6 Mocktail Recipes to Help Make Your Season Bright!
If you’re planning a holiday dinner, gathering, or party this season, consider enhancing your celebration with healthy, holiday mocktails.
Yes, mocktails.
Growing in popularity as more and more people cut down their alcohol consumption – about 1 in 3 adults according to recent data – mocktails (also called “zero proof” blended drinks) are in!
Holiday mocktails bring all the excitement of spirit-infused libations but without the unwanted effects of alcohol.
Spices, juices, plant milks, sparkling waters, natural sweeteners, and colorful garnishes are the raw materials for healthy and memorable holiday mocktail making. Here are six recipes to consider for your next gathering.
6 Easy Mocktail Recipes to Help Make Your Season Bright!
Warming Mulled Wine Mocktail
The deep red color of pomegranate juice offers the delightful color of wine, while the earthy spices deliver wintry warmth. Best of all, it’s super easy to make.
INGREDIENTS
- 6 cups unsweetened pomegranate juice
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1 large orange, sliced
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or coconut sugar if preferred)
- 8 whole cloves
- 3 cinnamon sticks
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine all the ingredients in a large pot and bring to an easy boil on medium heat.
- Reduce heat to low. Simmer for about 20 to 30 minutes (simmer for up to an hour if you have the time).
- Strain liquid and taste. If desired, add more maple syrup (or coconut sugar) by the tablespoon.
- Serve in mugs and garnish with cinnamon sticks and fresh oranges.
Makes about 4-5 one cup servings. You can easily double the recipe, if needed.
10-minute prep time. 30-minute cook time.
Refreshing Grapefruit Paloma Mocktail
Winter marks the peak season for grapefruit. This holiday paloma mocktail will offer your guests the bold and refreshing flavor (and health benefits!) of fresh grapefruit juice.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1½ – 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- Sparkling water
- Ice (preferably crushed)
- Sliced limes and grapefruit for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add the grapefruit juice, lime juice, and maple syrup to a festive glass and stir until well combined.
- Add crushed ice or ice cubes leaving a little room at top for a splash of sparkling water.
- Top off the glass with sparkling water, stir until mixed.
- Serve with a slice of lime and fresh grapefruit garnish.
Makes one serving. 5-minute prep time.
Vegan, Zero-Proof Eggnog
Vegans and teetotalers alike can enjoy this version of the holiday favorite. It takes a little time, but the results are so seasonably festive, it’s worth it!
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups plant milk (see below for a homemade almond-cashew milk recipe)
- 1 14-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
- 4-6 tablespoons pure maple syrup (feel free to substitute up to half with coconut sugar, if that’s your preference)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cardamom
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, and coconut whipped cream for garnish (see below for coconut whipped cream recipe)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Blend 3 cups plant milk (or homemade cashew-almond milk), coconut milk, pure maple syrup, cinnamon, ground nutmeg, vanilla extract, and cardamom on high until creamy and smooth (about 1-2 minutes). Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more spices for warmth or maple syrup for sweetness.
- For serving, enjoy cold over crushed ice or hot by heating over medium heat until warm.
- Pour in festive glasses if chilled or mug if warmed, top with coconut whipped cream and a pinch of cinnamon and/or nutmeg.
Makes 11 ½ cup servings. 10-minute prep time.
Chai Holiday Punch Mocktail
Perfect for a larger group, the chai tea and apple cider punctuated with the juices of cranberry and orange make this warm drink one to remember!
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups purified water
- 3 tablespoons chai tea leaves (roughly 4 black chai teabags)
- 8 cups apple cider or juice
- 2 cups unsweetened cranberry juice
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 4 sticks cinnamon
- 3 cloves
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Star anise (garnish)
INSTRUCTIONS
- Boil water in a medium-size saucepan. Remove from heat. Add tea bags. Cover and let steep for 5 minutes. Discard tea bags.
- In a 6- to 8-quart pot, combine apple cider, cranberry juice, orange juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and steeped chai tea. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Strain cinnamon sticks and cloves. Serve warm and garnish with star anise.
Makes 9 servings. 5-minute prep time. 30-minute cooking time.
Spicy Hot Chocolate Vegan Mocktail
Rich and creamy with a dash of spice, this mocktail delights the senses while providing cozy comfort. It’s also dairy free and refined sugar free!
INGREDIENTS
- 5 ½ cups unsweetened almond milk
- 2 ½ cups full-fat canned coconut milk (coconut water discarded)
- 4 ounces bittersweet (70% cacao) chocolate (stevia or coconut sugar sweetened), chopped
- 4 ounces baking dark chocolate or semi-sweet (60% cacao) chocolate (stevia or coconut sugar sweetened), chopped
- ½ tablespoon cinnamon
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ⅓ to ½ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup chocolate liquor (also known as cocoa mass or cocoa liquor, it’s an alcohol-free base for making chocolate.)
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- Monk-fruit sweetened marshmallows
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place all ingredients into a slow cooker. Whisk to blend cocoa powder.
- Cook on high setting for 1 hour. Stir often.
- After 1 hour, remove cinnamon sticks with a straining spoon, stir well, and then cook on low for another 1 or 2 hours, or until chocolate is completely melted.
- Stir in chocolate liquor then turn slow cooker down to warm.
- Serve marshmallows on top.
Makes 6-8 servings. 5-minute prep time. 2-hour cook time.
Blueberry Mojito Mocktail
This super healthy and celebratory mocktail is perfect for a fancy New Year’s Eve toast or festive party. Loaded with antioxidants, this mocktail is good for your brain and body too!
INGREDIENTS
- ⅓ cup unsweetened organic blueberry juice
- ½ cup sparkling water or club soda
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- Frozen blueberries for garnish and 8-10 leaves of mint to garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add mint leaves to a glass. Muddle to release flavor.
- Add lime juice, maple syrup, blueberry juice, and sparkling water to glass and stir until ingredients are well combined.
- Add ice and garnish with a handful of frozen blueberries and an additional mint leaf.
Makes one serving. 5-minute prep time.
Homemade Cashew-Almond Milk
Soak ¾ cup of plain raw cashews and ¾ cup of raw almonds overnight in cool water or cover with hot water and soak for 1 hour. Drain, rinse well, and blend in a high-speed blender with 4 cups of filtered water. Strain through a nut-milk bag (you can buy them online).
Coconut Whipped Cream
Dairy free and sugar free, this recipe takes about 10 minutes, yielding about a cup of whipped cream.
INGREDIENTS
- 8 ounces full-fat coconut milk (taking only the cream and leave the water)
- ½ teaspoon liquid stevia
- 1 tablespoon sugar-free confectioners’ sugar (monk fruit-sweetened works beautifully)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
- Place coconut cream into a stand mixer (hand mixer is okay too).
- Add all ingredients and beat on high speed until its consistency thickens (usually about 10-15 minutes).
- Refrigerate.
The Gift of Health
These healthy holiday mocktails show that indulgence and health really can coexist. Enjoy!
At BrainMD, we’re dedicated to providing the highest purity nutrients to improve your physical health and overall well-being. For more information about our full list of brain healthy supplements, please visit us at BrainMD.
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