It doesn't have to be the first day of Christmas to enjoy this Partridge in a Pear Tree Cocktail. With spiced pear infused vodka, pear juice, lemon juice, honey and sparkling wine, it's crisp, refreshing and bubbly. The perfect festive drink for your next holiday gathering!
This post is sponsored by Shiner. All opinions are our own.
This cocktail is made by infusing vodka with fresh pears, vanilla, and warming ginger and cinnamon. The process is as simple as adding everything to a jar and waiting for about 3 days (or if you have the time, up to a week!).
When it's time to make your cocktail, all it takes is a bit of honey, lemon juice, some pear juice, and some of the infused vodka. The whole thing is topped off with some sparkling wine for a touch of fizz and elegance.
This cocktail is great for a Christmas party, but it's fancy enough that it works really well for New Years Eve, too! It's especially festive if you add a gold sugar rim.
This recipe is part of our 2025 Recipe Advent Calendar. If you're looking for another festive cocktail we featured in the series, try out Mistletoe Mojito.
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What You'll Need to Make This Cocktail
- Vodka is our spirit of choice for this cocktail. We use Shiner Vodka, which has a wonderfully light, slightly sweet flavor and bright citrus notes that pair perfectly with the pears. They’ve been perfecting their process for over a century, and it definitely shows!
- Pears: Bosc, Bartlett, or Anjou pears will all work in this recipe. It's best if they are ripe, but not too mushy. Just be sure to slice them up to expose as much surface area as possible to the vodka.
- Vanilla bean: If you can't find vanilla bean at the store, just replace it with a teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Ginger: You'll need fresh ginger instead of ground for the infusion.
- Cinnamon: Use a whole cinnamon stick instead of ground cinnamon.
- Pear juice: Pear juice can be a bit difficult to find at the store, but apple juice will work in its place.
- Honey: If you don't like the flavor of honey, use simple syrup, agave or maple syrup instead.
- Sparkling wine: This adds a bit of fizz and flavor to the finished cocktail. You can use Prosecco, Champagne, or Cava.
- Lemon juice: Freshly squeezed is always best!
How to Make the Infused Vodka
STEP 1: To a quart or liter-sized jar, add the sliced pears, vanilla bean seeds (and pod), ginger and cinnamon stick. Pour vodka over the top, making sure the ingredients are fully submerged. Seal the jar and let it infuse in a cool, dark place for at least 3 days, or up to 1 week. Gently shake the jar once or twice a day.
STEP 2: Once it’s infused to your liking, strain the vodka into a separate container through a fine mesh sieve. Press as much liquid through the sieve as possible. Keep the vodka stored in a cool, dark place at room temperature.
How to Make this Cocktail
STEP 1: In a cocktail shaker, whisk together the pear juice and honey until the honey is dissolved. Add in the infused vodka, lemon juice, and fill the cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Shake well for 10-15 seconds, then strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice.
STEP 2: Top off with sparkling wine. Optional: garnish with a pear slice. Enjoy!
Lexi and Beth's Best Tips and Tricks
- Let your vodka infuse for at least 3 days to ensure that the vodka has a chance to absorb the pear, cinnamon, vanilla and ginger flavor. If you have time, 5-7 days is ideal for maximum flavor!
- Dissolve the honey: Be sure to dissolve the honey with the pear juice in the cocktail shaker before adding the ice, or the honey won't dissolve properly.
- When you strain the infused vodka, press as much liquid out of the pears as possible. They hold quite a bit of liquid, so you'll want to make sure you're getting all of that flavor. If you end up with a lot of pear sediment in the strained vodka, strain it again through a few layers of cheesecloth.
- How to make a gold sugar rim: Dip the rim of your cocktail glass in honey, then coat it evenly in gold sanding sugar for festive flair.
More holiday cocktail recipes to enjoy...
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📖 Recipe
Partidge in a Pear Tree Cocktail
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
It doesn't have to be the first day of Christmas to enjoy this Partridge in a Pear Tree Cocktail. It's as crisp, refreshing, and delicious as a fresh pear, and it looks amazing, making it perfect for your next holiday party!
Ingredients
For the infused vodka:
- 3 cups Shiner Vodka
- 2 ripe pears, cored and thinly sliced (bosc, bartlett or anjou pears all work well)
- 1 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
- ¾ inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick
For one cocktail:
- 3 oz pear juice
- ½ oz pure honey
- 2 oz spiced vanilla pear infused vodka
- ½ oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 oz dry sparkling wine (chilled)
- Optional garnishes: gold sugar rim, thinly sliced pear
Instructions
To make the infused vodka:
- Use a sharp paring knife to split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise. Scrape out the vanilla bean seeds.
- To a quart or liter-sized jar, add the sliced pears, vanilla bean seeds (and pod), ginger and cinnamon stick. Pour vodka over the top, making sure the ingredients are fully submerged. Seal the jar and let it infuse in a cool, dark place for at least 3 days, or up to 1 week. Gently shake the jar once or twice a day.
- Once it’s infused to your liking, strain the vodka into a separate container through a fine mesh sieve. Press as much liquid through the sieve as possible. Keep the vodka stored in a cool, dark place at room temperature.
To make the cocktail:
- Optional: dip the rim of your glass in honey, then in gold sanding sugar.
- In a cocktail shaker, whisk together the pear juice and honey until the honey is dissolved. Add in the infused vodka, lemon juice, and fill the cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Shake well for 10-15 seconds, then strain into a cocktail glass filled with ice.
- Top off with sparkling wine. Optional: garnish with a pear slice. Enjoy!
Notes
Let your vodka infuse for at least 3 days to ensure that the vodka has a chance to absorb the pear, cinnamon, vanilla and ginger flavor. If you have time, 5-7 days is ideal for maximum flavor!
Dissolve the honey: Be sure to dissolve the honey with the pear juice in the cocktail shaker before adding the ice, or the honey won't dissolve properly.
When you strain the infused vodka, press as much liquid out of the pears as possible. They hold quite a bit of liquid, so you'll want to make sure you're getting all of that flavor. If you end up with a lot of pear sediment in the strained vodka, strain it again through a few layers of cheesecloth.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Cocktail
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cocktail
- Calories: 266
- Sugar: 20.2 g
- Sodium: 4.7 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 24.8 g
- Fiber: 1.4 g
- Protein: 0.4 g
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