Skinny Holiday Cocktails

You’re looking for the perfect holiday cocktail for a holiday party, for girl’s night, or for taking the edge off of a long Thursday.

You know where to come.

Maybe it’s due to my short stint as a bartender, maybe it’s my slight cocktail A.D.D., or maybe it’s the fact that my signature skinny margarita isn’t exactly festive for the holidays: I like to make the holidays brighter with cocktails of the season.

And obviously, I’d prefer to leave the high fat content and sugar calories out of it.

I’ve compiled several of my favorite skinny holiday cocktail recipes for those of you over 21. Do I have to tell you to drink responsibly?

Spiked Almond Joy Hot Cocoa via Hungry Girl

 This baby’s got only 124 calories, 0g fat, 160mg sodium, 12g carbs, 1g fiber, 10g sugars, 2g protein per serving.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. (3 tbsp.) coconut rum
1 packet Swiss Miss Sensible Sweets Diet Hot Cocoa Mix
1 drop almond extract
Optional: Fat Free Reddi-wip

 

Directions:
1. Prepare cocoa with 3/4 cup hot water according to package instructions.
2. Add the rum and one drop almond extract.
3. Stir and top with a generous squirt of Reddi-wip.

Just try it and tell me it’s not delicious. I dare you.

Skinny Peppermint Mojito

This is one of my favorite tricks – all you need to do is sub peppermint extract for lime and add some pretty mint garnishes.

Ingredients:
4 limes, cut into wedges
1/2 cup crushed mint leaves, plus 4 sprigs for garnish
1/4 cup Splenda (or sweetener of choice)
1 drop peppermint extract (a little goes a long way here)
16 oz lime sparkling water
6 oz white rum
Optional: candy cane/crushed peppermints/lime juice for garnish
Ice cubes

Directions:
1. Optional garnish: Dip glass rims in lime juice. Place crushed peppermint on a plate and dip sticky glass rims into the peppermint to cover
2. In a pitcher, place lime wedges, mint leaves, sugar and extract. Mash mint, sugar and peppermint extract into limes with a muddler or wooden spoon to release juice and blend flavors
3. Stir in sparkling water and rum
4. Divide evenly among 4 glasses filled with ice; garnish with mint sprigs and a candy cane.

Winter Wonderland Peppermintini via HungryGirl

  Each one of these has 125 calories, 1.5g fat, 10mg sodium, 3g carbs, 0g fiber, 0g sugars, and 0g protein.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. (3 tbsp.) 80-proof vodka
2 tsp. Coffee-mate Sugar Free French Vanilla powdered creamer
1 no-calorie sweetener packet (like Splenda)
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
1 small candy cane for garnish
Ice cubes

Directions:
1. Place powdered creamer and sweetener in a glass. Add 1/4 cup warm water and stir to dissolve.
2. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice cubes. Add creamer mixture, vodka, and peppermint extract. Cover and shake well, until mixture is cold (if you don’t have a shaker, use two cups).
3. Strain into a martini glass. Garnish with a candy cane.

Is that not the cutest cocktail in the whole world?

Hot Mulled Wine

I think I could drink this every day for the rest of my life. There’s something about it that screams “Christmas” to me. This recipe makes 6 servings.

Ingredients
6 Tbsp Splenda or sweetener of your choice
1/4 cup water
6 cups dry red wine (I like Cabernet in this)
10 whole cloves
~6 orange slices
~6 lemon slices
4-5 cinnamon sticks
1/4 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
(photo source)

Directions
1. Add all ingredients except wine to saucepan and heat slowly, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved.
2. Stir in wine and continue heating until steaming (don’t let it boil).
3. Strain into 6 heated mugs.

OR, If you’d like to heat in the crockpot, cook on high for 2 hours or on low for 4.

Now, go impress all your friends at all your holiday parties. They’ll be so jealous of how skinny you stay during the holidays while you’re sippin’ on these delicious dranks.

What’s your favorite skinny holiday cocktail?

Tagged as: low-calorie holiday cocktails, lowfat holiday cocktails, skinny holiday cocktail recipes