Some Spirited Holiday Cheer to go with Your Bird by Elizabeth Alsobrooks

Holidays is no time to count calories, in my opinion. If you feel a need to diet beforehand just so you can indulge, please do so! But when it comes to the holidays splurge away, and that includes with some holiday libations.  One of my all-time favorite cocktails is a white Russian. I rarely drink them as they seem pretty calorie heavy, but if you’re a keto do-gooder, this one’s for you. You can have cream on keto and this one’s got some thick, rich, heavy cream, so have at it.

Salted Caramel White Russian

Ingredients:

1 or 2 oz vodka (personal strength preference)

1 oz Kalua (or Bailey’s Irish Cream or Cream Caramel if preferred)

½ to 1 oz heavy cream

1 tsp caramel sauce

Kosher salt

ice

Directions:

Rim the top of a rock glass with caramel and lightly salt 

Mix vodka and Kalua in a cocktail shaker over ice and shake

Pour mixture over ice in the caramel rimmed rock glass

Mix remaining caramel and cream with a spoon until well blended

Using the back of a spoon gently ‘float’ the cream over the vodka and Kalua mixture

 

What Thanksgiving would be complete without some pumpkin? Not into pie? Need a little pick up? How about some caffeine with your pumpkin? Try this drunken pumpkin.

Drunken Pumpkin

Ingredients:

6 oz Pumpkin latte or pumpkin spice ice cream (if you’ve had enough caffeine for the day)

4 oz Whip Cream vodka

Whipped cream

cinnamon sticks

Ground cinnamon

Directions:

Pour pumpkin spice latte into cocktail shaker with ice.

Add vodka.

Shake vigorously, until the shaker starts to frost.

Pour into two glasses.

Top with whipped cream

Sprinkle ground cinnamon on whipped cream.

Garnish each drink with a cinnamon stick

  

Want something a little lighter and refreshing? How about something with cranberries?

Cranberry Mule

Ingredients:

2 oz cranberry juice

2 oz vodka

1 squeeze of lime juice, plus extra for garnish

3 oz ginger ale

1 few fresh or frozen cranberries

 

Directions:

Combine cranberry juice, vodka and lime in a shaker of ice

Shake well, then pour over ice in a rock glass

Top with ginger ale

Add whole cranberries and garnish with a lime wedge

Enjoy!