New Year’s Eve celebrations have always been pretty tame at our house. We usually watch a few movies, eat pizza, and chill out. When the kids were younger, their favorite thing to do was try to stay awake until midnight to watch the ball drop in Times Square. Each year, for a treat, I served some sort of sparkling cider or juice. I drag out the champagne flutes, rim them with flavored sugar, and serve. It was a tradition the kids looked forward to every year, even going so far as to repeatedly remind me, “Don’t forget to pick up the juice!”
Then, one New Year’s Eve, I decided to change things up a bit. Why not make mocktails? I thought. But what to serve? I found a recipe for homemade apple cider and decided to change it up a bit and make an Appletini Mocktail instead.
Easy Appletini Mocktail Recipe
This recipe is super easy, using only three ingredients. It comes together in around five minutes. If you don’t mind spills and stickiness, the kids can mix it up by themselves.
Here’s what you need to make it:
- Frozen Apple Juice Concentrate
- Lemon-lime soda
- Frozen Maraschino Cherries
Helpful Preparation Hints:
- Allow the apple juice concentrate to thaw in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 hours
- This tastes best served chilled. Place the lemon-lime soda in the refrigerator for a few hours before mixing the ingredients.
- Place the maraschino cherries in an airtight container and freeze for approximately 1 1/2 hours before serving time.
- Serve the drink immediately after preparing for the best taste.
Make a Sugar Rim For Your Mocktail
- In a shallow bowl, add a thin layer of sugar. (Approximately 1/4 cup.) Use either regular granulated sugar or turbinado sugar
- Spread the sugar across the bowl until it makes an even layer.
- In another shallow bowl, add a thin layer of apple juice. Dip the glass into the fruit juice and then into the sugar. Swirl the glass around to coat.
- Set the glass aside and allow it to dry for 1 minute before using.
How to Make Apple Flavored Rimming Sugar
1/2 cup freeze-dried apples (or other freeze-dried fruit of your choice)
1/4 cup sugar- use regular granulated sugar or turbinado sugar
Place the freeze-dried apples in a food processor and process for 5 to 10 seconds until the fruit is finely ground. Stir the finely ground fruit into the sugar. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
Other juices to use besides apple for rimming:
- honey
- agave
- simple syrup
- citrus fruit juices like lemon, lime, or orange
- cherry juice
Substitutions:
- Use ginger-ale or club soda instead of lemon-lime soda
- diet lemon-lime soda can be used
- Make other combinations instead of using apple juice. Use a can of frozen grape juice concentrate to make Grapetinis or use a container of frozen lemonade or limeade to make Lemon or Limetinis.
Printable Recipe:
Easy Appletini Mocktail Recipe
4
servingsEasy Appletini Mocktail Recipe
Ingredients
1 (12-ounce) container frozen apple juice, thawed
4 cups (48 ounces) lemon-lime soda, chilled
frozen maraschino cherries
Directions
- Mix the frozen apple juice concentrate and the lemon-lime juice together until blended.
- Pour into a fluted glass and add 1 or 2 frozen maraschino cherries.
These drinks are great for kids and adults. The Appletini Mocktail recipe is a favorite at our house! What are your plans for New Year’s Eve? Do you have a favorite Mocktail Recipe?
This sounds good and a perfect drink for the festive season. I will give it a try.
This looks really yummy and festive! I don’t drink much, so I appreciate a delicious mocktail!
This sounds tasty. I have never tried making mocktails before, maybe I should give it a try.
This mocktail looks so yummy!!! I don’t love drinking so this would be perfect for me!
What a great drink idea!
There is always someone (like the DD) at a party who doesn’t wish to consume alcohol.
An Appletini is something I have never tried before but it sounds delicious. This recipe for the Appletini Mocktail recipe is something I am going to have to make for new year’s eve. It would be great for our family gathering. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Wow, this looks freaking delicious! Apple is one of my favorite flavors when it comes to drinks.
This would be perfect on New Year’s Eve! I really love different cocktails flavors.
What a great seasonal mocktail recipe! I want one!
Sounds like a fun little drink. I have never had an Appletini .. can’t even said I have done any variation of a martini. This sounds good though.
Oh that is super simple! I like it! This would be super fun to make for a special occasion.
Since we make sure our New Year’s Eve celebration is fun for the whole family, we always offer a variety of beverages. I just love how easy this seems too!
I am 8 months pregnant so this type of drink is so up my alley right now. Totally would love to sip on this for New Year’s!
This will be perfect for my kids on NYE. Thanks for posting!
what a great drink to celebrate the New Year… I’ll have to save this recipe/post so I can give it a try : ) thank you for this!
Oh that would be a perfect drink for new year’s eve./ Yes! I love apple martinis so I know I would enjoy making and sipping this one. Your cup looks so good.
What a refreshing and easy mocktail! Sounds like the perfect thing to serve on New Years’ Eve.
This recipe looks easy enough! I love mocktails since I don’t drink alcohol usually. I would love to try this recipe this weekend.
OK I need to make this – I don’t come across many mocktails recipes so it is always nice to have another to add to list! x
This sounds so yummy. I will have to make these on New Year’s Eve. Thanks for the recipe.
I love these easy mocktail recipes. It’s nice to have something different for a change and this sounds great!
I love how easy this recipe is! Im always looking for a drink kid friendly for our guests with children so we can all enjoy it together. Cherries are my favorite thing in a yummy drink like this.
That looks so yummy! We usually do New Years Eve with the kids, and this is the perfect way to make it fancy for all of us.
This is a perfect drink for all of us non drinkers. Plus the kids would think they are really special.
This is a great drink for those who don’t drink, or the kiddo’s. I love a good appletini myself and wouldn’t mind trying it!
I’m a mocktail lover and this one is a winner for New Year’s Eve. I usually make mock champagne, but I think I’ll try your mocktail this year. Now, if I can just stay up until midnight . . .
That is so nice. I’ve never been a big drinker, so I always opt for mocktails when I can. This is great because I can ring in the New Year with something tasty that won’t give me a hangover.