Spice up sparkling cider with these New Year's Eve mocktails

It's tradition to toast with Champagne on New Year's Eve. And for those of us who don't drink the hard stuff, there's sparkling grape juice and cider.

While delicious and fancy on its own, here are a few ways to turn the fizzy kid-friendly drink into a snappier mocktail.

Sparking Cherry Mocktail

For this drink, you need grenadine syrup, and the maraschino cherries are optional. Add a ½ tablespoon of grenadine to your glass, then fill it up with your sparkling juice (club soda works, too). Add a few cherries and eat them when you finish the drink.

Baby Bellini

All you need is some peach juice, though you can add a peach slice if you have one for this recipe from The Spruce Eats. Fill a glass halfway with the juice, then top with sparkling cider or grape juice.

Champagne Mocktail

You'll need apple juice to complete this Champagne-ish drink from Today's Parent, and an optional mint sprig makes it extra glam. Fill your glass halfway with chilled apple juice, then fill the rest of it with sparkling grape juice. Top with a mint sprig for flavor.

The Cookie Drop

Not into fizzy drinks? Pour yourself a glass of milk and drop an Oreo or another cookie right in like it's the ball dropping at midnight.

Comments: molly.duffy@thegazette.com