Cooking
Say Cheers to the Holidays With These Healthy Drink Recipes
Medically reviewed by
Stephanie Brown, MS, RD, LD
Written by
Heather Smith, RN, BSN
Published on
May 7, 2024
The holidays bring with it its own festive rotation of seasonal drinks. From a celebratory and sippable sparkling mocktail, to a rich and creamy dark hot chocolate, these recipes are sure to spark a glassful of joy.
Cranberry-Orange-Ginger Mocktail
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
1 Orange
1-inch piece Ginger
1/2 cup Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
16 ounces Seltzer
Instructions
Peel orange and cut into .5-inch pieces. Trim and discard skin of ginger, then halve.
Add orange, ginger, and ¼ cup of cranberries to a food processor or blender. Blend until mixture is very finely chopped.
Place a fine mesh strainer over a small bowl, then strain fruit mixture, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon. Mixture should yield about ⅓ cup of juice. Discard solids.
Add ice to 2 glasses. Divide cranberry-orange-ginger juice between prepared glasses, then top each with 8 ounces of seltzer.
Garnish with remaining cranberries. Cheers!
Mulled Cranberry Tea
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 Apple
2 Cinnamon Sticks
6 whole Cloves
8 cups Water
4 Cranberry Tea Bags
Instructions
Rinse apple. Thinly slice apple into ⅛-inch thick rounds. Discard seeds and stem. Set 4 apple slices aside for serving.
To a medium pot, add remaining apple slices, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add cranberry tea bags, remove pot from heat, and cover. Set aside to steep for 7 minutes.
Divide mulled cranberry tea among serving mugs and garnish with reserved apple slices. Enjoy!
Dark Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 cups Milk of your choice (we love Unsweetened Oat Milk or Unsweetened Almond Milk for this recipe!)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (optional)
Instructions
To a small pot, add cocoa powder, maple syrup, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup milk. Whisk until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.
Add remaining 1 ½ cups milk to pot with cocoa mixture and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and cocoa powder and cinnamon have dissolved, 5-7 minutes. Remove pot from heat and stir in vanilla extract (if using).
Divide dark hot chocolate between 2 mugs and enjoy!
The holidays bring with it its own festive rotation of seasonal drinks. From a celebratory and sippable sparkling mocktail, to a rich and creamy dark hot chocolate, these recipes are sure to spark a glassful of joy.
Cranberry-Orange-Ginger Mocktail
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
1 Orange
1-inch piece Ginger
1/2 cup Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
16 ounces Seltzer
Instructions
Peel orange and cut into .5-inch pieces. Trim and discard skin of ginger, then halve.
Add orange, ginger, and ¼ cup of cranberries to a food processor or blender. Blend until mixture is very finely chopped.
Place a fine mesh strainer over a small bowl, then strain fruit mixture, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon. Mixture should yield about ⅓ cup of juice. Discard solids.
Add ice to 2 glasses. Divide cranberry-orange-ginger juice between prepared glasses, then top each with 8 ounces of seltzer.
Garnish with remaining cranberries. Cheers!
Mulled Cranberry Tea
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 Apple
2 Cinnamon Sticks
6 whole Cloves
8 cups Water
4 Cranberry Tea Bags
Instructions
Rinse apple. Thinly slice apple into ⅛-inch thick rounds. Discard seeds and stem. Set 4 apple slices aside for serving.
To a medium pot, add remaining apple slices, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add cranberry tea bags, remove pot from heat, and cover. Set aside to steep for 7 minutes.
Divide mulled cranberry tea among serving mugs and garnish with reserved apple slices. Enjoy!
Dark Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 cups Milk of your choice (we love Unsweetened Oat Milk or Unsweetened Almond Milk for this recipe!)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (optional)
Instructions
To a small pot, add cocoa powder, maple syrup, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup milk. Whisk until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.
Add remaining 1 ½ cups milk to pot with cocoa mixture and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and cocoa powder and cinnamon have dissolved, 5-7 minutes. Remove pot from heat and stir in vanilla extract (if using).
Divide dark hot chocolate between 2 mugs and enjoy!
The holidays bring with it its own festive rotation of seasonal drinks. From a celebratory and sippable sparkling mocktail, to a rich and creamy dark hot chocolate, these recipes are sure to spark a glassful of joy.
Cranberry-Orange-Ginger Mocktail
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
1 Orange
1-inch piece Ginger
1/2 cup Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
16 ounces Seltzer
Instructions
Peel orange and cut into .5-inch pieces. Trim and discard skin of ginger, then halve.
Add orange, ginger, and ¼ cup of cranberries to a food processor or blender. Blend until mixture is very finely chopped.
Place a fine mesh strainer over a small bowl, then strain fruit mixture, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon. Mixture should yield about ⅓ cup of juice. Discard solids.
Add ice to 2 glasses. Divide cranberry-orange-ginger juice between prepared glasses, then top each with 8 ounces of seltzer.
Garnish with remaining cranberries. Cheers!
Mulled Cranberry Tea
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 Apple
2 Cinnamon Sticks
6 whole Cloves
8 cups Water
4 Cranberry Tea Bags
Instructions
Rinse apple. Thinly slice apple into ⅛-inch thick rounds. Discard seeds and stem. Set 4 apple slices aside for serving.
To a medium pot, add remaining apple slices, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add cranberry tea bags, remove pot from heat, and cover. Set aside to steep for 7 minutes.
Divide mulled cranberry tea among serving mugs and garnish with reserved apple slices. Enjoy!
Dark Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 cups Milk of your choice (we love Unsweetened Oat Milk or Unsweetened Almond Milk for this recipe!)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (optional)
Instructions
To a small pot, add cocoa powder, maple syrup, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup milk. Whisk until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.
Add remaining 1 ½ cups milk to pot with cocoa mixture and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and cocoa powder and cinnamon have dissolved, 5-7 minutes. Remove pot from heat and stir in vanilla extract (if using).
Divide dark hot chocolate between 2 mugs and enjoy!
The holidays bring with it its own festive rotation of seasonal drinks. From a celebratory and sippable sparkling mocktail, to a rich and creamy dark hot chocolate, these recipes are sure to spark a glassful of joy.
Cranberry-Orange-Ginger Mocktail
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
1 Orange
1-inch piece Ginger
1/2 cup Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
16 ounces Seltzer
Instructions
Peel orange and cut into .5-inch pieces. Trim and discard skin of ginger, then halve.
Add orange, ginger, and ¼ cup of cranberries to a food processor or blender. Blend until mixture is very finely chopped.
Place a fine mesh strainer over a small bowl, then strain fruit mixture, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon. Mixture should yield about ⅓ cup of juice. Discard solids.
Add ice to 2 glasses. Divide cranberry-orange-ginger juice between prepared glasses, then top each with 8 ounces of seltzer.
Garnish with remaining cranberries. Cheers!
Mulled Cranberry Tea
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 Apple
2 Cinnamon Sticks
6 whole Cloves
8 cups Water
4 Cranberry Tea Bags
Instructions
Rinse apple. Thinly slice apple into ⅛-inch thick rounds. Discard seeds and stem. Set 4 apple slices aside for serving.
To a medium pot, add remaining apple slices, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add cranberry tea bags, remove pot from heat, and cover. Set aside to steep for 7 minutes.
Divide mulled cranberry tea among serving mugs and garnish with reserved apple slices. Enjoy!
Dark Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 cups Milk of your choice (we love Unsweetened Oat Milk or Unsweetened Almond Milk for this recipe!)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (optional)
Instructions
To a small pot, add cocoa powder, maple syrup, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup milk. Whisk until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.
Add remaining 1 ½ cups milk to pot with cocoa mixture and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and cocoa powder and cinnamon have dissolved, 5-7 minutes. Remove pot from heat and stir in vanilla extract (if using).
Divide dark hot chocolate between 2 mugs and enjoy!
The holidays bring with it its own festive rotation of seasonal drinks. From a celebratory and sippable sparkling mocktail, to a rich and creamy dark hot chocolate, these recipes are sure to spark a glassful of joy.
Cranberry-Orange-Ginger Mocktail
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
1 Orange
1-inch piece Ginger
1/2 cup Fresh or Frozen Cranberries
16 ounces Seltzer
Instructions
Peel orange and cut into .5-inch pieces. Trim and discard skin of ginger, then halve.
Add orange, ginger, and ¼ cup of cranberries to a food processor or blender. Blend until mixture is very finely chopped.
Place a fine mesh strainer over a small bowl, then strain fruit mixture, pressing down firmly with the back of a spoon. Mixture should yield about ⅓ cup of juice. Discard solids.
Add ice to 2 glasses. Divide cranberry-orange-ginger juice between prepared glasses, then top each with 8 ounces of seltzer.
Garnish with remaining cranberries. Cheers!
Mulled Cranberry Tea
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
1 Apple
2 Cinnamon Sticks
6 whole Cloves
8 cups Water
4 Cranberry Tea Bags
Instructions
Rinse apple. Thinly slice apple into ⅛-inch thick rounds. Discard seeds and stem. Set 4 apple slices aside for serving.
To a medium pot, add remaining apple slices, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, and 8 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, add cranberry tea bags, remove pot from heat, and cover. Set aside to steep for 7 minutes.
Divide mulled cranberry tea among serving mugs and garnish with reserved apple slices. Enjoy!
Dark Hot Chocolate with Cinnamon
Yield: 2 servings
Ingredients
2 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
2 cups Milk of your choice (we love Unsweetened Oat Milk or Unsweetened Almond Milk for this recipe!)
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract (optional)
Instructions
To a small pot, add cocoa powder, maple syrup, cinnamon, and 1/2 cup milk. Whisk until thoroughly combined, about 1 minute.
Add remaining 1 ½ cups milk to pot with cocoa mixture and place over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is hot and cocoa powder and cinnamon have dissolved, 5-7 minutes. Remove pot from heat and stir in vanilla extract (if using).
Divide dark hot chocolate between 2 mugs and enjoy!
Sip and savor the holiday season.
Table of content