15 Holiday Juice Drinks – Naughty or Nice ?

The holidays are a time for fun and celebration. There are parties, gatherings, and fun activities. At most of these activities, there will be food and drinks. The holidays are not a time for people on a diet. However, there are hidden calories in some unexpected places. These are 15 juices that can be found on the naughty or the nice list.

1 Sherbet Punch- Naughty List

This tasty punch is made from fruit juice, sherbet, and lemon-lime soda. This is delicious and easy to make but is anything but healthy. A small cup has 204 calories, 46 grams of carbs, 1 gram of fat, and 34 grams of sugar. This is inexpensive to make and can be used for a large crowd. People should limit their intake to less than half a cup or drink or have a little sorbet.

Recipe:  Mix equal parts Sprite and Hawaiian Punch and top with the flavored Sherbet of Choice. Add Vodka or Tequila for appropriate amounts of Naughty.

2 Apple Cider – Naughty

Apple cider is made from apples, so most people think it is healthy. The only problem with this drink is all the added sugar. One cup of apple cider has 120 calories, 0.3 grams of fat, 28 grams of carbs, and 24 grams of sugar. If the apple cider is homemade, a person can control the sugar added, making it a nice drink.

Recipe: 6 cups of Apple Cider, 2 Cups of Orange Juice, 1 Cup of Lemon Juice, ½ Cup of Ginger Juice or Ginger Ale for fizzy.  Cinnamon Stick or sprinkle

3 Pineapple Mint Punch – Nice

This refreshing drink is made from pineapple juice and fresh mint. The only thing to look out for is the sugar content in the pineapple juice. Look for juice with no added sugar. This drink has no fat; there are 166 calories and 29 grams of carbs.

Recipe: 4 Cups of Pineapple Juice, ¾ Cup of Mint Leaves, 1/2 cup of freshly squeezed lime juice, 4 tablespoons of sugar or to taste, 1 cup or more of Tequila if the Naughty version

4 Mango Grapefruit Smoothie- Nice

This is a great way to start the holiday celebrations. Mangos, apples, and grapefruits are blended to make this drink. This is a healthy drink to start the day. This drink has 127 calories, 32 grams of carbs, 2 grams of fat, and only 5 grams of sugar.

Recipe: 1 large Ruby Grapefruit, 1 cup frozen mango bits ½ cup of Greek Yogurt and Milk each, equal dashes to taste of turmeric & ginger, honey to taste. Optional Rum or Tequila for those on the naughty list

5 White Christmas Margarita- Naughty

This drink taste so good many people do not care that it is naughty. It is made with fresh juices, tequila, and coconut milk. White Christmas Margarita is not probably for those that are health conscious, with each glass having 473 calories, 61 grams of carbs, and is filled with sugar. There is not exactly a healthy version of this drink but instead of using simple sugar, try a sugar substitute.

Recipe: 1 ½ cups frozen Cranberries, 1 cup Tequila, 2/3 cup lime juice, 6 tablespoons triple sec, 3 tablespoons each of coconut milk & refined pastry sugar, ½ cup light corn oil. Garnish with fine coconut & lime slices

6 Wassail- Nice

This is a mulled hot cider that is popular in England. It is made from apples and can be topped with a splash of brandy if desired. Without the brandy, this drink has 100 calories, no fat, 26 grams of carbs m and 25 grams of sugar. To keep it nice, skip the optional brandy. Ha Ha Ha

Recipe: ½ Gallon Apple Cider, 2 Cups Orange Juice, ¼ cup lemon juice, 8 cloves, 4 cinnamon sticks, 4 pieces of ginger, Simmer 45 minutes, strain … Add Rum or Whiskey If naughty, not Nice.

7 Vodka Cranberry Punch- Naughty

This is a refreshing drink using vodka and cranberry juice. While it may seem nice, there are hidden calories in this punch. While it is made with fruit juices, the calories add up. There are 270 calories, 24 carbs, and 26 grams of sugar. To complete the drink, nice look for cranberry juice and orange juice that is low calorie or with no added sugar.

Recipe:  6 cups citrus Vodka, 18 oz each of unsweetened cranberry juice & lime juice, 12 oz of syrup, 24 oz Sprite or other lemon-lime soda … Very Naughty

8 Hot Ginger Toddy- Nice

This is made with ginger syrup, lemon juice, and bourbon. A Hot Ginger Toddy will keep a person warm; the drink has 188 calories, no fat, and is low in sugar. If a person wants to make the drink healthier, they should skip the bourbon. Ha Ha Ha

Recipe: 2 cups water, 1 ½ in ginger root diced fine, 4 to 6 cloves, one lemon cut up, bring to boil, then simmer 20 mins, strain, honey to taste,  rum or bourbon, lemon slices. I’d take this every evening in cold & flu season!

9 Caribbean Sorrel Cocktail- Naughty

This drink has a refreshing flavor and will bring a bright feeling to the holidays. While the punch is bright, it is not healthy.

The drink has 240 calories, no fat, 36 grams of carbs, and 35 grams of sugar. The uninitiated might be tempted to make the drink more toxic by replacing a simple syrup with a sugar substitute.

Recipe: 2 quarts water, 6 oz dried red sorrel buds, 4 oz ginger root slice thin, Boil water, add sorrel & ginger, let steep 45 mins, strain. Equal parts Sorrel juice & syrup, splash lime juice & Rum as desired.

10 Holiday Punch- Naughty

This is an easy punch with cider, cranberry juice, and ginger ale. This is not a drink that is easy on calories.

Each glass has 240 calories, 28 grams of carbs, and 28 grams of sugar. To make a more toxic version of this drink, use diet juices, and ginger ale.

Recipe: This is an easy punch with equal parts cider, cranberry juice, and ginger ale. This is not a drink that is easy on calories. Rum or Vodka for the Naughty Ones

11 Poegranate Sangria- Nice

Pomegranate is good for health. The seeds of this fruit are mixed with oranges, grapes, liqueurs, and red wine. The drink has 181 calories, 19 carbs, and no fat. To make a healthier version take out the liquors.

Recipe: 1 bottle fruity red wine, 2 cups pomegranate juice, ½ cup each brandy & triple sec, ¼ cup syrup, ¼ cup pomegranate seeds, 1 orange & 1 apple remove seeds slice, 1 cup red grapes sliced

12 Winterberry Cocktail- Naughty

While this drink uses agave nectar, it does not mean it is healthy. A glass has 306 calories, 34 carbs, and 29 grams sugar. To make a nicer version of this drink, use unsweetened juice and skip the booze.

Recipe:  4 oz cranberry juice, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 tablespoon agave nectar, 4 oz  Mandarin Vodka, 2 oz elderflower liqueur, 3 oz Ginger beer.

13 The Keats – Naughty

The drink uses ginger syrup, apple brandy, and other fruit liqueurs. While there is plenty of fruit, there are also plenty of calories. The sugar syrup puts this drink at 300 calories per glass. To make a healthier version use a sugar substitute for the simple syrup.

Recipe: 1 ½ oz apple brandy, ¾ oz apple cider vinegar, ½ oz triple sec, 1 tablespoon each ginger syrup & honey … garnish with star anise.

14 Jingle Juice- Nice

This is a festive name for a festive drink. The drink uses pomegranate and cranberry juices with some liqueurs. Each glass has 130 calories and is low in sugar.

Recipe:  4 oz cran-apple juice, 2 bottles of red Moscato, 1 bottle of prosecco, ½ cup vodka, 1/3 cup mint leaves, ½ cup sugar for glass rims, 2 limes slice rounds for garnish

15 Fig and Rosemary Mule- Nice

This drink uses fig vodka and other fig flavors with some ginger beer. Fig flavors are low in calories; look for fig jam with no added sugar. The ginger beer does add some calories, so look for other options to add the ginger flavor besides the beer.

Recipe: 2 fresh figs, 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 1 ½ oz vodka, 1 lime wedge, 3 oz ginger beer.

These 15 naughty and nice juice recipes are great for Christmas and New Year. These drinks are tasty, but many are high in calories and sugar. When making drinks look for juices with no added sugar to reduce the calories. Liquor is optional, and it is easy to make a virgin version of many holiday juice drinks.

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays, as well.