Festive Holiday Skinny Cocktail (with no added sugar)

Holidays can be healthy with this festive holiday skinny cocktail made with tequila, orange juice, and sparkling cranberry juice as the base. In addition, take it to the next level with homemade cranberry and rosemary ice cubes. This cocktail recipe is going to be your holiday party go-to drink.

I know that cocktails can be filled with simple syrup, sugary flavored liquor, and sugar-rimmed martini glasses. I am here to tell you that you can enjoy festive drinks without extra sugar. In other words, you can be fun and festive yet healthy all at the same time. What a win-win, right?

My girls and I love a good tequila cocktail. Just give us a good quality tequila, sparkling water or club soda, and a lime and we are happy campers. I served this cocktail at my girl’s holiday craft night and it was a hit! I know it will be a favorite among your party guests, too. 

Why You Will Enjoy This Skinny Holiday Cocktail

It’s healthier. By making simple swaps, you can make a healthier and lighter martini without any guilt. For example, there is no excess sugar, only natural fruit juices sweeten this cocktail such as cranberry juice and orange juice. 

It’s delicious. Out of all of the festive cocktails I have had in my time, this is surely one of my favorites. That’s because the older I get, the less I enjoy sugary drinks. There’s nothing better than a fresh drink!

It’s the best drink for a party. I have served this at several holiday gatherings and my friends have appreciated a lighter holiday cocktail. They can enjoy a little holiday treat without processed sugar. 

It’s sharable. This is a wonderful holiday cocktail to share with a loved one during this time of year. I like to make this perfect cocktail for my husband and me while enjoying the fireplace and our beautiful Christmas tree. It’s one of those Christmas cocktail recipes that you enjoy while making memories.

It’s a feel-good kind of drink. You won’t get a headache after drinking this light cocktail. You’ll wake up feeling great the next day, I promise. (Unless you drink one too many martinis and then that’s on you, LOL.)

How to Serve This Cocktail

There are a few fun additions you may want to try to amp up the cocktail experience. Here are some of my recommendations.

​Find a cute martini glass to serve your drink in. You can hit up your local Marshals, Target, Walmart, or online at Amazon for festive drinkware. I don’t know about you but drinks taste better in a cute cup. Lol! 

Garnish the rim with your favorite holiday ingredients. You can do holiday sprinkles (if you don’t mind the sugar) or run a lime wedge around the rim right before serving.

Make my adorable fresh rosemary, cranberry, and filtered water ice cubes the night before. Simply place two ice cubes in each martini glass before serving them.

Have a plate of garnishes for your guests. They can choose from a variety of cut-up fruit such as lime wedges, apple slices, orange slices/peels, and fresh cranberries. or fresh rosemary sprigs.

Healthy Holiday Mocktail Alternative

​You can easily turn this into a wonderful mocktail recipe by omitting the tequila. How simple is that? I have made it for several pregnant girlfriends and they have enjoyed it. 

Ingredients for This Festive Holiday Skinny Cocktail

Tequila-Make sure to use high-quality tequila for the best result. I like to use Casamigos which is a smooth tequila that is found in most grocery stores. 

Orange juice-Find a high-quality orange juice that has no pulp for this recipe. The fresher the better, of course. 

Sparkling cranberry juice-Look for brands that have no added cane sugar and cranberry concentrate as the main ingredient. I also like to find brands with only a few simple ingredients. I find my favorite variety at Trader Joe’s.

Lime Juice-The only acceptable option is fresh juice from an actual lime. I promise you that it is a game changer using real, fresh lime juice. Don’t cut corners here. 

Ice-You’ve got to try my homemade cranberry and rosemary ice cubes for this cocktail. If you aren’t trying to impress anyone, regular ice will work. 

How To Make This Easy Cocktail Recipe

Step one: Make the ice cubes the night before. Grab an ice cube tray. Add 3-4 fresh cranberries and a small piece of fresh rosemary to each ice cube mold. Then, fill each mold to the top with filtered water. Carefully transfer the tray to the freezer overnight. 

Step two: Add 1/2 cup of regular ice, a shot of tequila, 1/2 cup of orange juice, and juice from one lime to a cocktail shaker. Give it a good shake for about 10 seconds. 

Step three: Place two cranberry and rosemary ice cubes into a martini glass. Next, pour 1/2 of the shaken mixture into the martini glass. 

Step four: Add sparkling cranberry juice until the glass is full. Give it a stir and serve immediately. You can make 2 martinis from this recipe. 

Tips + Modifications

Swap out the sparkling cranberry juice for a mixture of any of the following: sparkling water, cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, cranberry kombucha, ginger beer, and white cranberry juice.

Make this a mocktail by simply removing the tequila from the recipe. 

You can double the tequila shots if you desire. Since this recipe makes two martinis, you could definitely add another shot for a heavier drink. I tend to do this when I am only having one of these martinis.

Enjoy!

XOXO

Michelle