Festive & Easy Vampire’s Kiss Mocktail-Refined Sugar-Free!

by

🩸Festive & Easy Vampire’s Kiss Mocktail-Refined Sugar-Free!

Happy Halloween, friends! 🎃
No tricks here — only treats from me. This year, I’m sharing a FREE Vampire’s Kiss Mocktail — my little treat for you to sip on while you hand out candy, cozy up for a spooky movie night, or just celebrate the season in style.

If you’ve never heard of a Vampire’s Kiss cocktail, it’s a hauntingly beautiful drink that traditionally combines vodka, raspberry liqueur, and champagne, giving it that deep crimson hue worthy of its name. It first became popular in the early 2000s as part of a wave of Halloween-inspired cocktails — glamorous, gothic, and just a little mysterious.

My version keeps all that dramatic flair but skips the alcohol, replacing it with a refreshing mix of cranberry juice, homemade raspberry syrup, and sparkling club soda. Sweet, tart, and bubbly — it’s a blood-red sip of berry bliss you won’t forget.

Of course, if you do partake, you can always spike it with an ounce of vodka or swap the club soda for champagne. Either way, it’s guaranteed to be a showstopper.

Substack

Ingredient Notes & SCD Modifications

The rim syrup recipe below makes more than enough for about six glasses, but it’s tricky to make a smaller batch without risking it scorching in the pan. Plus, once you see how gorgeously it drips down the glass, you’ll be glad to have a bit more on hand!

For the best flavor and a clean, wholesome base, I recommend using 100% cranberry juice with no added sugars — I love the richness and tart balance of Knudsen brand. For the rim syrup, use 100% pure potato starch (Bob’s Red Mill is my go-to).

This recipe is a modified SCD (Specific Carbohydrate Diet) version — but if you’d like to make it fully SCD-compliant, simply omit the rim garnish drip and serve the mocktail without the decorative syrup edge. It’s just as delicious and every bit as festive!

Cheers, Friends! 

This Friday, I’ll be sipping one of these as I hand out candy to the neighborhood trick-or-treaters and watch Halloween classics with my husband. Now, let’s make a mocktail worthy of Dracula himself!

Sweet Pairings & Candy Recipes

And if you’re still craving some sweet treats, check out these other Halloween favorites:

Here’s to a sweet, spooky, and sparkling Halloween night — no tricks, just treats!  

This recipe is  a free Substack recipe! My Treat to You This Halloween!  for being here! 

                                                

Festive & Easy Vampire’s Kiss Mocktail- Refined Sugar-Free!

Serves 6 

Prep: 15 min

Mixing: 2 min

Total: 17 min

Ingredients:

For Rim Garnish: 

¼ cup cranberry juice, 100% juice, no added sugars  

¼ cup honey 

2 Tbsp. potato starch 100% pure (I use Bob’s Red Mill) 

2 Tbsp. water 

For Syrup: 

½ cup honey

1 pint raspberries juiced through mesh strainer 

For Drink: 

3 cups cranberry juice, 100% juice, no added sugars 

12 oz. club soda or seltzer 

12 oz. raspberry syrup (see below)

6 cups ice 

Garnish: (optional)   

A few raspberries  

Method of Prep:

  1. Gather and prep ingredients. Start by making your cranberry rim syrup.
  2. In a small pot add cranberry juice and honey. Place over high heat.
  3. In a small bowl add potato starch and water. Mix together ensuring it’s a smooth mixture and there are no clumps.
  4. Bring the cranberry mixture to a boil, add in starch slurry and stir. Allow it to remain boiling for about 30 seconds so the potato starch can activate.
  5. Remove from heat and set aside to cool completely.
  6. Next, place a mesh strainer over a bowl. Add raspberries to the strainer and mash to collect the juice. Discard the seeds.
  7. Add juice to the honey in the pot. Place over medium high heat and allow to come to a boil. Then reduce to a simmer.
  8. Simmer for 10-12 minutes or until half the volume.
  9. Now we can make our drinks! Place the 2 ounces of cranberry syrup in a shallow bowl that is wide enough to fit the top of your drinking glass.
  10. Dip the rim into syrup and stand the glass right side up so the syrup drips down.
  11. Add ice, then cranberry juice, raspberry syrup, and club soda.
  12. Stir, top with some raspberries, serve immediately, and enjoy! Happy Halloween!

                      

Nutrition Facts: 
Calories- 199 
Carbs- 52.0 g
Fat- 0.3 g
Protein- 0.7 g
Substack

Leave a Comment