These days, I have almost as much fun creating the beverage pairings as I do making the food menu! A wine that fits the mood, the craft beer that holds up to dinner's bold flavors, or a cocktail that is so tasty you forget to ask about dessert. I'm all about a good alcoholic beverage, but there are plenty of reasons to create sparkling cider mocktails. Sparkling cider is the perfect substitute to make a bubbly concoction that will leave you feeling light and healthy.
Videos by Wide Open Country
I may have outgrown the kids table, but I certainly haven't outgrown these bubbly favorites! All you need is your favorite juice, some homemade simple syrups, and a few beautiful garnishes to make these mocktails a holiday reality. And if you're really into boozing it up, you can always add a splash of vodka or gin to these, too!
1. Passionfruit and Lime Sparkling Cider Mocktail
This mocktail uses Martinelli's Apple-Pomegranate cider, which really adds to the fruity flavors of passionfruit juice and a touch of lime juice. Drink this one to ring in the New Years, or as an after-dinner treat at Thanksgiving.
Want to add even more of a festive touch to this sparkling apple cider mocktail? Add a spoonful of pomegranate seeds into each glass before serving.
2. Sparkling Honey and Lemon Cider
Honey and lemon are such a classic combination, and the bubbles in this non-alcoholic cocktail help carry those sweet-and-sour flavors throughout your palate. You won't miss the booze with this tasty drink!
3. Boozeless Sangria
Who doesn't love the homey flavors of sangria? The black tea and pomegranate juice do a great job of emulating the deep and slightly-bitter flavors of red wine and brandy.
Add some sparkling apple cider and you'll bubble your way to happiness with this non-alcoholic beverage.
4. Cran-Apple Cider
Go fancy with this one and serve this cranberry juice mocktail recipe up in a sugar-rimmed martini glass, or go classic and serve it in a tall glass over fresh ice garnished with some orange wedges. Either way, it'll look beautiful and feel fancy!
5. Fizzy Apple Cider Mocktail
Between the sage leaves and the freshly grated nutmeg, this drink epitomizes autumn so well you'll think you've fallen into a pile of leaves. Add a fresh apple wedge as a garnish to really amp up the apple flavors in this apple cider mocktail.
6. Ginger Cinnamon Mock-tini
Once you've made this ginger-cinnamon simple syrup, you might find yourself putting it in all your drink recipes! These flavors of fall really come together to make the perfect holiday treat.
7. Non-Alcoholic Mimosas
This "mockmosa" is kind of beautiful - it has the same bubbly deliciousness as the alcoholic mimosa, and it uses the same chilled orange juice. But it tastes so much lighter and healthier. You may never go back.
Serve this fun and festive mixed drink in a champagne flute for all of your non-drinking guests.
8. Asian Pear Sparkler
What makes this drink so special is the combination of rosemary, ginger, and nutmeg on top of pear and lemon juice. Add a little honey to sweeten it up and top it off with sparkling cider or sparking water and you'll be a happy camper.
9. Apple-Peach Mojito
How beautiful are these sparkling apple cider mocktails? This one features a tall glass full of fruits and fresh mint. Talk about the perfect after-dinner refresher. You'll feel like a breeze of summer air passed right through your holiday table!
10. Sparkling Cider and Thyme
I love cocktails that use a sprig of thyme as garnish. It brings a woody fragrance to the drink, making you feel like you're drinking it outside. No different with this flavorful mocktail, featuring sparkling cider and my favorite thyme sprig.
11. Baby Bellini
/BabyBellini-135621079-56a170715f9b58b7d0bf4d0e.jpg?resize=960%2C640&ssl=1)
The combination of peach and champagne in the Bellini is almost as popular as the orange juice Mimosa variety. We made ours a "baby" version by skipping the champagne entirely and opting for sparkling cider. As it turns out, it's a delicious choice!
12. Sparkling Cider Rainbow Sherbet Floats
Oh my gosh, sparkling cider and sherbet? Sign me up! This dessert meets mocktail is not only tasty, but the colors pop, making it really stand out at the table.
This mocktail recipe would also be delicious substituting out the sparkling apple cider for ginger ale and pouring it into a large punch bowl.
13. Sparkling Apple Tea
The combination of black tea, cinnamon, and orange juice is perfect for a fall brunch. Garnish with a cinnamon stick or even some cinnamon sugar to really make this drink scream autumn.
14. Sparkling Spice Kir Royale
The star-anise simple syrup really makes this drink quite unique. Any kind of sparkling cider will do, but we especially like adding some tart cranberry flavor from apple-cranberry.
15. French 75 Mocktail
This normally champagne and gin cocktail gets a mocktail makeover by using fresh lemon juice and tonic water. Top it off with some sparkling cider to bring out the fresh juice and top it off with rock candy swizzle sticks (because why not?).
16. Sparkling Blue Mocktail
Celebrate the frozen air outside during the holidays with this festively blue mocktail. Your favorite Hawaiian blue fruit punch is topped off with sparkling cider (and some blue sprinkles, if you really want to get into the icy spirit).
17. Crimson Bubbles Mocktail
This mocktail gets its perfectly red color from the combination of pomegranate and currants. When you top it off with the sparkling apple cider, it'll come alive with bubbles!
I don't know about you, but these holiday-themed mocktails are a great start. I think once I get through the holidays, I'll start working my way through this list of 20 Mocktails to get you through a dry-January.
