You’ve planned an NYE party and as host, you’re in charge of the drinks. We have rounded up 12 cocktails and mocktails with a healthy twist for you to sip and share while ringing in the new year!
Daquiri
Sweetened with strawberries, Daiquiris are popular with most females and can also be served as an after-dinner drink!
Cocktail
Mocktail
Ingredients:
6 fresh strawberries hulled
½ teaspoon of lime juice
1 fl oz light rum
¼ teaspoon orange extract
Ice cubes optional
Sugar-free liquid sweetener if needed
2 large strawberries, hulled
2 tablespoons stevia (or any other sugar alternative of your choice)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
180ml chilled lemonade
4 cubes of ice
Method:
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Add ice for a long drink.
Add liquid sweetener if preferred.
In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.
Pour into your favourite fancy glass to serve.
Gin and Tonic
For those who dislike sweet drinks, then the classic Gin & Tonic is perfect for them. The mocktail version is actually more aromatic than the cocktail version and, we must say that we kinda got hooked onto it! Best part is that even the cocktail version is low in sugar and calories…but beware over-drinking it!
Cocktail
Mocktail
Ingredients:
2 ounces gin
4 to 5 ounces tonic water (or soda water)
Garnish: lime wedge
3 cup of water
¼ cup whole juniper berries
1 teaspoon of anise seed
½ teaspoon coriander seed
½ lemon, peel only
¼ grapefruit, peel only
½ cup sugar
tonic water (or soda water)
Method:
Gather the ingredients.
In a highball glass filled with ice cubes, pour the gin then top it with tonic.
Next stir well.
Lastly, garnish with a lime wedge.
In a small pan, gently toast the juniper berries, anise and coriander seed until golden brown and fragrant.
Then, grind the spices in a coffee grinder, mortar, and pestle, or in a ziplock and smash it with a rolling pin.
To a medium sized pot add the water, lemon peel, grapefruit peel, ground spices and sugar. Bring this mixture to a boil and reduce to a simmer for at least 15 minutes.
Let this mixture rest at room temperature for 4 hours. Strain out the solids and store the juniper infusion in the fridge in a covered glass jar.
When ready to serve, fill a glass with ice, add a splash of the juniper infusion, tonic and a squeeze of lime! Adjust the juniper amount and add it to taste.
Moscow Mule
If gin isn’t your alcohol of choice, then this zesty Moscow Mule will definitely be something that you’d like. It isn’t too sweet either, so everyone will be able to enjoy it before dinner is served! It is almost like a mojito but with vodka as the base.
Cocktail
Mocktail
Ingredients:
2 oz. vodka
½ oz. lime juice
6 oz. ginger beer
1 lime (1-2 tablespoons juice, fresh is best)
1 tablespoon simple syrup (or stevia solution)
¼ cup club soda
3-4 mint leaves (torn, optional)
¾ cup ginger beer
crushed ice
Method:
Squeeze lime juice into a glass (or mug) and drop in the spent rind.
Add 2 or 3 ice cubes, then pour in the vodka and fill with cold ginger beer.
Serve with a stirring rod.
At the bottom of a cup, pour juice from lime, simple syrup and club soda.
Add mint leaves if desired.
Then fill the cup about halfway with ice.
Next pour about ¾ cup of ginger beer over the ice.
Garnish with mint leaves and a lime wedge if desired, and serve.
The Healthy Twist: Make this drink healthier by mixing the ginger beer with soda water to dilute it for a less sugary option.
Martini
This is Bond’s favourite – shaken, not stirred. But fret not…we’re doing the more classic versions! As as classics go, it will always be a favourite with everyone! For those with a sweet tooth, you can always flavour the martinis with fruit juice or fruit juice concentrates.
Place ½ cup sugar, 2 cups water, and sliced ginger (your preferred amount) in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.
Reduce heat to low, and simmer ginger for about 30 minutes, or until tender.
Strain ginger, reserving syrup.
Then pour the syrup into a drink container with a lid, and refrigerate until cool. The syrup can be made several days ahead.
For a mocktail, stir ingredients together and pour over a glass with ice.
Gimlet
This is by far, one of the easiest drinks to mix and uses very similar ingredients as the Moscow Mule. Thus, your guests can decide whether they want vodka or gin as their alcohol base!
Cocktail
Mocktail
Ingredients:
60 ml gin
30 ml fresh lime juice
15 ml sugar syrup (1:1) or stevia syrup
2 dry Soda
1 oz grapefruit juice
2 oz sparkling limeade
Mint to garnish
Method:
Fill a glass with ice
Add the gin, fresh lime juice and sugar syrup
Shake and strain into a chilled coupe glass
Lastly, garnish with a lime wheel
Pour all the ingredients in a glass over ice and stir, muddling mint as you stir.