This holiday season, don't let heavy cocktails weigh you down. You can toast joyous occasions with low-calorie cocktails without worrying about hidden sugars and excess calories!
The holiday season is a time for joy, laughter, and celebration. However, it often comes hand in hand with indulgent feasts and calorie-laden cocktails that can leave you feeling guilty and sluggish.
But fear not! You can still enjoy the merriment of the holidays while being mindful of your calorie intake.
By making a few simple swaps and being mindful of your ingredients, you can savor the festivities and enjoy guilt-free holiday cheer.
Cheers to health, happiness, and a deliciously light holiday season!
Learn the answers to some of the most asked questions about drinking alcohol!
The Hidden Calories and Sugar in Traditional Cocktails
It's no secret that traditional cocktails can pack a calorie punch due to their high sugar content and mixers. Here's a glimpse into some classic holiday favorites and their hidden calorie and sugar content:
- Eggnog: A creamy and comforting holiday drink, a single serving of store-bought eggnog can contain over 300 calories and 20 grams of sugar.
- White Russian: This coffee-flavored cocktail can clock in at around 500 calories due to the combination of vodka, coffee liqueur, and heavy cream.
- Mai Tai: A tropical delight, a typical Mai Tai can have up to 350 calories and 40 grams of sugar, largely from fruit juices and syrups.
- Irish Coffee: Combining whiskey, coffee, sugar, and cream, a single Irish coffee can contain roughly 250 calories and 12 grams of sugar.
- Piña Colada: This sweet and creamy cocktail can easily surpass 500 calories and contain a staggering 45 grams of sugar per serving.
Learn what sugar REALLY does to your body!
15 Low-Calorie Cocktails For Guilt-Free Holiday Cheer
1. Pomsettia
This poinsettia recipe contains antioxidants and flavor but is free from excessive calories.
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounces of vodka
- 2 ounces of 100% pomegranate juice
- 3 ounces of club soda
- 4 ice cubes
- 4 mint leaves
- 2 teaspoons of pomegranate arils
Instructions
- Mix the vodka, pomegranate juice, and club soda with ice in a cocktail shaker or mason jar with a lid.
- In the bottom of a glass, muddle 3 mint leaves with 1 teaspoon of pomegranate arils.
- Place the pomsettia mixture into the glass and garnish it with a mint leaf and pomegranate arils.
Servings: 1
2. Vegan Eggnog
This vegan eggnog recipe is highly nutritious, and when you can take out the rum or brandy, it's something the kids will love, too!
Ingredients
- 1 cup of raw cashews
- 3 Medjool dates
- 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
- Freshly grated nutmeg to taste
- 2 1/2 cups of water
- 1/2 cups of full-fat coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- Rum or brandy
Instructions
- Place the cashews, dates, cinnamon, and nutmeg into a NutraMilk or blender and blend well.
- Once the cashews have formed a paste, add the coconut milk, water, and vanilla.
- Blend again.
- Heat to serve, and add the rum or brandy.
Servings: 4
3. Carrot Mimosa
This carrot mimosa contains just two ingredients, is packed with vitamins, and is one of our favorite low-calorie cocktails.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of 100% pure carrot juice, chilled
- 1/2 cup of dry champagne, chilled
Instructions
- Add the carrot juice and champagne to a champagne glass.
- Garnish with carrot stems or parsley sprigs.
Servings: 1
4. Spiked Apple Cider
Baby, it's cold outside, so why not warm up with this spiked apple cider?
Ingredients
- ½ teaspoon of cloves
- 3 pieces of star anise
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 8 cups of apple cider
- 1 cup of rum or bourbon
- For the garnish, star anise, cinnamon sticks, or orange slices
Instructions
- Toast all of the spices in the bottom of a pot over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Turn the heat to low and simmer.
- Pour in the apple cider and bring the mixture to just barely bubbling.
- Set a timer for 30 minutes and reduce the heat to low.
- Skim off particulate that rises to the top of the pot using a mesh sieve or strainer.
- Add rum or bourbon to the mixture.
- Ladle the healthy holiday cocktail into 8 mugs.
- Garnish with star anise, cinnamon sticks, or orange slices.
Servings: 8
5. Apple Spiced Mimosas
Apple spiced mimosas are low-calorie cocktails that are packed with flavor without added sugar.
Ingredients
- Champagne and two champagne flutes
- 1 1/4 cups no-sugar-added apple juice
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- A pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)
- For the sugar rim, 1 1/4 tsp coconut palm sugar and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine apple juice, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- On a small plate, combine sugar rim ingredients.
- Dip the edge of a champagne flute lightly into apple juice.
- Roll in a circular motion around the edge of the flutes.
- Divide the apple juice mixture evenly amongst the flutes (about 1/2 flute each) and top with champagne.
- Serve immediately.
Servings: 2
6. Christmas Sangria
Wow your guests with this Christmas Sangria recipe that's easy to make, and you can even make it ahead of time so you can focus on the party.
Ingredients
- 1 bottle of pinot grigio
- 1/4 cup of apple cider
- 6 whole cranberries
- 6 cranberries cut in half
- 1/2 golden delicious apple, cut into chunks
- 8 sprigs of rosemary
Instructions
- Cut 6 cranberries in half and chop 1/2 of a golden delicious apple into chunks.
- Pour the pinot grigio into a pitcher or another serving container.
- Add in the cranberries, rosemary, and apple chunks.
- Let the Sangria chill for at least four hours before serving.
- Garnish each glass with a sprig of fresh rosemary.
Servings: 5
7. Watermelon Champagne Cocktail
This watermelon champagne cocktail is great for summertime but also makes for a bubbly, low-calorie cocktail great for holiday cheer.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup of champagne
- 1/2 cup of watermelon juice
- Splash of lime
Instructions
- Slice and puree the watermelon in a food processor or blender.
- Using a spoon, push the watermelon puree through a fine mesh strainer to remove all of the seeds.
- Add 1/2 cup of strained watermelon juice to a wine glass.
- Add a squeeze of the lime.
- Top the glass with champagne.
- Let the bubbly settle, and top it off again.
Servings: 1
8. The Vino Quencher
Take advantage of the vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants packed in the Vino Quencher.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of blackberries
- 1 cup of cantaloupe
- 1 bottle of red wine
- 1 cup of sparkling water
Instructions
- Fill each glass with ¼ cup of blackberries, ¼ cup of cantaloupe, and ¼ bottle of wine.
- Allow the mixture to sit for at least 10 to 15 minutes to infuse the wine and blackberries.
- Add the sparkling water right before serving.
Servings: 4
9. Green Garden Margarita
This season, try a unique, healthy holiday cocktail by preparing nutrient-dense, flavorful, green garden margaritas!
Ingredients
- 1.25 ounces of tequila
- 2 sprigs of fresh cilantro
- 4 slices of fresh cucumber
- 2 slices of fresh jalapeño
- 1 ounce of fresh lime juice
- 2 ounces of distilled water
- 2 packets of Splenda to taste
- Lime wedge (optional)
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a mixing glass with ice.
- Shake and serve this healthy holiday cocktail in an 8-ounce glass on the rocks.
- Garnish with a lime wedge.
Servings: 1
10. Low-Carb Mojito
Consider serving these low-carb mojitos at your next holiday gathering!
Ingredients
- 6 mint leaves
- 1.5 ounces of white rum or vodka
- 2 teaspoons of lime juice fresh
- 1.5 ounces of citrus club soda
Instructions
- Add the mint leaves to a cocktail glass.
- Muddle them for a few seconds to release the oils.
- Add ice, about halfway or to your preference.
- Add the rum or vodka, lime juice, and club soda.
- Stir for a few seconds and serve.
Servings: 1
11. Grapefruit Gin Fizz
This grapefruit gin fizz is lower in calories than many traditional festive drinks, and it's easy to make!
Ingredients
- 2 ounces of gin
- 2 ounces of grapefruit juice
- 2 ounces of club soda
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- Grapefruit slices for a garnish
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Pour the gin and grapefruit juice into a large glass or cocktail shaker and mix well.
- Add ice to your glasses.
- Place one rosemary sprig in each glass.
- Pour the gin mixture over the ice and add club soda.
- Garnish with the slices of grapefruit.
Servings: 1
12. Bloody Mary
A Bloody Mary is a healthy holiday drink because it contains just 120 calories per serving and is a source of antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals found in vegetables and their juices.
A red Bloody Mary with green celery, olives, or pickles are the perfect colors for the season! Consider this Bloody Mary recipe:
Ingredients
- 3 cups of tomato or vegetable juice
- 8 ounces of quality vodka
- 3 tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons of dill pickle juice
- 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons of lime juice
- 2 teaspoons of hot sauce to taste, optional
- ½ teaspoon of ground black pepper
- Ice
- Celery sticks for serving
- Pickles for serving
- Lemon slices for serving
- 4 olives for serving
- 1 tablespoon of kosher salt for the rim
- 1 teaspoon of chili powder for the rim
Instructions
- In a pitcher, stir together the tomato juice, vodka, Worcestershire sauce, pickle juice, lemon juice, lime juice, hot sauce, and black pepper.
- Taste and adjust the mixture accordingly.
- Mix together the kosher salt and chili powder on a small plate.
- Run a lemon or lime wedge around the rims of the drinking glasses.
- Dip the glasses in the salt-chili mixture.
- Divide the ice cubes among the glasses and fill them with the Bloody Mary mixture.
- Garnish each glass with celery.
- Add pickles, olives, and lime wedges on small skewers to the glasses as a garnish.
Servings: 4
13. Hard Alcohol with Club Soda
Club soda is calorie-free and contains no added sugar, which makes it an excellent mixer to add to healthy holiday drinks.
A 1.5-ounce portion of hard alcohol contains about 100 calories (give or take). Therefore, a mixed drink with club soda is a lower-calorie option than alcohol combined with sugary mixers.
14. Champagne
OK, champagne isn't technically a cocktail, but it is a lower-calorie alcoholic beverage, and fewer empty calories means a reduced risk of unwanted holiday weight gain.
A glass of champagne contains just 87 calories per glass. So, if you have a glass or two, you can still reap the benefits of guilt-free cheer!
15. Light Beer
Again, not a cocktail, but light beer is another lower-calorie option, especially compared to regular beer.
A 12-ounce serving of regular beer contains 153 calories, while the same portion of light beer provides just 103 calories.
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