Name: Apple Cider Immunity Sparkler
Prep time: 2 min
Ingredients: 1 tbsp elderberry extract; 1/4 cup apple cider; Champagne (or sparkling water); cinnamon stick, apple slices, or dried apple for garnish (optional); Cinnamon sugar to rim the glass (optional)

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A refreshing cocktail/mocktail, perfect for the holiday, with only 3 simple ingredients! Read on to discover why this refreshing beverage is a must-have during cold and flu season.

Let's go ahead and call this the signature cocktail of 2020, full of surprises.

Let's also keep this post short and sweet, it's 2 days before the holiday, I'm awaiting my most recent “Rona” test so I can go home to see my mom, there's a possibility result won't be in in time and I'll be spending my first Thanksgiving ever in the city with just me, my pup, and Jordan.

If this is the case, we will roll with it, because what is 2020 if not a lesson in adaptation.

While we are adapting…

Grab your cocktail shaker, and let's get shaking!

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE THIS RECIPE:

Apple Cider – North Coast Organic Apple Cider is sold in most stores and is deliicous! Look for their Honeycrisp apple cider, OMG delish!
Elderberry Syrup – Further Food Elderberry Syrup is my recent fave, use code “ABRASKITCHEN” at checkout for 10% off your first order
Champagne or Sparkling Water – for a cocktail or an equally delicious and satisfying mocktail
Cinnamon and Sugar, for the sugared rim, you must make the glasses gorgeous 😉
Dried Apples or fresh apple slices or cinnamon sticks for garnish

TOOLS YOU WILL USE:

NUTRITION NERD CORNER 🤓

Get Yourself Some Elderberry Syrup!

Black elderberries (sambucus nigra L.) are well known, and well studied, agents against the common cold and influenza virus. Hippocrates referred to the elder tree (gifting us with both potent elderberries and elderflowers) as his medicine chest.

So ya know, if it's good for Hippocrates, it's probably good for you too.

Elderberries are a rich source of vitamin C and anthocyanins and possess strong antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive bacteria and Gram-negative bacteria. This means it has been shown to be an effective agent against human pathogenic bacteria as well as influenza viruses. Elderberries have also been shown to have an inhibitory effect on the propagation of the influenza virus.

In other words, elderberries can both prevent the flu and reduce the duration of the flu by inhibiting the replication of the flu virus.

This stuff is potent.

Additionally, because this is important, elderberry is quite delicious!

MAKE IT A MOCKTAIL!

Add champagne for a cocktail or sparkling water for a mocktail. In the above mocktail version, I used double the amount of elderberry, quite honestly because I wanted to serve a purple drink!!

Alcohol is not an immune-supportive ingredient, this may be stating the obvious but it still deserves to be stated. I adore this drink as a mocktail and so will you!

Other Mocktail Options:

Kombucha is one of my favorite mocktail ingredients, it adds just enough funk to taste like a cocktail. Plain kombucha or pink lady apple kombucha would be delish!

MORE DRINK RECIPES YOU WILL LOVE:

Cranberry Mulled Apple Cider

Kombucha Cocktail

Hibiscus Adaptogen Latte

Vegan Turmeric Egg Nog

Pumpkin Spice Latte

I can’t wait for you to try this Apple Cider Immunity Sparkler! When you make it, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram @abrapappa or use the hashtag #abraskitchen so I can feature your photo!

If you’ve tried this recipe, don’t forget to rate and leave a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!

Hand holding an Immune Boosting Apple Cider Elderberry Sparkler in martini glass with garnish

Apple Cider Immunity Sparkler

Abra Pappa, MS, CNS, LDN

A refreshing mocktail or cocktail, perfect for the holiday, with only 3 simple ingredients! Added bonus, one special ingredient is a supportie immune tonic!

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 2 mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Servings serving

Ingredients

1 tbsp elderberry extract
1/4 cup apple cider
Champagne or sparkling water
cinnamon stick, apple slices, or dried apple for garnish optional
Cinnamon sugar to rim the glass optional

Instructions

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add elderberry and apple cider. Shake vigorously.
Rim each glass in cinnamon sugar, fill the glasses half full with elderberry/cider mixture and top wtih champagne or sparkling water.
Garnish: cinnamon stick, or dried apple slice, or fresh apple

Notes

This recipe can be easily made as either a cocktail or a mocktail, simply swap out champagne for sparkling water!

Holiday Serving Suggestions:

Set out a table of glasses rimmed with cinnamon sugar and all of the fixings for the cider immunity sparkler, including fun garnishes like dried apples, sliced fresh apples, and frosted cranberries. Allow guests to create their own beverage using your pre-mixed elderberry and apple cider and adding either sparkling water or champagne.

Snap a photo when you try this recipe!Tag me! @abrapappa or #abraskitchen so I can feature your photo!

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