Another Round; Easy & Elegant Christmas Mocktails

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By JENNY SMITH MATTFELDT Published December 21, 2024

I had so much fun creating Thanksgiving mocktails that I couldn’t resist doing another round for the holiday season! These Christmas mocktails are deliciously festive and perfect as-is, but if you’re feeling frisky, you can always add a little booze. Either way, they’re sure to be a good time.

Spiced Winter Sangria

Photo courtesy of Imma Eat That

This recipe takes a bit of prep, but the flavors are absolutely worth it. Start by roasting the fresh produce in the oven at 400°F for 30 minutes or more, allowing them to caramelize and develop a smooth, rich flavor. While the produce is baking, heat up the fruit juices and steep chai tea bags in the warm liquid to infuse it with spicy, aromatic notes. Once everything is ready, combine the roasted produce with the tea-infused juice and let it chill in the fridge overnight, giving the flavors time to meld into a perfectly balanced drink. Add the sparkling water just before serving.

2 - sliced oranges

2 - sliced grapefruits

1 - cup cranberries

1 - 16 oz pomegranate juice

1 - cup orange juice

2 - chai tea bags

2 - 12 oz cans of grapefruit sparkling water

Garnish with cinnamon sticks, anise stars, and fresh cranberries.

Cranberry Apple Fizz

Photo courtesy of The Fit Cookie

If you’re a martini girl, this one’s for you. It delivers a tart, refreshing finish almost like a cosmo, with the added bonus of ginger for a touch of warmth and some health benefits. (And if you’re one of my morning sickness girls right now, the ginger might help slightly ease your nausea.) My fav tip: pop your martini glasses in the freezer beforehand, the secret to a truly great cocktail is starting with a perfectly chilled glass.

For the Drink:

1 ½ cups sparkling apple juice or cider

2 cups cranberry juice of your choice

1 inch of peeled ginger juiced you could also buy a ginger immunity shot at the grocery store and add to taste

For the Sugared Cranberries:

Toss cranberries in a drizzle of maple syrup then toss in sugar

Brown Sugar Mule

Photo courtesy of My Bartender

This one is simple but so satisfying, perfect for ginger beer lovers like me. To make the brown sugar simple syrup, combine equal parts brown sugar and water with a dash of vanilla in a pan over medium heat. Let it simmer and meld together for about 10 minutes, then pour it into a glass container to store in the fridge for future use. When you’re ready to enjoy, mix everything together and garnish with a lime wedge, a sprig of mint, or cinnamon stick.

½ oz brown sugar simple syrup

½ oz lime juice

5 oz ginger beer

Garnish with lime wedge and cinnamon stick

Midnight Mocha

Photo courtesy of Entirely Elizabeth

This non-alcoholic take on an espresso martini is decadent and hits all the right notes, minus the booze. To make the vanilla simple syrup, follow the same method as the brown sugar syrup above, combine equal parts white sugar and water over medium heat, adding a teaspoon (or more) of vanilla extract. You can use classic aromatic bitters but I opted for chocolate bitters, which adds an another chocolately layer . Shake everything together with ice just like a traditional martini and pour into a chilled glass. Finish it off with a few espresso beans on top for that perfect, sophisticated look.

4 ounces espresso

2 oz heavy whipping cream

2 oz vanilla simple syrup

Pinch salt

Bitters of choice

Garnish with a cocoa powder sugar rim and classic coffee beans on top

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