The holiday season is a time for celebration, and for many, that includes enjoying festive cocktails. If you're following a keto diet, you might think you have to miss out on these traditions, but that's not the case! With a few simple swaps and creative recipes, you can indulge in delicious and guilt-free keto Christmas drinks.
Understanding Keto-Friendly Cocktails
The keto diet is a high-fat, low-carb eating plan. When it comes to cocktails, the biggest challenge is the high sugar content of many traditional recipes. The key to making keto-friendly Christmas cocktails is to use low-carb alcohol options and sugar-free mixers.
Low-Carb Alcohol Choices
- Spirits: Vodka, gin, rum, and tequila are all virtually carb-free. Opt for unflavored varieties to avoid hidden sugars. Absolut flavored vodkas do not have carbs, but other brands might have carbs.
- Wines: Choose dry wines like Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, and Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Dark Rum: Dark rum has 0 carbs per serving. Brandy can also be used in place of rum.
Keto-Friendly Mixers and Sweeteners
- Diet Soda and Seltzer Water: These are great low-carb options for adding fizz and flavor.
- Unsweetened Iced Tea: A refreshing and carb-free mixer.
- Almond Milk and Coconut Milk: Use these instead of regular milk in creamy cocktails. Be aware that some almond-coconut blends may have different flavors.
- Stevia: A natural, zero-calorie sweetener derived from the stevia plant.
- Erythritol: A sugar alcohol with minimal calories that tastes and bakes like sugar. It has about 70% of the sweetness of sugar.
- Monk Fruit Sweetener: A no-calorie sweetener extracted from the monk fruit.
- Swerve Sweetener: The confectioners or powdered sugar sweetener blends well in cocktails. Granular Swerve sweetener can be used to rim glasses.
Keto Christmas Drink Recipes
Here are some festive and delicious keto Christmas drink recipes to try this holiday season:
1. Keto Candy Cane Martini
This creamy, sweet martini captures the essence of candy canes without the sugar.
Ingredients:
- Unsweetened almond milk
- Heavy whipping cream
- Peppermint extract
- Vanilla extract
- Swerve sweetener (confectioners or powdered)
- Absolut Vanilla Vodka
- Crushed ice
- Red dye
- Salt
Instructions:
- To rim the glass, mix a granular sweetener and a pinch of salt with red dye. Let it dry completely on a small plate or shallow dish. Dip or rub water or almond milk around the edge of the glass and then roll it around in the red sugar mixture. Let dry completely before making the cocktail.
- Combine almond milk, heavy whipping cream, peppermint extract, vanilla extract, Swerve sweetener, and Absolut Vanilla Vodka in a shaker.
- Add crushed ice and shake well.
- Pour over the prepared martini glass.
2. Keto Eggnog
Enjoy a rich and creamy classic Christmas drink without the guilt.
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Ingredients:
- Egg yolks
- Erythritol
- Heavy cream
- Almond milk (or coconut milk)
- Ground nutmeg
- Ground cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
- Dark Rum or Bourbon (optional)
- Salt
Instructions:
- Whisk the egg yolks and sugar substitute until they turn a lighter yellow and are well combined in a small bowl.
- Add the heavy cream, almond milk, nutmeg, and salt to a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat, stirring often, until it just barely begins to simmer (one or two bubbles will rise the surface and pop every few minutes).
- Remove the almond milk mixture from the heat and begin to temper your eggs by slowly drizzling hot milk into the eggs 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking them as you do so they don’t scramble. Repeat this until you’ve added 3-4 tablespoons.
- Now that the eggs are tempered slowly pour them into the heated milk, stirring continuously.
- Set the stovetop to medium low and place the pot back on the heat. Stir for 8-10 minutes, or until the mixture has thickened. If you have an instant read thermometer you can use it to check the temperature. When it reaches 160 degrees F it is done.
- Remove the eggnog from the heat and stir in the vanilla, and if you’re using it add the dark rum, bourbon, or rum extract.
- Pour the eggnog into a pitcher and cover with plastic wrap or into a sealable container and store in the refrigerator until completely cooled. Approximately 1-2 hours. The eggnog will thicken as it cools. If it is too thick, when you are ready to serve, you can stir in 2 to 3 tablespoons of heavy cream.
3. Mistletoe Mojito (Keto White Christmas Mojito)
A fun and festive twist on a classic mojito with a holiday-inspired look.
Ingredients:
- Fresh mint
- Sugar substitute
- White rum
- Ice
- Non-sweetened coconut milk or cream
- Sparkling coconut water
- Pomegranate seeds
Instructions:
- Muddle fresh mint and sugar substitute in the bottom of a martini shaker.
- Add white rum to the shaker.
- Add one cup of ice to the shaker.
- Add coconut milk to the shaker.
- Shake vigorously.
- Fill a highball glass with ice.
- Strain rum mixture into the highball glass and stir.
- Top off glass with sparkling coconut water.
- Stir in pomegranate seeds.
- Top off glass with another spoonful of pomegranate seeds and garnish with one sprig of fresh mint.
4. Low Carb Santa Cocktail
This fruity and festive cocktail is perfect for a special holiday treat.
Ingredients:
- Fresh raspberries
- Water
- Low carb sweetener (Lakanto recommended)
- Gin
- Prosecco
- Liquid sweetener (for garnish)
Instructions:
- Add raspberries, water, and sweetener to a small saucepan. Cook over a medium heat until the fruit breaks down.
- Let cool then blitz the mixture in a blender (or use a stick/hand blender) until smooth. Then push it through a sieve to remove any seeds.
- To garnish the glasses, wipe a little liquid sweetener around the rim of each glass. Pour some more sweetener onto a plate, invert the glass and dip it in.
- To make the cocktail, add the raspberry mixture, gin, and ice to a cocktail shaker and shake well.
- Divide the mixture between two glasses, then top up with Prosecco.
5. Keto Hot Toddy
Keep the cold at bay with this classic whiskey cocktail.
Ingredients:
- Whiskey
- Keto-friendly sweetener
- Lemon juice
- Hot water
- Spices (cinnamon, cloves)
6. Christmas Colada Cocktail
A Christmas-inspired take on a classic pina colada.
Ingredients:
- Pineapple extract
- Coconut milk
- Cinnamon
- Dark rum
7. Keto Irish Coffee Cocktail
An easy-to-make cold Irish coffee cocktail.
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Ingredients:
- Coffee
- Whiskey
- Keto-friendly sweetener
- Cream
8. Shoot Your Eye Out Shooters
A Christmas Story-inspired tequila shot.
Ingredients:
- Tequila
- Lime juice
- Keto-friendly sweetener
9. Low Carb French 75
A light and refreshing champagne cocktail.
Ingredients:
- Gin
- Lemon juice
- Keto simple syrup
- Champagne
10. Smoked Horchata Eggnog Cocktail
A smoky, boozy take on classic eggnog.
Ingredients:
- Mezcal
- Almond milk
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
- Egg yolks
- Keto-friendly sweetener
11. Easy Low Carb Hot Cocoa
A rich chocolate cocoa, perfect with a splash of your favorite booze.
Ingredients:
- Cocoa powder
- Almond milk
- Keto-friendly sweetener
- Heavy cream
- Booze of choice (optional)
12. Cranberry Pisco Sour
A holiday-friendly cocktail featuring pisco brandy.
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Ingredients:
- Pisco brandy
- Fresh cranberry juice
- Keto-friendly syrup
- Egg white
Tips for Enjoying Keto Christmas Cocktails
- Plan Ahead: Decide which cocktails you want to make and gather the necessary ingredients.
- Swap Traditional Mixers: Replace sugary mixers with keto-friendly alternatives like diet soda, seltzer water, or unsweetened iced tea.
- Experiment with Sugar Substitutes: Find the keto-friendly sweetener that you like best and use it in your cocktails.
- Serve in Festive Glassware: Elevate the holiday spirit by serving your cocktails in festive glasses.
- Nibble on Keto-Friendly Appetizers: Enjoy keto-friendly appetizers while indulging in your cocktails to stay on track with your diet.
- Moderation is Key: Limit yourself to one or two keto-friendly cocktails at a time.
Keto Mocktails: Non-Alcoholic Options
If you're hosting a festive gathering, it's a good idea to offer keto mocktails as well. You can easily adapt many of the cocktail recipes above by simply omitting the alcohol. Pay attention to the sweeteners you use to ensure they are keto-friendly.
Creative Names for Keto Christmas Cocktails
Give your keto Christmas cocktails a festive touch with creative names like:
- Santa's Slim Sipper
- Ketomas Cosmo
- Snugly Sugar-free Toddy