“Champagne” Mocktail

The Mystery of the Mocktail

This “champagne” mocktail recipe has been on my mind for months, and finally has become a reality! I was hung up on the idea of creating a non-alcoholic version of a champagne cocktail for the holidays and New Years as an option for people who didn’t want to partake in a boozy concoction, but still get to have a fun drink in their hand, and could not think of what to add for the life of me!  I knew the base needed to be the sparkling apple cider we all know and love from our childhood, but every addition I could think of was too sweet. I wanted to make sure this was still adult-friendly, and not a sickly sweet substitute that still gives you a sugar hangover like a typical cocktail would. After Christmas, my fiance Matt and I were in the car on our way home from the grocery store  and I was going on about my struggles with conceptualizing this drink. I ran through all of my ideas and why they were terrible - a real joyous moment post-holidays. Between the two of us though, we finally landed on the exact ingredient we needed - iced tea!  We’ve started to see several booze-alternatives at the grocery store that are made with tea and are both huge fans (look for the beer-alternative made with green tea - I couldn’t recommend it more!). And it’s exactly what this cocktail needed, an ingredient that added flavor, but counterbalanced the sweetness with a bit of dryness just like a champagne would! From there, I started experimenting with other juices and garnishes  to round it out. The addition of pomegranate and rosemary really ground this drink and give it all the herby, fruity flavors you expect to have this time of year! I can say personally, I’ve drank several of these over the last couple weeks and they are so good.  Whether you’re looking for a celebratory drink during dry January or just need a good mid-week pick-me-up, this is for you!

Recipe Details

Like many of my drink recipes, this is incredibly easy. You’re able to grab most of the ingredients from the juice aisle at your grocery store, and then swing by the produce on your way out to grab a few sprigs of rosemary. Since this is meant to be a celebratory beverage, bring out the  celebratory glasses!  My  favorites are a champagne flute or a coupe glass.  Make sure all of your ingredients are chilled and pour each individually to the glass, finishing with the sparkling apple cider so the bubbles can stir everything for you.  Garnish with the rosemary sprig to feel extra #fancy and  you’ll be drinking in style! If you give this recipe a try I would love to know!  Tag me in your photos or let me know how you would make your “champagne” mocktail.  What genius ingredients have I missed?

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