Drink Recipes for Imbolc
Imbibe cleansing, renewing energy and get ready for the fresh start of spring with these drink recipes for Imbolc. A cross quarter day halfway to Spring, Imbolc (also called Candlemas) is a day of purification and hope, beckoning the return of light. From lemon-centric herbal concoctions (the perfect Imbolc ingredient), to warming, insightful drinks, these Imbolc recipes are sure-fire way to welcome the return of the light. Learn a bit about the magic of this time, as well as beverages to fill your cup and renew your positivity.
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About Imbolc
The halfway point between the Winter Solstice and Spring Equinox, Imbolc is a cross quarter day that celebrates the promise of Spring and the spirit of renewal. From fall to winter, the hours of daylight wane and the hours of darkness and night grow—a perfect cocoon for rest and transformation. But now at Imbolc, we steadily notice the hours of daylight once again growing. Now is the time for purification – to cleanse and renew the spirit, and invoke hope of the return of light. Also called Candlemas, candles are often lit as an Imbolc ritual to help beckon the light of spring back. Similarly, the lighting of candles at this time is also a symbol of hope, purification, and renewal.
While many cultures celebrate the turn of the season, Imbolc on the Wheel of the Year hails from the Celts. The goddess Brigid (a goddess of many things—creativity, fire/smith craft, poetry, and healing among them) is celebrated at this time, integrated into Christianity as St. Brigid’s day. Meaning “in the belly,” Imbolc carries the promise of coming growth and likewise, many witches also bless seeds (both literal and metaphorical) as an Imbolc ritual at this time.
Celebrate the reawakening and stirring of the Earth after winter. Light candles for purification and to guide the light back. Bless seeds for prosperity and growth. Imbolc celebrates the coming of Spring, eagerly ushering the transition back to daylight.
Like any holiday, Imbolc celebrations are often accompanied with a feast. Uncover what ingredients will make a magical addition to your recipes for Imbolc!
Ingredients for Imbolc Recipes
For any celebration, there’s a plethora of correspondences to choose from. Here are a few of my personal favorite ingredients for Imbolc drinks. A cross between winter and spring, but highly in anticipation of Spring, many of these ingredients are also great for Ostara or the spring equinox. For Imbolc celebrations, focus on incorporating elements that cleanse and inspire growth, as well as renew your sense of hope and positivity.
There’s a plethora of ingredients that help makeup traditional imbolc foods and drinks. For an easy Imbolc recipe, try adding one or two of these to your favorite recipes!
Lemon
Lemon is my top favorite ingredient for Imbolc, whether for homemade cleansing washes, renewing Imbolc drinks and dishes, or in spells. Associated with the moon (Imbolc falls around the Lunar New Year in 2024) and associated with both cleansing and positivity, lemon is a perfect Imbolc ingredient.
Milk, Cream, & Poppy Seed
Many pagans and witches enjoy poppy seed as an Imbolc and spring ingredient. While milk, cream, and cheese in general is great for Imbolc recipes for nurturing, poppy seed milk is a traditional Imbolc food. In Poland (or at least, in my Slavic family) we tend to drink poppy seed milk and treats during Christmas. Combining these two traditions, I made a lavender and jasmine poppy seed recipe in my book Moon, Magic, Mixology.
Cleansing & Renewing Herbs
Think rosemary (also sacred to Brigid), bay leaf, or even basil. An evergreen shrub with cleansing, mind-harmonizing associations, rosemary is another perfect Imbolc ingredient. Depending on your location, you might even consider bay leaf or mint for renewal and purification in an Imbolc ritual or recipe. While basil tends to be a summer herb, many incorporate it into Imbolc festivities and recipes. Basil is also great for prosperity, protection, and opening the heart (perfect for Valentine’s Day!).
First Buds & Dried Flowers
Consider what early buds arise at this time (depending on where you are), such as violet. Dried flowers, such as lavender for purification and peace, or even rose are also great ingredients for recipes for Imbolc. Flowers can be a great touch for hope, and also pre-celebrating the coming of spring.
More Imbolc Ingredients to Consider:
- Like basil, blackberry is another summer ingredient that many incorporate into their Imbolc celebrations. This is because blackberry is often associated with the goddess Brigid, and utilized to inspire healing, prosperity, and sensuality.
- A symbol of rebirth, eggs are great ingredients for Imbolc. Whether an egg white for an imbolc drink recipe, or a baked good, cracking an egg is a perfect Imbolc ritual for rebirth and you can reuse the shell in protection spells or powders, as your new ideas take flight.
- Sugar or honey for sweetening. While bees are not quite active yet, a touch of honey (associated with the sun) can sweeten your disposition and bring memories of buzzing bees and forthcoming sunny spring days.
- Salt for cleansing (think salted-rim drinks with Imbolc herbs!).
- As an occasion that means “in the belly” and is often also used as a time to bless seeds, all kinds of seeds, oats, and grains make great choice for recipes for Imbolc.
The perfect ingredient for Imbolc recipes is one you consider cleansing, rejuvenating, and inspires hope and renewal for you! Flavor is often tied to our childhood experiences, and very personal. Don’t be afraid to go against the grain, and integrate what speaks to you!
Drink Recipes for Imbolc
With ingredients covered, it’s time to explore some drink recipes for Imbolc! Below you will find a few sections: Imbolc drink recipes from my books, and ones I suggest from the blog. Between all these recipes, I have no doubt you will feel inspired to craft the perfect Candlemas cocktail or mocktail for your Imbolc celebrations!
Drink Recipes for Imbolc From My Books
(Or Skip to Blog Recipes Below)
My books Moon, Magic, Mixology, and WitchCraft Cocktails are filled with guidance on how to make magical drinks, and recipes aligned to everything bewitching–including some great recipes for Imbolc! See what recipes I suggest from my books (if you have them) below, or skip on to Imbolc recipes from the blog further down below.
Fire of
Inspiration
From WitchCraft Cocktails
With cinnamon, lavender, and jasmine-cinnamon honey syrup, this hot toddy Imbolc recipe is designed to stoke one’s creativity and inner fire in the midst of these winters months.
Uncrossing
Mint Julep
From WitchCraft Cocktails
With cleansing, hex-breaking ingredients like nettle, hyssop, lime and juniper-based gin, this Uncrossing Mint Julep is perfect for an Imbolc drink to purifying your energy.
Imbolc Cleansing
Lemon Drop
From WitchCraft Cocktails
What better way to cleanse than with Lemon? Inspired by Imbolc, this bay leaf, orange, lemon, and (optional) eucalyptus drink is a great choice for an Imbolc recipe.
Imbolc Recipes
from Moon, Magic, Mixology
- Violet Liqueur
- Lunar Purification Potion
- February Moon Gimlet
- Salty Moon Potion
- October Moon Reviver
Imbolc Recipes
from WitchCraft Cocktails
- Blackberry Shrub
- Paloma Potion
- Good Mood Mimosa
- Revitalizing Tequila Sunrise
- Puryifying Vodka Collins
Drink Recipes for Imbolc from the Blog
With refreshing herbal, honey cocktails, to warming spiced drinks, here are drink recipes for Imbolc (both cocktail and mocktail/nonalcoholic options) to help you cleanse away the winter, renew your inner light, and welcome the coming Spring.
Calming Chamomile Moon Drink
Cocktail & Mocktail
Chamomile, Rose, Maple, Cardamom, Cinnamon, Rosemary, Lemon, Apple, Optional Vodka
For those still clinging to winter vibes, this chamomile & rose drink is the perfect Imbolc drink for you! With spices and brightening herbs, this Chamomile Moon Drink mixes the spiced comfort of winter, with the refreshing of spring for love, healing, and purification—a perfect feel good recipe for Imbolc.
Blackberry Rose Coffee Concoction
Cocktail & Mocktail
Blackberry, Cardamom, Rose, Vanilla, Coffee, Almond, Optional Vodka
With blackberry’s association with the goddess Brigid (one of the goddesses celebrated at this time), and cream being an Imbolc ingredient favorite, this Blackberry rose drink also makes a great Imbolc recipe. Featuring cardamom, rose, vanilla, and almond flavors, this is a great way to invoke the incoming abundance, sensuality and energy of spring for coffee lovers!
Rhubarb Lemondrop
Cocktail
Rhubarb, Lemon, Vodka, Orange
Highlighting cleansing & rejuvenating lemon, a lemon drop is a perfect Imbolc cocktail recipe! Check out this rhubarb variation for a pink option (with a little rhubarb crescent moon—perfect for the Lunar New Year), which is not just great for purification and rejuvenation, but also for a tad of passion with the following Valentine’s Day.
Clearing Throat Chakra Concoction
Cocktail & Mocktail
Mint, Sage, Peppermint, Lemon,Blue Curacao/orange, Elderflower, Optional Vodka or Gin
Clear your mind, energy, and any communication blues with this blue, herbal, elderflower concoction. One of my lemon-centric recipes for Imbolc, packed with purifying herbs, elevated with orange and floral elderflower, it’s a great cleansing recipe for Imbolc, as well as to celebrate the upcoming seasons of Spring and Summer.
Evergreen Gimlet
Cocktail & Mocktail
Bay Leaf, Grapefruit, Rosemary, Lime, Elderflower, Optional Gin
Cleanse and refresh your energy and your taste buds, with this Evergreen Gimlet! With ingredients like purifying gin (juniper) rosemary, and bayleaf, with the uplifting hint of grapefruit and elderflower liqueur, this is makes a great choice for an Imbolc drink.
Maple Gin Hot Toddy
Cocktail & Mocktail
Rosemary, Sage, Maple, Lemon, Gin
Connect to your inner light and warmth with this hot toddy drink recipe for Imbolc. With sage, rosemary, lemon, and maple (and an optional addition of gin for your choice of a cocktail or mocktail), this magically delicious beverage is packed with intention for purifying away old energy, while inspiring some introspection, wisdom, and healing.
Virgo Moonjito
Cocktail & Mocktail
Mint, Earl Grey, Lemon, Soda Water, Optional Rye Whiskey
While it may not be virgo season, this earl grey, rosemary, and mint Irish lemon mojito is perfect for clarity and cleansing this Imbolc. Whether looking to usher in a fresh start, or get some clarity on some ideas, this drink recipe is a great choice for Imbolc. The blog includes a sidebar on how to make this recipe nonalcoholic!
Mokosh Cocktail
Cocktail & Mocktail
Cucumber, Honey, Dill, Poppy, Apple, Lemon, Optional Vodka and Red Wine
Sip up the youthful, peaceful energy of Imbolc, and invoke the coming spring with this herbal and refreshing cucumber, dill, and honey concoction. This makes a great Imbolc drink recipe to connect to the reinvigorating, healing energy of this time, and cleanse away the winter.
Juniper & Jupiter
Cocktail
Rosemary, Ginger, Nutmeg, Clove, Honey, Lemon, Rosewater, Gin
Cleanse away the winter stagnancy, and align to the spiritual energies of the Imbolc with this crisp, refreshing, and spiced bees knees variation, originally crafted for the wise, cleansing energies of Sagittarius. With purifying rosemary, invigorating ginger, spices like nutmeg and clove along with honey to help heighten spiritual energies and invoke wisdom – this bees knees variation is a great crisp cocktail for cleansing and spiritual alignment at Imblc. For a similar, nonalcoholic version of this drink, check out Sag Spiced Honey Lemonade.
Champagne Julep
Cocktail
Sage, Mint, Rosemary, Lime, Angostura, Bourbon, Anise, Sparkling Wine
With the Aquarius season, the individuality, freedom, and creativity of this sign is in perfect alignment with Imbolc’s purifying energies. Packed with sage, mint, and rosemary, this Aquarius-inspired cocktail makes a great, light and elevating drink for Imbolc, to help liberate your mind and body from old ties, and elevate your consciousness.
Celebrate with these Recipes for Imbolc
The celebration of Imbolc offers a perfect opportunity to imbibe cleansing, renewing energy and connect to seasonal rhythms. Through incorporating Imbolc-themed ingredients such as cleansing herbs and reinvigorating lemon, you can welcome the return of light and renew your energy from the inside, out. Whether it’s a warming and insightful Imbolc drink, or a citrus Candlemas cocktail with purifying herbs, these Imbolc recipes will help you embody the spirit of rebirth and renewal. Raise a glass to new beginnings and revitalized spirits with these invigorating recipes for Imbolc!
Valentine’s Day is right around the corner!
Celebrate with a perfect love potion.
If you’re in the Northern Hemisphere, this means Valentine’s Day is right around the corner! Find the perfect potion to celebrate the love in your life (whether yourself, friends, or a loved one!).
Prepare for the Next Sabbat:
Ostara
Once you’ve enjoyed some delicious drink recipes for Imbolc, the next Sabbat is Ostara! Welcome the tide of spring growth by celebrating the season in a glass. Check out my suggestions here.
