The holiday season started today, and while this is so not like me, our house was fully decorated for Christmas before Thanksgiving. This put me in the mood for a cocktail to match my already Christmas mood without being too heavy.

We also think every party should have a signature house cocktail of the moment, which needs to please guests that don’t like a heavy dose of booze and please those who do! I always think of a few of my girlfriends and my husband. If they both like it (having very different tastes) it’s a win for a party. As for me, I want a festive look, and that’s where unsweetened cranberry juice comes in.

Simple Cocktail Recipe for the Holidays with Dixie Vodka

That calls for a vodka cocktail. I was recently sent a bottle of  Dixie Vodka, which had me smiling the minute I opened the package because the inside of the bottle is an artwork display.

Mr. Spinach Tiger is the mixologist around here and he’s really good at it. When I received a bottle of Dixie Vodka in the mail, I asked him to make me a cocktail that had Christmas flavors, although you could make this cocktail for anytime.

Only distributed in the southeast, Dixie Vodka is distilled six times from non-GMO American corn and packaged using 100% American materials. They utilize an innovative process called TerrePURE to strip out additional impurities post-distillation. It makes for a smoother vodka, perfect for sipping neat or on the rocks.

This Holiday Cocktail is Gluten Free

Dixie Vodka is completely gluten free and that is not true of all vodkas. You will need to check for the orange liqueur you use. Grand Marnier says they are gluten free.

It took a few tries to get the balance we were both looking for. We didn’t want the drink too sweet. The vodka doesn’t deserve it, and we like the sweet to be subtle.

We both don’t typically drink juice with our vodka, and this drink had to still have an earthy beat to it and a holiday feel. We added a cinnamon stick and orange to create the perfect holiday cheer.

More Cocktails from Spinach Tiger

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Simple Cocktail Recipe for the Holidays, Dixie Black Pepper Vodka

Cranberry Orange Vodka Cocktail

Course Cocktail

Cuisine American

Prep Time 2 minutes minutes

Total Time 2 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 ounces Dixie Vodka or Vodka of your choice
• 1 tablespoon simple syrup
• 1 ounce unsweetened cranberry juice
• 1/2 ounce orange liqueur prefer Grand Marnier
• Orange Peel
• ice
• Cinnamon stick for garnish
• Cranberries for garnish

Instructions

• Add vodka, simple syrup, cranberry juice, orange liqueur in shaker. Mix well.
• Pour into glass.
• Warm an orange peel with a lighter and put into the drink.
• Add cinnamon stick and cranberries for garnish.

The post Cranberry Orange Vodka Christmas Cocktail appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

Pumpkin Soufflé is like eating pumpkin clouds. If you don’t like the heavier desserts often made with pumpkin this is the perfect dessert to end a savory dinner when all you want is that little taste of sweet. While you might not make these at Thanksgiving if you’re serving a crowd, you might consider these as a perfect ending to a roast pork or roast chicken dinner.

This is a show stopper, as long as you can wait until the last minute to bake them.You must serve them immediately, because they will fall; however, they don’t fall that much, and they still taste good.

When I opened the oven and saw how much they rose, I was so excited. Not only did they rise well, the texture was so pleasing, because some souffles can be just airy sugar, but the pumpkin gives these body. I surprised my neighbors by ringing the bell and asking to eat and give me feedback. They ate them right up and claimed this pumpkin soufflé a winner.

The taste and texture are so nice, you can eat these as is, and there is no need for powdered sugar. However,  I do like the addition of a little ice cream dropped right in, especially cinnamon ice cream. I’ve given you a recipe for homemade cinnamon ice cream, but I also want to tell you about a shortcut for cinnamon ice cream.

Short Cut Cinnamon Ice Cream Recipe

You need your kitchen aid to whisk the egg whites for the souffle. Leave it out and take some vanilla ice cream and whisk in a heaping amount of cinnamon and if you dare, add in a pinch of all spice, and fresh nutmeg. Place back in freezer and you have some cinnamon ice cream. If ice cream is not your thing, just eat them as is. So good. I promise.

The Process for Pumpkin Soufflé

Before your dinner party you might want to do what I did and do a trial run and make a half recipe just to get the process down. I used these cute little pots and was happy to see that they came out looking so pretty.

This is how the egg whites should look before you fold in the pumpkin puree mixture.

Butter and sugar each ramekin. This helps the egg whites rise.

You can see how high I piled the mixture into the pots. In retrospect, I could have made them more even.

Pumpkin Soufflé will fall quickly, but the taste and texture will remain the same.

I can’t wait to hear about your favorite pumpkin desserts and feel free to send me recipes or links. Let me know if you make the pumpkin soufflé or the cinnamon ice cream recipe. I also have a Thanksgiving Food Pinterest Board, featuring several of the best food bloggers and their winning Thanksgiving recipes.

Make your own pumpkin pie spice here.

More Pumpkin Recipes

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Pumpkin Soufflé with Cinnamon Ice Cream

Easy, Light, Pumpkin Souffle Dessert with Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream, great to serve after a heavy fall meal.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 12 minutes minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons homemade pumpkin pie spice
• 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar divided, plus additional for coating ramekins
• 1 cup canned pure pumpkin puree
• 8 large egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400. Place rack in bottom third.
• Whisk together cornstarch, spices, sugar. Add to milk and heat in saucepan. Bring to a boil and then simmer for two minutes, whisking the whole time. Remove from heat and add pumpkin. Cool. (I put in freezer while I was beating the egg whites).
• Beat egg whites with salt and when soft peaks form, add sugar until stiff (see picture for texture).
• Fold pumpkin mixture in until fully incorporated.
• Butter cups and add sugar. The sugar will help the soufflé rise.
• To keep soufflé even, place soufflé cups on baking dish.
• Fill each ramekin to a little more than full.
• Bake for 17-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Notes

You can cut this recipe in half

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Cinnamon Ice Cream Recipe

Cinnamon ice cream made fresh with vanilla beans and cinnamon sticks.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 day day

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 day day 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 cup 250ml whole milk
• 3/4 cup 150g sugar
• pinch of salt
• 3-5 cinnamon sticks broken up (in a mortar & pestle, or with a hammer in a ziptop bag)
• 2 cups 500ml heavy cream
• 6 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon: optional

Instructions

• Split vanilla bean and add to milk. (or use a teaspoon of pure vanilla extract).
• Heat milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon sticks and 1 cup heavy cream in saucepan.
• Heat the milk, sugar, salt, vanilla, cinnamon sticks, and 1 cup (250ml) of the heavy cream together in a medium saucepan. Cover, remove from heat, and let steep 1 hour. Pour through a mesh strainer.
• Rewarm the mixture and remove the cinnamon sticks with a slotted spoon.
• Whisk egg yolks together and temper, by adding in some of the warm cinnamon infused milk, whisking constantly. Once tempered, add yolks with milk into the saucepan with milk. Continue to cook over low heat until the mixture is thick and coats back of a wooden spoon.
• Remove from heat and immediately pour the custard through the strainer into the cream. Stir the custard until cool, then chill thoroughly in the refrigerator, preferably overnight.
• Once very cool, taste to see if there is enough cinnamon flavor. Add more if necessary.
• Churn in ice cream machine.
• Add the end add a tablespoon of vodka (helps ice cream not to be icy).

The post Pumpkin Soufflé with Cinnamon Ice Cream Recipe appeared first on Spinach Tiger.