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    Home » Recent Posts » Holidays

    DIY Cocktail Kits and Mocktail Kits for Holiday Gift Giving

    Published: Nov 16, 2021 · Updated: Dec 6, 2021 by Katy McAvoy

    I love when you share my recipes!

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    Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, I make a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you for supporting my business!


    Tis the season for homemade treats and putting together cookie boxes. But I’d rather build a holiday cocktail box! Or mocktail box! Or both! 

    Cocktail and mocktail kits have become increasingly popular and they’re so easy to make yourself! And since you choose everything that goes into the box, you can also control the price, making them a great budget-friendly option for holiday gift giving. 

    Ideas for DIY Cocktail Kits and Mocktail Kits

    Whether you’ll be shipping the box or delivering it in person will impact what goes into it. If you’re shipping it, you’ll want to skip fresh ingredients, liquids, or alcohol and stick with non-perishable items like bar tools, cocktail recipe books, glassware, sugars, salts, and fun cocktail napkins. But if you’re delivering it in person, then the sky’s the limit! 

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    What goes into a Cocktail Kit or Mocktail Kit? 

    Just like cookie boxes, there’s so much fun to be had with ingredients in a cocktail or mocktail kit. You can customize each one to the recipient and give something that they’ll really enjoy. 

    Ideas include: 

    • Homemade syrups
    • Small bottles of liquor(s)
    • Homemade infused liquor(s)
    • Bitters 
    • Small cans of mixers (club soda, ginger beer, etc.)
    • A jar of cocktail cherries
    • Sugars and salts (for rimming a glass)
    • Glassware
    • Recipe cards or cocktail recipe books
    • Bar tools (cocktail shaker, jigger, bar spoon, etc.)
    • Cocktail picks
    • Cocktail napkins

    Give Your Cocktail Kit a Theme

    Including ALL of those items would be a bit much and likey overwhelming for the gift recipient as well. When giving a cocktail or mocktail box, start by thinking about who you’re giving the box to, then form a theme.

    Is your recipient new to making cocktails? If so, they might enjoy a cocktail recipe book and the bar tools needed to start crafting delicious drinks. You could also include a couple small bottles of liquor and the mixers for one or two drinks. 

    You can also theme cocktail kits around a specific drink. If you friend loves vodka, choose a popular vodka drink - like a Moscow Mule or a Cosmopolitan - and provide them with the ingredients to make it.

    Moscow Mule Cocktail Kit
    Moscow Mule Cocktail Kit

    If you’re giving a cocktail kit to someone who’s likely to have a supply of standard liquors (gin, vodka, bourbon, etc.) already in their house, then taking the time to infuse liquor yourself is a fun way to add something new to their home bar they they’re not likely to think of. 

    Cocktail kit ingredients for an Apple French 75
    Cocktail kit ingredients for an Apple French 75

    Try These DIY Liquor Infusions

    DIY Apple Cinnamon Infused Gin
    DIY Apple Cinnamon Infused Gin
    DIY Strawberry Infused Vodka
    DIY Strawberry Infused Vodka

    Make a Mocktail Kit 

    If your gift recipient doesn’t drink - or you’re not sure - a mocktail box with homemade simple syrups, fresh citrus, nice glassware, and some printed mocktail recipes is a fun, alcohol-free variation on a cocktail kit. 

    DIY Mocktail Kit
    DIY Mocktail Kit

    Homemade Simple Syrups for Cocktails and Mocktails

    Apple Cider Syrup in a jar
    Apple Cider Syrup
    Cranberry Orange Syrup
    Cranberry Orange Syrup

    How to Package Your Cocktail Kit or Mocktail Kit

    This is a gift, so you want the packaging to be nice, but that doesn’t have to mean expensive or over the top. Cardboard bakery boxes filled with parchment or tissue paper make a nice base for your cocktail or mocktail kit. 

    Reuse old bottles and jars in your gifting. I habitually save the glass jar from just about any item we use throughout the year and by the fall, I have a small treasure trove of bottles and jars that are perfect for using in cocktail and mocktail boxes. Just soak the labels off with hot, soapy water and make sure the lids are plain. Jam, honey, and spice jars all work great for this. 

    Your unique touch is what makes DIY cocktail kits and mocktail kits some of the most fun gifts to give and receive. Have fun putting it together and customize the box for each person! Make some items - make none of the items - it’s your call. Just make the boxes personal and your recipients will love them! 

    DIY Cosmopolitan Cocktail Kit
    DIY Cosmopolitan Cocktail Kit
    « Prickly Pear Cinnamon Gin Cocktail is Perfect for Fall
    West Michigan Artists to Shop with This Holiday Season »

    I love when you share my recipes!

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    About Katy McAvoy

    Katy is the author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, and Michigander behind MittenGirl.com. Since 2017, she's been crafting easy-to-make cocktails and delicious meals, along with sharing her love of all things Michigan (a.k.a. The Mitten)!

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    Katy McAvoy

    Hi! I’m Katy. I’m an author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, Michigander, and lover of all things food and drink. I never turn down a good happy hour and believe that a couple hours of meal prep pays off for daaaaays. Follow me on Instagram to check out what I’m working on next!

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