The weather is getting cooler, leaves have changed colors, and in some regions the snow has already begun to fall. Family and friends gather to celebrate and reminisce. It’s holiday season! This time is notoriously known for eating a lot of food and drinking your favorite drinks, most of which contain alcohol. If you don’t drink much alcohol or prefer to enjoy an evening without feeling woozy the next day, you can still experience the magic of the holiday season with this maqui berry holiday mocktail.

A mocktail is like a cocktail, just without the alcohol! I love to make mocktails and bring them to gatherings of friends and family. They are not only beautiful and magical, rich in color and smooth in taste—they are also replenishing and hydrating. If you’ve visited my blog, you can see how much I love unique and colorful beverages. But what I appreciate even more than creating and enjoying these lively drinks is that I wake up the next day filled with vibrant energy and vitality without a dreaded hangover!

I love the beauty and blessings that get brought to light during this time of year. Catching up with old friends, seeing loved ones that you may not have heard from in a very long time, sharing stories and events that have occurred through the last year. However, it can be hard to avoid the alcohol. When I know I’m going to a holiday party, I tend to come prepared with a warm heart and an herbal mocktail to share. This allows me to have something to sip on and socialize with throughout the gathering. Surprisingly, these mocktails tend to go over just as well as the favorite, alcohol filled beverages, so always bring more than enough to share!

This maqui berry holiday mocktail is one of my favorites. The deep maroon color not only looks amazing in your favorite glass, but the taste is exceptional, rich, and full of celebration. Maqui berries are a very unique and wonderful choice for this mocktail that highlights the feeling of the holidays with their decadent and exquisite taste. The berries taste like tart huckleberries that are bursting with flavor, and they produce a beautiful purple and maroon hue after steeping. Maqui berries are new to the American herbal market (think about when Acai berries first came out). They have been recently starting to make waves, even though rumor has it, they have been used by the Mapuche people of Chile and Argentina for decades.

Another wonderful benefit of bringing this maqui berry herbal mocktail to a gathering? It’s also fairly easy to whip together! This is super important during the fast-paced holiday season.

Holiday Maqui Berry Mocktail 

Makes about 3-4 servings

Ingredients

• 2 cups water
• 1/2 cup organic maqui berries
• 1/4 cup organic bilberries
• 1/4 cup organic hawthorn leaf and flower
• 1/4 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup organic blackberries
• 1-2 sprigs organic fresh mint
• 1 organic lime, squeezed
• 1 pinch organic vanilla bean powder
• 2 cups sparkling water
• 2-4 Tbsp. organic apple cider vinegar
• 1 organic pomegranate (optional)

Directions

1. Boil water and pour over maqui berries, bilberries, hawthorn leaf and flower, and cranberries in a large pot or jar with a lid. Steep for 10-15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, muddle the blackberries, fresh mint, lime, and vanilla bean powder. Set aside.
3. Strain berries and hawthorn, and let tea cool.
4. Spoon muddled ingredients into a mocktail glass, just enough to fill the bottom.
5. Add ice if you want mocktails to be chilled.
6. Pour in the tea blend to fill the glasses half full.
7. Add the sparkling water and apple cider vinegar to fill the glasses to the top, but leave enough room to add optional garnishes.
8. Garnish with chopped fresh mint, pomegranate seeds, sliced limes, etc. (optional)

Looking for other botanically inspired food and beverages to share?

Visit My Tiny Laguna Kitchen for More Inspiration!

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