The holiday season approaches—a magical time filled with shopping lists, visiting in-laws, and an endless parade of holiday parties. The most wonderful time of the year is stressful enough as is. Why not give yourself and your body a breather by working some non-alcoholic options into your holiday drink repertoire? These three zero proof cocktails—ranging from fizzy and refreshing to warm and aromatic—will put you in the holiday spirit, without the spirits. That way you can still enjoy a festive cocktail, without contributing to your holiday fatigue. Even amid the excesses of the season, there’s always the option to make a healthier choice.
RITUAL ZERO PROOF HOLIDAY FIZZ
This vibrant mocktail is a festive twist on the classic gin fizz. The rosemary and cranberry capture the taste and aroma of the holidays in a glass. In our NA version, we substitute our gin replacement for the liquor, without losing the bite. That way you can enjoy as many as you like and still be able to hang up holiday decorations safely.
Ingredients:
2 oz. Ritual Gin Alternative
2 oz. Fever Tree Tonic
Cranberry and rosemary Sprig for garnish
Instructions:
Fill glass with ice. Pour Gin Alternative over ice. Top with high quality tonic and garnish with rosemary/cranberry sprig on a skewer.
Prep Time:
3 Minutes
Difficulty:
Easy
RITUAL ZERO PROOF MEXICAN HOT CHOCOLATE
There’s nothing like a warm, decadent beverage around the holidays. This riff on the Mexican Hot Chocolate is deeply aromatic, rich and soul-nourishing. We give ours a booze-free “spike” by using our non-alcoholic whiskey alternative instead of whiskey. This cup of cheer will warm you right up after a winter wonderland walk or an afternoon getting that outdoor light display just right. Cheers!
Ingredients:
3/4 c. Ritual Zero Proof Whiskey Alternative
4 c. whole milk
2 c. half-and-half
1/2 c. dulce de leche
2 Cinnamon sticks
10 oz. 70% dark chocolate
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. Kosher salt
Instructions:
Whisk together milk, half-and-half, dulce de leche, and cinnamon sticks in a large saucepan.
Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat; cover and let stand 10 minutes. Return mixture to a simmer over medium heat. Gradually whisk in finely chopped 70 percent dark chocolate, whisking until melted and smooth. Remove from heat and stir in pure vanilla extract, kosher salt, and Ritual Zero Proof Whiskey Alternative. Discard cinnamon sticks. Serve warm.
Prep Time:
25 minutes
Difficulty:
Medium/Hard
No holiday season is complete without indulging in a glass of eggnog. And now you can enjoy a “spiked” nog--without the booze. We make ours zero proof by swapping in our whiskey substitute for the hard stuff. It’s rich and decadent, with the same bite you expect from a whiskey spike. Now you can enjoy all the nog you want tonight, and still be able to take on the holiday work crunch tomorrow.
Ingredients:
3/4 c. Ritual Zero Proof Whiskey Alternative
1 c. heavy cream
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, sliced
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
8 whole cloves, crushed
6 allspice berries, crushed
2 cinnamon sticks, broken
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg, plus more for serving
4 c. whole milk, divided
8 large eggs, separated
3/4 c. granulated sugar
Pinch kosher salt
Instructions:
Combine heavy cream, ginger, vanilla, cloves, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and 2 cups milk in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium heat until tiny bubbles begin to appear around the edge of the pot (do not let boil), 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, beat egg yolks with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Gradually beat in sugar and salt. Increase mixer speed to high and beat until thick and very pale in color, 2 to 3 minutes.
Strain spiced cream mixture, discarding spices; return to pot. Slowly whisk 1 cup warm cream mixture into yolk-sugar mixture on low speed; return to pot with cream mixture. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a rubber spatula, until mixture reaches 170°F and coats the spatula, 12 to 15 minutes.
Place the pot over a large bowl filled with ice water and let cool, stirring occasionally, until chilled, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in Ritual Zero Proof Whiskey Alternative.
Just before serving, beat egg whites with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes; fold into eggnog. Serve topped with nutmeg.
Prep Time:
1 Hour 20 Minutes
Difficulty:
Hard
