14 Guilt-Free Holiday Drinks

Staying in may be the better option if the rain continues to cloud up our weekends, but that doesn’t mean we can’t still have fun. Take this as the perfect opportunity to call up a few girlfriends (and/or boyfriends) and shake things up a bit (literally) by concocting your own fall-inspired cocktails! Avoid the heavy syrups and barley-infused drinks that deceivingly are hidden in most of the pretty and pink cosmos or pumpkin-orange brews served at the bars. Here, I’ve included an array of guilt-free drinks that should satisfy both your taste buds, headaches and waistline. No one wants to calorie-count during the multiple turkey dinners approaching.

Rise N’ Shine, Properly:

A Lil’ Skinny Apple Fizz

Mommy’s kind of apple juice.

Courtesy: Skinny Confidential

Ingredients:

• One shot of vodka (or three) — Treat yourself, and don’t hate yourself in the morning.
• Splash of real apple juice
• Splash of ginger beer or ginger ale
• Sparkling water to top off
• Pinch of pumpkin pie spice

Shake the vodka and apple juice together, pour over ice, top with the ginger beer or ale and sparkling water, garnish with an apple slice and some of that good-good pumpkin pie spice. Enjoy!  

Chipotle Bloody Mary

For the savory people.

Courtesy: Lipgloss and Crayons

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup of lime juice
• 2 tbsp. of horseradish
• 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tbsp. of Chipotle Tabasco Sauce
• 60 oz. of tomato juice
• Salt and pepper to taste
• However much vodka your holiday heart desires. Have a GOOD-morning!

Combine all ingredients in a pitcher, chill for an hour, add vodka, serve and enjoy!

Over the Moon

Wake up reFRESHed.

Courtesy: Pinterest

Ingredients:

• 4 to 5 blackberries.
• 1 to 2 thyme sprigs.
• 2 oz. vodka.
• ¾ oz. honey syrup, which is 2 parts wildflower honey to 1 part water.
• ¾ cup fresh lemon juice.

Lightly muddle the black berries and thyme sprigs, then add the vodka, honey syrup and lemon juice in a mixing tin. Add ice and then shake vigorously until very cold. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass, garnish with a lemon wheel skewered with a blackberry and thyme sprig! Very pretty.

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere:

Fall Affair

Fall in love with the sophistication.

Courtesy: Market Watch Magazine

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. Voli Orange Vanilla.
• ½ oz. lemon juice.
• 1 oz. apple cider.
• 2 dashes of bitters.
• Garnish with a dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, sliced lemon and a mint leaf.

Shake all ingredients together, strain and serve over ice. Garnish with the dash of cinnamon, nutmeg, sliced lemon and the mint leaf! Approximately 125 calories.

Skinny Cranberry Punch

Because sharing is caring.

Courtesy: Skinny Mom

Ingredients (serves 15):

• 1 lemon, sliced
• ½ cup lemon juice
• ½ cup Splenda
• 64 oz. light cranberry juice cocktail
• 28 oz. diet ginger-ale
• 1 cup pineapple juice

Make sure all liquid ingredients are well chilled; maybe freeze ahead of time and remove right before making the punch. Combine everything in a punch bowl or pitcher, except for the lemons. Stir in Splenda until dissolved, serve over ice and garnish with lemon slices! Approximately 72 calories per serving (8oz).

Mulled Wine

Ironic.

Courtesy: Crave DFW

Ingredients:

• 1 bottle of Skinnygirl Red Wine
• 3 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
• 1 tbsp. of cloves
• 3 star anise
• 1 whole nutmeg, cracked into two pieces
• 1 orange peel
• Agave nectar to taste

Pour wine into pan, and cook over low heat. Make a sachet with the spices and put it in the pan to simmer for 30 minutes. Add agave nectar to taste. Pour wine through the strainer and serve in a heatproof glass. Garnish with a cinnamon stick and an orange peel!

I Prefer Dessert First:

Candy Cane Martini

One of the four main food groups.

Courtesy: AZ Wine

Ingredients:

• 1 part Skinnygirl Bare Naked Vodka.
• 1 part Peppermint Schnapps.
• 1 part fat-free sweetened condensed milk.
• 1 mini candy cane for garnish.

Shake liquids with ice, strain into a martini glass, garnish with the candy cane, and start sippin’!

Pumpkin Spice

For all you basic people.

Courtesy: Pinterest

Ingredients:

• 1.5 parts Skinnygirl Bare Naked Vodka
• 1 part canned unsweetened pumpkin
• ¾ part fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• ¾ part unsweetened almond milk
• ½ tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
• A dollop of fat-free whipped cream

Shake all of the ingredients together, strain into a martini glass, and garnish with fat-free whipped cream and a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice!

The French Apple

For those who J’adore boozy apple pies, and feeling like Kanye. 

Courtesy: Shape

Ingredients:

• ½ oz. Hennessy V.S.
• ½ oz. Zubrowka Bison Grass Vodka.
• 1 oz. apple cider.
• 2 dashes of angostura bitters.
• Fresh grated cinnamon.

Combine all, stir well until chilled, and top with grated cinnamon and an apple fan.

Gingerbread Martini with Simple Syrup

So the doll’s a little creepy…

Courtesy: Lip Gloss and Crayons

Ingredients: Simple Syrup:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup Sweet ‘n Low
• 1 tbsp. molasses
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. ginger
• ½ tsp. cloves
• ½ tsp allspice

Combine all and stir in small pot over low heat, bringing to a boil. Lower heat, and allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Once cooled, it can be stored in glass jars or used immediately.

Ingredients: Martini (Serves 2):

• 2 jiggers of simple syrup
• ½ cup skim milk
• 2 jiggers of light vanilla vodka

Combine and shake with ice, serve and enjoy!

Perfect For Your Night-Caps:

Nutty Espresso

Nuts!

Courtesy: She Knows

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 oz. Voli Espresso Vanilla
• ¼ oz. Frangelico

Shake all ingredients together, strain or serve over ice. Approximately 106 calories.

Espresso Kiss

Depressant, stimulant, repeat.

Courtesy: Dish Maps

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 Voli Espresso Vanilla
• 2/3 oz. Irish Cream Liqueur

Shake all ingredients together, strain or serve over ice. Approximately 110 calories.

Honey, Honey Toddy

Nutritious and delicious.

Courtesy: Community Table

Ingredients:

• 1 part Red Stag by Jim Beam Honey Tea
• 1 bag Honey Lemon Ginseng Green Tea
• 1 lemon wedge
• 1 tbsp. of honey

Pour bourbon and honey into a pre-heated coffee mug, add tea bag, and fill with steaming water. Steep to desired level, remove tea bag, then squeeze the lemon wedge and garnish with the lemon. Stir with a cinnamon stick.

End the Year on a High Note:

The Countdown

The perfect inhibitor for that New Year’s kiss.

Courtesy: Shape

Ingredients:

• 2 oz. CIROC Coconut
• 1 oz. coconut water
• .75 oz. pomegranate juice
• 1.5 oz. champagne
• Garnish with an orange twist and pomegranate seeds.

Mix and stir everything and hold the champagne until ready to top off. Garnish with the orange twist and sprinkle a few pomegranate seeds!

Courtesy: Reddit

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