I love this cocktail. It’s easy, refreshing and can very easily be made into a mocktail for anyone going alcohol free. On the subject of alcohol, it’s always worth it to spend a little more on a high quality vodka. You’ll definitely notice a difference in the taste of your cocktail. I really like Grey Goose or Chopin vodka but I always keep Tito’s on-hand for my gluten free friends. I also like ginger beer with a good bite. If I can find it, I buy the Q Light Ginger Beer or the Fever Tree Ginger Beer, whichever one is readily available. I also prefer ginger beer over ginger ale because it holds up a little better in a cocktail and you get more ginger flavor.

If you’re having friends over, it’s nice to serve cocktails in a fun glass. Presentation is always a key component when I entertain so I always have a small stock of pretty glasses in my cabinet for such occasions. I really like the selection from Anthropologie because they are affordable and always changing it up.

I like to garnish with a little mint and give it a quick twist to release some mint flavor in the drink. You can also take a small handfull of mint leaves a muddle them in the glass before you make the drink for a bigger punch of mint flavor.

Pomegranate-Orange Sparkler

Yield: 1

Author: Hope Recupero

Prep time: 5 MinTotal time: 5 Min

A delicious and refreshing cocktail with just a few ingredients.

Ingredients

1 ounce of high quality vodka
1/2 teaspoon of orange zest
Juice of 1/2 a large orange
4 ounces of pomegranate juice
Ginger beer
Fresh mint for garnish

Instructions

Fill a 12 ounce cocktail glass about 3/4 of the way with ice
Add vodka
Add zest
Add pomegranate juice
Top off with ginger beer
Garnish with mint

When I saw spiced cider in Trader Joe’s, I knew it would be perfect for a cocktail. The question was, what exactly was I going to do with it? I spent some time doing some research on flavor combinations and came up with this simple but tasty cocktail that’s perfect for fall get togethers and as a fun cocktail to serve at Thanksgiving. You could easily make a pitcher for guests to serve themselves by adjusting the amounts. Most of my cocktail recipes are pretty open to interpretation and can be adjusted to your desired amounts and tastes.

For this cocktail, I did decide to use vanilla extract instead of vanilla vodka because I find flavored vodkas can sometimes be too strong and taste a bit artificial. The vanilla in this drink should be subtle and not punch you in the face. If you would be prefer to use a vanilla flavored vodka over adding the extract, by all means go for it! Also, there is no added sugar in this recipe. There is no need as the cider and ginger beer are sweet enough on their own. I really love Q Brand Mixers. They have cleaner, natural ingredients, real sugar or agave and offer lower sugar options. You can also skip the vodka all together and enjoy this as a mocktail.

I typically use a 12 ounce glass with my cocktail recipes and it’s nice use either a themed or decorative glass especially when I’m hanging out with my girlfriends. I like treating them to special little details. I’ve found some really cute affordable glasses at Anthropologie. These are the glasses I used for this cocktail but they have so many other fabulous options!

Spiced Cider Vanilla Moscow Mule

Yield: 1

Author: Hope Recupero

Prep time: 10 MinTotal time: 10 Min

This sweet and spicy cocktail is perfect any festive fall gathering.

Ingredients

1 ounce of high quality vodka
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 to 1/2 cup spiced cider
Ginger beer
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Green apple slice for garnish

Instructions

Mix together sugar and cinnamon and pour onto a small plate
Moisten the rim of a 12 ounce glass with water or the spiced cider and dip into the sugar cinnamon mixture
Carefully add your desired amount of ice to the glass
Add vodka, vanilla extract and spiced cider
Top off with ginger beer and stir gently to combine all ingredients
Garnish with apple slice