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8 New Year's Cocktail & Mocktail Recipes

By Crystal Baldwin

Delicious Holiday Cocktails & Mocktails 

#1 Cranberry Mistletoe Margarita

This takes the classic margarita and adds a hint of holiday and color with the cranberry juice.  You can add more or less to your liking but add some sugared cranberries to impress!  You can skip all of the work of a margarita if you want by using our Lush Margarita Mix and add a splash of cranberry (use Joyous white Sparkling wine for the AF version). 

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup Cranberry Juice-you can also use Cranberry Cocktail for a sweeter taste if you prefer and reduce simple syrup
  • 6 Ounces Silver Tequila
  • 4 Ounces Triple Sec
  • 1/4 Cup Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1-2 Shots Simple Syrup (to your taste) recipe below
  • Margarita Salt for glass rim (optional) or Sugar
  • Fresh Lime Wedges
  • Ice

Directions:

1. Blend cranberry juice, tequila, triple sec, lime juice and simple syrup together in a blender with ice (add 1 cup of ice at a time to avoid diluting)

2. Wet the rim of your glass with a lime wedge and dip into the margarita salt or sugar to trim your glass.

3. Pour your blended margarita into your prepared glass and garnish with sugared cranberries (recipe below).

*Note- for a margarita on the rocks, blend all the ingredients together in a shaker with ice and strain into a prepared glass with ice, garnish with sugared cranberries.

 

#2 Alcohol Free Cranberry Mistletoe Margarita

This takes the classic margarita and adds a hint of holiday and color with the cranberry juice.  You can add more or less to your liking but add some sugared cranberries to impress!  You can skip all of the work of a margarita if you want by using our Lush Margarita Mix and add a splash of cranberry (use Joyous white Sparkling wine for the AF version). 

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup Cranberry Juice-you can also use Cranberry Cocktail for a sweeter taste if you prefer and reduce simple syrup
  • 6 Ounces Ritual Zero Proof AF Tequila
  • 4 Ounces Orange Juice or Orange Floral Elixir
  • 1/4 Cup Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1-2 Shots Simple Syrup (to your taste)
  • Margarita Salt for glass rim (optional) or Sugar
  • Fresh Lime Wedges
  • Ice

Directions:

1. Blend cranberry juice, AF tequila, orange juice or orange floral elixir, lime juice and simple syrup together in a blender with ice (add 1 cup of ice at a time to avoid diluting)

2. Wet the rim of your glass with a lime wedge and dip into the margarita salt or sugar to trim your glass.

3. Pour your blended margarita into your prepared glass and garnish with sugared cranberries (recipe below).

*Note- for a margarita on the rocks, blend all the ingredients together in a shaker with ice and strain into a prepared glass with ice, garnish with sugared cranberries.

How to make decorative sugared Cranberries

Ingredients:

  • 1 Tablespoon Lime Juice
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 Cup Fresh Cranberries

Directions:

  1. In a bowl toss the cranberries with lime juice and then drain
  2. Next, toss with sugar to coat the cranberries and then spread them  out without touching on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
  3. Allow cranberries to dry until hardened.

To Garnish: Place a couple of sugared cranberries on top of your cocktail 

 

HOW TO MAKE SIMPLE SYRUP

Ingredients:

  • 1 Cup Organic Sugar
  • 1 Cup Water 
  1. It doesn't get easier than this...place the water and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil.
  2. Reduce heat and stir until the sugar dissolves and the water turns clear (may be slightly yellow with organic sugar).
  3. Remove from heat and let it cool before storing in a pour bottle in the fridge.  Mark it as simple syrup (so your guest don't think its liquor).

 

 #3 Pomegranate Aperol Spritz

This drink is a bit on the sweeter side with a little bitter punch from the Aperol.  You can adjust the sweetness and bitterness (see notes below) to your taste.  This makes a great punch if you are serving a larger group so you can avoid playing barkeep all night - just increase the amounts to create a punch mix.

Ingredients:

  • 6 Ounces Pomegranate Juice (or Cranberry Juice)
  • 6 Ounces Aperol
  • 4 Ounces Orange Juice or Orange Floral Elixir
  • 10 Ounces Prosecco
  • Orange Slices or Sugared Cranberries
  • 1-2 Ounces Simple Syrup (to taste)
  • Ice

Directions:

1. In a pitcher mix together the aperol, Pomegranate juice (or cranberry) then add in the prosecco and stir to mix well. Adjust to your taste.

2. Fill Wine glasses with the mix leaving a little room, add a dash of prosecco and garnish with orange slices and/or sugared cranberries.

*Note- to reduce overall sweetness of this drink, leave out the simple syrup and the orange floral elixir and reduce the orange juice to just a splash.  Also increase the prosecco and if using sweetened pomegranate juice reduce by 1-2 ounces. To reduce bitterness of the Aperitif - decrease to 3-4 ounces.

 

#4 Alcohol Free Pomegranate Aperol Spritz

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. In a pitcher mix together the Ritual Zero Proof Aperitif, Pomegranate juice (or cranberry), Orange juice or Orange Floral Elixir and Simple Syrup then add in the Joyus Sparkling White Wine and stir to mix well.

2. Fill Wine glasses with the AF Aperitif Spritz, add a dash of Joyus White Sparkling Wine  and garnish with orange slices and/or sugared cranberries

*Note- to reduce overall sweetness of this drink, leave out the simple syrup and the orange floral elixir and add just a splash of orange juice.  Also increase the sparkling wine and if using sweetened pomegranate juice reduce by 1-2 ounces. To reduce bitterness of the Aperitif - reduce to 3-4 ounces.

#5 Walnut Old Fashioned (or Cherry or Chocolate) 

A Strongwater Bitters Recipe

Ingredients:
  • 2 oz Bourbon or Rye whiskey
  • 1 Sugar Cube (or simple syrup)
  • 5 dashes Strongwater  Walnut bitters (or Cacao or Cherry)
  • Few dashes plain water
Preparation: 
  1. Place sugar cube in old fashioned glass and saturate with bitters
  2. Add a dash of plain water
  3. Muddle until dissolved
  4. Fill the glass with ice cubes and add whiskey, stir
  5. Garnish with orange slice and a cocktail cherry.
Served: On the rocks; poured over ice
Standard garnish: Cocktail cherry, Orange slice
Drinkware: Old Fashioned glass 
                                                                                  

#6 Ritual Zero Proof Alcohol Free Old Fashioned Recipe

Ingredients:
  • 2 ounces Ritual Zero Proof Whiskey Alternative
  • 1-2 dashes of Angostura or AF aromatic bitters (purchase my favorite AF bitters HERE )
  • 1/4 oz. of simple syrup or 1 sugar cube
  • 1 dash of water
  • Garnish: orange peel

    Directions

    1. Add simple syrup and bitters into an old fashioned glass and then add a dash of plain water (you can also use a sugar cube as your sweetener and saturate it with the bitters).

    2. Muddle and mix the ingredients.

    3. Fill glass with ice and add Ritual Zero Proof Whiskey Alternative.

    4. Stir for up to 1 minute.

    5. Garnish with an orange slice and cherry

     

    #7 Lemon Gin Buck

    This is a lovely, refreshing, light drink - not too sweet.  you can add a hint of sweetness if you want (see below) but this is definitely the lightest of all our drinks listed here.

    Ingredients:

    • 2 Ounces Gin
    • 4-6 Ounces Ginger Ale  (can use Ginger Syrup instead of soda)
    • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice (can use lime if you prefer)
    • Splash of Club Soda 
    • Lemon Wedge for garnish

    Directions: Combine all in a glass with ice, stir and enjoy.

    *Note - if you want a hint of sweetness, add 1/2 Tablespoon of simple syrup

     

    #8 Alcohol Free Lemon Gin Buck

    This is a lovely, refreshing, light drink - not too sweet.  you can add a hint of sweetness if you want (see below) but this is definitely the lightest of all our drinks listed here.

    Ingredients:

    • 2 Ounces Ritual Zero Proof Gin Alternative
    • 4-6 Ounces Ginger Ale  (can use ginger syrup instead of soda)
    • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice (can use lime if you prefer)
    • Splash of Club Soda
    • Lemon Wedge for garnish

    *Note - if you want a hint of sweetness, add 1/2 Tablespoon of simple syrup




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