Healthy Holiday Cocktails: Low-Sugar, Low-Carb, and Full of Flavor

The holiday season is upon us, and it’s my most cherished time of the year. The holiday season is filled with joyful moments, delicious meals, and festive drinks. Now, if you’re anything like me, you love a good festive drink/cocktail! A good cocktail not only tastes great, but enhances the holiday experience by creating a sensory experience that evokes super cozy feelings and a sense of celebration. 

The reality for an individual with diabetes in a social setting, or even at home, is that they have to be cautious of what they eat and drink 24/7. This can be tricky and even a bit frustrating at times because of the constant need to keep their blood sugar balanced. Holiday cocktails can have a significant impact on blood sugar due to the sugary mixers, types of alcohol used, and even the amount that an individual consumes.

When blood sugar is too high, an individual may experience:

• Difficulty concentrating
• Blurred vision/vision problems
• Headaches
• Fatigue 
• Increased thirst/dehydration
• Mood changes
• Increased risk of infections
• Higher risk of heart attack or stroke

When blood sugar is too low, an individual may experience:

• Dizziness
• Loss of consciousness 
• Confusion
• Irribility 
• Shaking or trembling
• Slurred speech

A balanced blood sugar matters! Steady energy is maintained, clear thinking and mood stability are enhanced, kidneys are protected, nerves are protected, and risks of long-term complications are reduced. 

Let’s get into the good part: holiday cocktail recipes! These cocktails are diabetic-friendly, low in sugar, low in carbs, and full of flavor. Sip responsibly, courtesy of Making Sense of Diabetes and Eating Well.

RELATED: Your Favorite Holiday Cocktails Ranked Most Calories To Least

Holiday Cocktails Recipes

Low-sugar and sugar-free options:

No-Added-Sugar Sangria Mocktail

Carbs: 22 grams per serving

Fat: 0 grams per serving

Ingredients (makes eight drinks)

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• 1 orange, scrubbed, halved and sliced ¼-inch thick
• 1 small Gala apple, halved, cored and sliced ¼-inch thick
• 1 large lemon, scrubbed and sliced ¼-inch thick
• 4 (4-inch) fresh rosemary sprigs, plus more for garnish
• 3½ cups refrigerated 100% pomegranate juice
• ½ cup orange juice
• 2 (12-ounce) cans berry-flavored seltzer 
• Ice, for serving

Instructions

1. Remove any seeds from fruit slices, if necessary. Combine orange slices, apple slices, lemon slices and 4 rosemary sprigs in a large pitcher; gently muddle with a wooden spoon until the fruit releases juice, about 30 seconds. Stir in 3½ cups pomegranate juice and ½ cup orange juice. Refrigerate, uncovered, for at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
2. Just before serving, stir in 2 (12-ounce) cans seltzer. Serve in ice-filled glasses. Garnish with additional rosemary sprigs, if desired.

Sugar-Free Spicy Margarita

Ingredients (makes one drink)

• 4 oz. Swoon Margarita Mixer (zero sugar, zero calories) / or any zero sugar margarita mixer of your choice
• 2 oz. Tequila
• Jalapeno, sliced
• 1 oz. Lime juice (about 1/2 lime per drink)
• Citrus Jalapeno Margarita Salt (you can find this on Amazon)
• Ice to chill

Instructions

1. Squeeze the lime juice into a shaker and add the mix and tequila. Shake well.
2. Strain into a glass with ice.
3. Add jalapeno rounds to the glass and stir.
4. Line the rim with fresh lime juice and dip into the salt.
5. Garnish with fresh lime wedge or jalapeno for an extra kick.
6. Serve and enjoy!

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Low-carb cocktail options:

Santa’s Holiday Nog

Ingredients (makes one drink)

• Lemon wedge, for the sugared rim
• 1 mini candy cane, crushed, for the rim
• 1-1/2 ounces vodka
• 1 ounce Kahlúa coffee liqueur
• 1/4 cup of almond nog, such as Trader Joe’s
• 1/4 cup of unsweetened almond milk
• 1 mini candy cane, for the garnish

Instructions

1. Take a lemon slice and line the top of an old-fashioned glass with lemon juice, then dip in crushed candy cane to create an even candy cane rim on the glass. Set glass aside.
2. In a cocktail shaker with ice, add all remaining liquid ingredients and shake well. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass, being careful to avoid the glass rim. Garnish with the mini candy cane.

Cranberry Mimosa

Ingredients (makes two drinks)

• Freshly squeezed orange juice, for the sugared rim
• Stevia, for the rim
• Fresh cranberries, for garnish
• 4 ounces low-sugar or low-calorie cranberry juice, such as Ocean Spray Diet Cranberry Juice
• 2 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice
• 4 ounces sparkling wine

Instructions

1. Working with one glass at a time, wet the rim of a Champagne coupe or flute with orange juice, then dip in stevia to create an even sugared rim on each glass. Place 3-4 cranberries in each glass. Set glasses aside.
2. Dip rosemary sprigs in any remaining orange juice and roll into stevia. Set aside.
3. Combine the cranberry juice and 2 ounces of orange juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until cold, about 15 seconds. Strain evenly into the two glasses, being careful to avoid the sugared rim. Top each glass with 2 ounces of sparkling wine.
4. Garnish each glass with a sugared sprig of rosemary.

Note – To make this drink non-alcoholic, replace the sparkling wine with the same amount of sparkling water.

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Low-Carb White Russian

Carbs: 0 grams

Ingredients (makes one)

• 2 tablespoons of Torani sugar-free chocolate syrup 
• 3 ounces of heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract 
• 1 ounce chilled brewed espresso 
• 1 ½ ounce of vodka

Instructions

1. Use a cocktail shaker to combine all the ingredients.  
2. Add a moderate amount of ice and shake until it is chilled. 
3. Strain into a rocks glass and add ice.
4. Serve.

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Low-Carb Christmas Mule

Carbs: 0 grams

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces pear vodka
• 4 ounces diet ginger beer
• 1 cinnamon stick

Instructions

1. In a small saucepan, heat the ginger beer gently for a few minutes. It should reach a very low simmer, but not a boil.
2. Pour the vodka into a warmed Irish coffee glass or mug, then top with the warm ginger beer.
3. Drop a cinnamon stick into the glass.
4. Serve and enjoy!

Cozy Maple Orange Bourbon

Ingredients (makes one drink)

• 2 ounces bourbon
• Juice of 1/2 an orange
• 1/2 ounce sugar-free brown sugar cinnamon syrup, such as Torani
• 1/2 ounce zero sugar maple-flavored syrup, such as Lakanto
• Dash of orange bitters
• Sparkling water
• Sprig of rosemary
• 1-2 cinnamon sticks
• Dehydrated orange slice, optional, for garnish (see recipe note)

Instructions

1. In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine bourbon, orange juice, cinnamon, and maple-flavored syrups, and bitters. Shake until cold, about 15 seconds. Strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass. Top with sparkling water to taste.
2. Garnish with rosemary, cinnamon, and a dehydrated orange slice, if desired.

Note – To make this drink non-alcoholic, replace the bourbon with additional sparkling water.

Here are some substitutions to keep in your back pocket if you ever want to create your own healthy cocktails for the holiday:

• Low-carb or sugar-free mixers 
• Diet soda
• Flavored seltzer water
• Unsweetened almond milk

While managing your diabetes, I hope these holiday cocktails give you some inspiration. You don’t have to miss out on holiday celebrations and festivities. Cheers to healthy sips!