It’s that time of year again! Cookies, cakes, pies, candy and other sugary treats are offered at every holiday party you are invited to. If you are the type of person to avoid these things during the holiday season to save room for better, more important things — like cocktails — then you came to the right place! Here is a list of five healthy holiday cocktails that will raise your holiday spirits but not your waistline.
Apple Cider Sangria
If you enjoy a more refreshing holiday cocktail to sip on while eating your favorite holiday foods then look no further! Apple Cider Sangria is an excellent and refreshing cocktail that will satisfy your taste buds. Not only is it delicious but you can prepare a big pitcher making it easy to refill your glass.
What you need:
- 1 bottle of white wine
- 2 1/2 cups fresh apple cider
- 1 cup of soda water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- ½ cup gluten free vodka
- 2 apples chopped
- 1 tbsp raw honey
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ cup pomegranate
- 1 orange chopped
Directions:
- Chop apple and oranges and place in the bottom of a pitcher with pomegranates.
- Add in cinnamon sticks, carbonated water, wine, cinnamon, and raw honey. Stir.
- Add in vodka (I start with 1/2 cup), mix and taste. Adjust as desired.
- Serve over ice!
Note: The longer Sangria sits the better! So prepare this refreshing recipe the night before so it makes for an easy pour.
Pumpkin Pear Chai Bourbon Smash (8 servings)
What better cocktail to serve at the dinner table than a Pumpkin Pear Chai Bourbon Smash. This cocktail will definitely make you feel cozy and warm once you take the first sip!
What you need:
Pumpkin Syrup:
- 1 cup water
- ½ pear (diced)
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 3 tbsp pumpkin puree
- 1 ½ inch chunk of peeled ginger (sliced)
- ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 chai tea bag
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Cocktail:
- 8 oz Bourbon
- 12 oz pumpkin syrup (recipe above)
- 8-12 oz club soda
- 8 pieces candied ginger
Directions:
- Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Once boiling, add in the pear, maple, pumpkin, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, and lemon juice. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat, add in the chai tea bag and vanilla, and let sit until fully cooled. Using a slotted spoon, remove the entire pear, ginger and tea bits and set aside.
- To make a cocktail, add the 1 oz bourbon, and 1 1/2 oz of the pumpkin syrup to a mixer with ice. Shake until well chilled, and then strain into a cup. Top with club soda and garnish with a piece of candied ginger.
Pomegranate Mojito
For all of the mojito lovers out there, this recipe is for you! It’s fun, festive, super easy to make and pretty healthy for you too! Don’t freak out about the amount of sugar listed, adding simple syrup is optional!
What you need:
For the simple Syrup:
(If you’d like to make your own simple syrup, this recipe makes around 1 3/4 cups)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
For the Mojito:
- 8 fresh mint leaves (plus more for garnish)
- 1/4 cup pomegranate seeds
- juice from 1 lime
- 3 oz Bacardi white rum
- 2 oz simple syrup
- 1 cup ice (might need more)
- soda water
Directions:
- Prepare simple syrup, by combining 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water and bringing it to a boil. Stir to let sugar dissolve and remove from heat. Let syrup cool.
- In a sturdy glass, add mint leaves, pomegranate seeds, lime juice, rum and simple syrup. With a muddler or a wooden spoon, muddle to extract juices from mint leaves and pomegranate seeds.
- Add ice to the glass and top with soda water. Garnish with more pomegranate seeds, mint leaves or lime wedges.
Cranberry Margarita
If you are a tequila fan, this decadent cranberry margarita is the perfect drink to serve at any holiday party. It has great festive colors and has a holiday twist to your classic margarita. It only takes about 10 minutes to make! Easy and convenient if you are hosting the perfect holiday party.
What you need:
- 1 1/2 cups cranberry juice (use 100% juice if you don’t want extra added sugar)
- 3/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 3/4 cup tequila
- 1/2 cup orange-flavored liqueur, such as Cointreau or Triple Sec
- ice cubes
Directions:
Stir all ingredients together until blended. Serve over ice in sugar- or salt-rimmed glasses, garnished with fresh cranberries and lime wedges if desired.
Reindeer Bubbles Cocktail
If you love festive decorations and activities during the most wonderful time of year than the Reindeer Bubbles Cocktail recipe is the perfect drink to sip on at the dinner table. Not only will it fancy your taste buds, but it is super easy and doesn’t require a lot of ingredients. This simple recipe will make it hard to turn down another glass.
What you need:
- champagne or Prosecco
- green rimming sugar
- pomegranate seeds
- pomegranate syrup (1/2 simple syrup* and 1/2 pomegranate juice)
**Simple syrup is reduced sugar so use ½ cup water and ½ cup sugar
Directions
- Take a small plate, and pour a drizzle of pomegranate syrup on the plate.
- Then, take another plate and pour some of the rimming sugar on it.
- “Dip” the rim of the champagne flute in the syrup so that it just coats the rim and does not drip down.
- Now dip the flute onto the sugar. It will line the glass with a green edge.
- Spoon a teaspoon of pomegranate seeds into the bottom of a champagne flute.
- Pour two teaspoons of pomegranate syrup over the top of them.
- Pop open the champagne and pour until the level is about a 1/2-inch below the sugar rim.
You might find that some of the ingredients in these recipes have some amazing health benefits: cranberries are high in nutrients, antioxidants, and can lower your risk for heart disease. Pomegranates are known as a super food giving you a great source of fiber and even reducing your risk for breast cancer and heart disease. Cinnamon has many anti-inflammatory effects and can lower your blood sugar levels. So now that you are less stressed about your calorie intake this season, raise your glass and make a toast to a healthy and happy holiday season. Cheers!
