels as do-ahead garnishes. Easy to prepare beforehand and great for infusing flavors and aromas, these simple add-ons make drinks more playful or elegant, depending on how you use them. She also points out that it's important to source your cocktail garnishes carefully, especially when it comes to blooms. 

"Please be aware and stay away from using any pesticide-laden florist or grocery store flowers. These flowers are treated with chemicals that aren't for consumption. You can often find edible flowers that are safe to use in the fresh herb section of your local market, or you can buy them online for quick shipment," says Jessie-Sierra. These versatile cocktail garnishes can generally be prepped up to three days in advance.

Berries are a great garnish option because of how aesthetically pleasing they are while also adding a sweet-tangy flavor and crunchy texture. Plus, you are spoiled for choice and can pick up berries that best complement your festive cocktails. Making them into a garnish is easy. "Take fresh blackberries, strawberries, cranberries, or blueberries, then skewer several berries onto a metal or bamboo cocktail stick. Place several finished skewers on a small baking sheet without touching each other and freeze solid," says Jessie-Sierra Ross.

It's possible to prepare frozen berry skewers up to three days in advance. "These frosty berries are a terrific garnish placed right on top of a martini or coupe glass rim. As they defrost, the berries frost up with condensation for a really pretty effect," Jessie-Sierra explains. You can also dunk the skewers into the cocktail so the berries act like decorative ice cubes and also give the drinker a boozy nibble between sips. For a striking visual effect use berries that contrast the color of your holiday season cocktails.

To really make your guests feel special, top your festive cocktails with edible flowers. Used correctly, flowers can make even the simplest drinks look elegant. What you have to be most careful of is ensuring the flowers are suitable to eat. "You can use blooms as an edible garnish to any cocktail, but be sure that you are buying edible, food-safe flowers from a reputable farmer or dealer," advises Jessie-Sierra Ross. You can pick your own edible flowers if you're sure they haven't been exposed to any chemicals. It's also crucial to know which flowers can be harmful if consumed, some common ones being lilies, daffodils, rhododendrons, and azaleas.

Again, there are lots of options available. Per Jessie-Sierra, "Flower varieties like French lavender, marigolds, and cosmos are beautiful when used as drink garnishes." Others include chamomile, carnation, pansy, and viola. Edible flowers will remain fresh for up to three days when refrigerated in a covered container. Since blooms are more for visual glamor, look for other ways to spruce up your cocktails flavor-wise. A simple yet unexpected ingredient can upgrade your holiday eggnog, which you can then garnish with a chamomile flower for a dainty, elegant drink.

Another do-ahead garnish that makes drinks look particularly upscale is dried citrus wheels. They're also easy to make at home using a food dehydrator or air fryer. "Wash and dry several limes, oranges, and lemons," Jessie-Sierra Ross instructs. "Slice them very thinly with a sharp knife, then lay the citrus rounds on your food dehydrator (or air-fryer) trays, and set to dry overnight."

Since these wheels are homemade and preservative-free, it's best to store them away from the sun and in an airtight bag. Dried citrus wheels have a longer shelf life than both frozen berries and edible flowers, so make a large batch in one go. They also add a deep flavor and are great in steaming mugs of cold-weather drinks. Mulled wine is a great candidate for a dried citrus wheel. Another great festive drink idea is a DIY hot chocolate bar at your next party with dried orange wheels on the side for garnish and flavor.

Not all cocktail garnishes are meant to be prepped in advance. "Any fresh fruit, vegetable, or herb garnish is best prepared right before the party starts," advises Jessie-Sierra Ross. Such ingredients should be kept in the refrigerator until they're ready to serve to ensure they remain fresh and free from potential bacteria formation.

Fresh garnishes add punchy flavor and aroma as well as bright colors to drinks. To make the garnish prep manageable, use a mix of do-ahead and freshly prepped ingredients. Many of Jessie-Sierra's favorite garnishes work equally well in non-alcoholic drinks. "I love using fresh strawberries as a garnish on the glass rim or placed below the ice cube layer, and tender green herbs can be used for a fragrant topper too," says Jessie-Sierra. "Stems of fresh rosemary can be added to a holiday mocktail, and micro basil makes a delicate garnish to a glass of fizzy watermelon lemonade." Even regular year-round cocktails can be given a sense of occasion with such simple and vibrant garnishes.