This post is sponsored by La Croix. All opinions and ideas are my own. Thank you so much for supporting the brands that keep me pumping out the colorful crafts and DIY’s.

I love a little reminder of warmer weather in the middle of winter, so I created a tropical holiday mash-up filled with color and pizazz. A party complete with a floral tree, cocktails inspired by two of my new favorite La Croix Curate flavors, and a few tasty appetizers. And after you’ve had a few sips of the two delicious cocktail recipes I am about to share, you will brushing off the winter chill and ready to party tropical style.

Follow along as I share the recipes for a unique and delicious holiday soiree.

First up let’s talk about the star of any party. That would be the cocktails of course! I decided to work with two flavors of La Croix Curate, the pomme baya and the melon pomelo. The melon pomelo flavor was transformed into a tropical greyhound with the addition of a cantaloupe simple syrup, and the pomme baya was combined with vanilla simple syrup, cranberry juice, and bourbon for the tastiest holiday spritzer ever!

Melon Greyhound

• 3 Tablespoons cantaloupe simple syrup (recipe below)
• 1 Shot Grapefruit Juice
• 1 Shot Ruby Red grapefruit vodka
• La Croix Curate Melon Pomelo

Fill a highball glass with ice, add the first three ingredients and then fill with the La Croix Melon Pomelo. Stir to combine and garnish with a wood skewer topped with cantaloupe balls and a pink grapefruit wedge.

Cantaloupe simple syrup 

• 1 part chopped dried cantaloupe (the sugary kind from the bulk food section of the grocery store)
• 4 parts water

Simmer the water with the cantaloupe until the water reduces by half. Blend the mixture into a puree and then strain out any remaining cantaloupe pieces. The remaining mixture is the cantaloupe simple syrup for your cocktail.

Apple, Cranberry, and Vanilla Bourbon Spritzer

• 1 shot bourbon 
• 1 shot cranberry juice cocktail
• 2 Tbsp. vanilla simple syrup (recipe below)
• La Croix Pomme Baya

Add the first three ingredients to a rocks glass then fill with the La Croix Pomme Baya. Stir gently to mix and add a few fresh cranberries as garnish.

Vanilla Simple Syrup Recipe

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 Tbsp Vanilla bean paste (or full vanilla bean split open and seeds removed and added to the syrup

Combine all the ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer until the sugar just dissolves. Cool and use as the vanilla simple syrup for your cocktail.

Now that the drinks are taken care of, we need some appetizers! I wanted to play off both the flavors of the La Croix curate that I used for the cocktails as well as the tropical vibe of the party, so I created simple grilled pineapple and mozzarella bites and an apple, cranberry, and mango topped baked brie.

Pineapple Mozzarella Bites

• Rosemary Skewers (optional, but gives a festive touch)
• Grilled sliced pineapple
• Small bite sized fresh mozzarella
• Balsamic vinaigrette reduction

Simple skewer bite sized pieces of pineapple and mozzarella onto the rosemary skewers and then drizzle with the balsamic reduction. To make the reduction, simmer balsamic vinaigrette over low heat until it forms a thick glaze (about 15 minutes).