You don’t need alcohol to make Christmas feel merry.
I love a cozy, festive drink that makes you want to put on fuzzy socks, blast Mariah Carey, and stare at the Christmas lights for way too long. And you can have three of them without needing a nap.
Whether you’re the designated driver, doing Dry December, keeping it kid-friendly, or just want something that tastes like Christmas in a mug – I got you.
I’ve sipped my way through a LOT of holiday drinks over the years – some were instant classics, some tasted like sweetened pine needles – and I’ve finally narrowed it down.
These are my 5 all-time favorite non-alcoholic Christmas drinks. They’re creamy, cozy, sparkly, and guaranteed to make your whole house smell amazing.
Ready to find your new holiday obsession? Let’s pour one up!
Christmas Drinks Without the Booze
None of these drinks has any alcohol in it, and each one tastes and looks like Christmas, with cranberry, pomegranate, warm spice or a garnish that dresses up the glass. You get the full ingredient list right here and the video to make it, so you can pick the one that fits your night and start pouring.
Homemade Eggnog
Homemade eggnog is the real thing, made from scratch, rich and spiced with nutmeg, cinnamon and a pinch of cloves. It’s on my list because it’s the only drink here that cooks on the stove, from egg yolks, milk and cream instead of a carton. It’s a stovetop custard made in one saucepan. The only cooking word you need is tempering, which just means you whisk the warm spiced milk slowly into the yolks and sugar. The base cooks gently until it’s fully cooked, then chills for about an hour, and the cream and vanilla go in cold. One batch makes about two glasses, which is right for a cozy night in.
Because the base is cooked through, this is the eggnog I’m happy to pour for kids and pregnant guests. Cooks in the comments under the video on YouTube liked that the whole recipe is written out, so nobody has to stop and copy it down. One person planned a splash of something for the adults, and that’s easy to add to a single glass while the pot stays alcohol-free.
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tbsp + 2 tsp sugar
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of cloves
- dash of salt
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
SaveSpiced Holiday Sangria Mocktail
Spiced holiday sangria works with no wine at all: just cranberry and pomegranate juice with orange slices, fresh cranberries and whole spices. I keep it because it soaks overnight with cinnamon, star anise and cardamom, so it tastes like mulled wine served cold, and it’s done the day before the party. There’s no cooking. Everything goes into a pitcher and chills at least four hours, better overnight. That’s about ten minutes of work for four glasses.
The comments under the sangria video taught me to keep the fizz out of the long chill. Sparkling water goes flat if it sits, so I top each glass right before serving. One person found the fresh cranberries stayed firm, so I treat them as a garnish and don’t expect them to soften.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cranberry juice
- 1 cup pomegranate juice
- 1 cup sparkling water
- juice of 1/2 lime
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
- 1 orange, sliced
- 4 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole star anise
- 8 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 tsp allspice
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- ice
SavePomegranate Rosemary Spritzer
A pomegranate rosemary spritzer is tart and lightly sweet, with lemon, maple syrup instead of sugar, and a sprig of rosemary that makes the glass look like Christmas. It’s my one-glass pick: five ingredients, no pitcher and no stove. You make it right in the glass and top it with sparkling water, one drink in under five minutes. That makes it the one I reach for when a single guest wants something festive right now.
Cooks in the comments under the spritzer video liked having a simple alcohol-free idea for the holidays. One person felt light fizzy drinks lean toward summer, which is fair, but the deep red color and the rosemary keep this one firmly in December for me.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pomegranate juice
- fresh rosemary
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
- sparkling water
SaveSpiced Christmas Punch
Spiced Christmas punch is a big bowl of cranberry, pineapple and orange juice with a gentle warm spice, about ten cups, enough to fill glasses for a whole party. What puts it on my list is the apple juice shortcut. The cinnamon sticks, star anise and cloves go straight into the apple juice container the night before. The next day everything gets stirred together in a punch bowl or pitcher in about five minutes.
Two swaps are written right into the list: half pomegranate juice in place of some of the cranberry, or non-alcoholic ginger beer in place of the ginger ale if you want more bite. At my house the bowl works because guests can serve themselves.
Ingredients
- 1 cup apple juice
- 3 cinnamon sticks
- a few whole cloves (optional)
- 2 star anise
- 4 cups cranberry juice (or 2 cups cranberry juice and 2 cups pomegranate juice)
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1 cup orange juice
- 2-3 cups ginger ale (or non-alcoholic ginger beer for a spicier punch)
- orange slices, cinnamon sticks, cranberries, pomegranate arils and star anise for garnish
- ice (optional)
SaveCranberry Pineapple Punch Mocktail
Cranberry pineapple punch is the easiest drink on my list: cranberry, pineapple and orange juice topped with ginger ale in a glass with a sugared rim. A sugared rim just means you dip the rim of the glass in sugar before you pour. This punch made the list because you pour it by the glass to taste, with no measuring at all. It takes a few minutes per glass, and kids can pour their own.
In the comments under the video, people planned it for Christmas with their children and grandchildren, and several said the rosemary garnish is what makes a plain juice drink look special. Canada Dry is the ginger ale people like in it. Some loved not measuring and others wanted exact amounts, so I start with roughly equal parts of each juice and adjust from there. You can also swap in Cran-Mango or Cran-Grape for plain cranberry.
Ingredients
- orange slices
- cranberries
- rosemary for garnish
- cranberry juice
- pineapple juice
- orange juice
- ginger ale
- sugar for the rim of the glasses
SaveChristmas Drink Questions
I get the same few questions every December when I set out the bowls and glasses.
Can I Make These Drinks Ahead?
Yes. The sangria and the big punch are meant to be started the night before. For any of them, hold back the fizzy part and the ice until people are ready to drink. Sparkling water, ginger ale and ginger beer lose their bubbles as they sit, and ice melts and waters the drink down. Add them at the last minute, in the glass or right into the bowl.
Is the Eggnog Safe for Kids?
Yes, because this eggnog is cooked. The yolk and milk base reaches 160F, the temperature eggs need to be safe to eat. That matters most for kids and pregnant women, who are more likely to get sick from eggs. Keep homemade eggnog in the fridge and drink it within 2 to 4 days. Don’t freeze it.
How Do I Make Them Less Sweet?
Use pure cranberry juice, not cranberry cocktail, which has added sugar. For the punches, swap some or all of the ginger ale for plain sparkling water or club soda, or look for a ginger ale with less sugar. With the spritzer, taste as you stir and add a little more lemon if you want it more tart.
How Do I Make One Feel Grown-Up?
Top a glass with alcohol-free sparkling wine or sparkling apple cider instead of plain sparkling water. Either one adds bubbles and a special feel without any alcohol, and it works on the sangria, the big punch and the single-glass drinks when you want that toast feeling.
If you’re not sure where to start, make the eggnog for a quiet night by the tree and the sangria the day before guests come. Then keep pomegranate juice and ginger ale in the fridge for anyone who walks in wanting something right now.
