Holiday Mocktails: 10 Great Recipes for a Holiday sans Hangover!

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So why even bother with holiday mocktails, you ask? The holidays are full of temptation. “Oh, just one more cookie before dinner; just one more helping of stuffing; oh, just one more little drinky-poo before bed…” – I can hear it all right now. Heck, I’ve said all of those things – and you probably have too! And sometimes, those temptations lead us astray.

Now, this is still a food blog. You don’t need us telling you that there are always risks involved with alcohol. We’ve all seen, heard about, or lived the cautionary tales associated with it. However it is that you’ve arrived at the decision to go sober – or remain sober – for the holidays; you own that choice. All we’re aiming to do here at Tasty Cue is to provide a few delightful alternatives to the traditional tipple with these ten easy holiday mocktail recipes.

A Note (Rant?) on Alcohol-Free Spirits

You’ll notice that the recipes below don’t contain any alcohol-free spirits. We’ve tested your standard alcohol-free rums, whiskeys, and tequilas; we’ve dillied with herbal concoctions; we’ve dallied with exotic tonics – and you know what? I desperately wish we hadn’t.

I think it’s safe to say that the technology just isn’t quite there yet… or something. Maybe at some point you got lucky and found one that agrees with you but our experience with them has been overwhelmingly bad. Just so, so bad.

Our only recommendation when it comes to alcohol-free spirits for holiday mocktails is to go for an alcohol-free vodka. It’s the spirit that tries to do the least. You’re not trying to mimic the barrel-aging of a whiskey; you’re not trying to recreate the complex botanicals of a gin; you’re just going for the taste of something that you can pretty much get over the counter at your pharmacy, and that, at least, is somewhat achievable.

And finally: you’re spending enough this holiday season – there’s no call for running up your “liquor” bill on fake gin that tastes remarkably like Pine-Sol (true story). We can have plenty of fun without your subtle notes of Christmas trees and ammonia, thank you very much!

What we’re really going for here is creating a feeling of inclusivity for those who are abstaining – or who are so grown up while still being relegated to the kiddie table. It is unfortunate that the options for fun “adult” drinks are so often assumed to be alcoholic, so this is our attempt at creating a way for you to have something in your hand during the holidays that looks fun and tastes great without having to relegate yourself to just drinking diet Coke or juice-boxes.

Seasonal Mocktail Recipes

Here are ten delightful mocktail recipes to elevate your holiday gatherings. These beverages are festive, flavorful, and perfect for toasting to the season!

Full disclosure: we tried out AI for these photos since we just don’t have very much fancy glassware and to save on costs for all the random garnishes. If yours don’t come out looking exactly the same – there’s your reason.

1. Cranberry Sparkler

Ingredients:

• 1 cup cranberry juice
• 1 cup sparkling water
• Fresh cranberries and rosemary for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a glass, combine cranberry juice and sparkling water.
2. Stir gently to mix.
3. Garnish with fresh cranberries and a sprig of rosemary.

2. Gingerbread Fizz

Ingredients:

• 1 cup ginger ale
• 1 tbsp molasses
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• Whipped cream (optional)
• Ground cinnamon for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a glass, mix ginger ale, molasses, and ground ginger.
2. Stir well and top with whipped cream if desired.
3. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon before serving.

3. Pomegranate Mule

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 1/2 cup ginger beer
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• Lime slices and pomegranate seeds for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a glass, combine pomegranate juice, ginger beer, and lime juice.
2. Stir to mix well.
3. Garnish with lime slices and pomegranate seeds.

4. Christmas Punch

Ingredients:

• 4 cups apple cider
• 2 cups cranberry juice
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cinnamon stick
• Orange slices and cranberries for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a large punch bowl, combine apple cider, cranberry juice, and orange juice.
2. Add the cinnamon stick and stir.
3. Serve over ice and garnish with orange slices and cranberries.

5. Holiday Mojito

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1 lime, juiced
• 1 tbsp sugar or honey
• 1 cup club soda
• Fresh cranberries for garnish

Instructions:

1. Muddle mint leaves, lime juice, and sugar in a glass.
2. Fill with ice and top with club soda.
3. Stir gently and garnish with fresh cranberries.

6. Spiced Orange Cooler

Ingredients:

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup sparkling water
• Orange slices for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a shaker, mix orange juice, nutmeg, and cinnamon.
2. Pour into a glass filled with ice.
3. Top with sparkling water and garnish with orange slices.

7. Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:

• 2 cups milk (or dairy-free alternative)
• 2 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp peppermint extract
• Whipped cream and crushed peppermint for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a saucepan, heat milk over medium heat.
2. Whisk in cocoa powder, sugar, and peppermint extract until combined.
3. Pour into mugs, top with whipped cream, and sprinkle with crushed peppermint.

8. Apple Cinnamon Mocktail

Ingredients:

• 1 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup sparkling water
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Apple slices and cinnamon stick for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a glass, mix apple cider, sparkling water, and ground cinnamon.
2. Stir well and pour over ice.
3. Garnish with apple slices and a cinnamon stick.

9. Berry Holiday Spritzer

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mixed berry juice (strawberry, raspberry, blueberry)
• 1 cup sparkling water
• Fresh berries for garnish

Instructions:

1. Combine mixed berry juice and sparkling water in a glass.
2. Stir gently to mix.
3. Garnish with fresh berries.

10. Coconut Eggnog Mocktail

Ingredients:

• 1 cup coconut milk
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Whipped cream for garnish

Instructions:

1. In a blender, combine coconut milk, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla extract. Blend until smooth.
2. Pour into a glass and top with whipped cream.
3. Sprinkle additional nutmeg or cinnamon for garnish.

Wrapping Up

Whatever your reasons, we hope that you get some enjoyment and/or some traction out of these holiday mocktails over the course of the season. We aimed to keep it none-too-complicated and budget friendly, and what’s not to like about that? Even if it’s just to serve to the kids so that they feel a bit more grown up, we’ll still take that as a win!

Much Love

Sidney and Thomas