Cranberry Mocktail Spritz
Let’s make a craft-inspired mocktail with complex flavors that is both incredibly delicious and refreshing at the same time! This cranberry mocktail is made with tart cranberry juice, rosemary simple syrup, and bubbly soda water for a drink that goes beyond sweet and syrupy. It’s tart, sweet, and totally delicious. While I love using NA spirits in mocktail recipes, I know they aren’t for everyone, so this cranberry juice mocktail is made without any spirits. Just don’t skip the rosemary simple syrup, it’s the best part of the drink!
Festive, fizzy, sweet, and tart!
And it’s alcohol-free so it works for everyone! When I stopped drinking (more than 4 years ago!), I realized that a few extra touches in mocktails go a long way.
Especially if you’re feeling a little “meh” about a mocktail, it’s especially important to include those fun extras and garnishes. This festive cranberry drink is…
😋 Seriously delicious: Perfect balance of tart cranberry, bright citrus, and refreshing sparkle in every sip.
🛒 Made with simple ingredients: Uses cranberry juice and basic ingredients you can find at any grocery store.
⏰ Quick & easy: Once you have your simple syrup ready to go, this drink can be whipped up in just a few minutes.
👨👩👧👦 Party-perfect: It’s festive enough for holidays, celebrations, and special occasions.
💰 Budget-friendly: Creates balanced drinks at a fraction of the cost of pre-made cocktail mixers.
🥄 Easily scalable: Make one glass or a whole pitcher to bulk prep this drink.
You’ll also want to try NA margarita, ginger beer mocktail, and the sleepy girl mocktail next time.
Ingredient Notes
You only need a few ingredients to make this cranberry lime mocktail: cranberry juice, rosemary simple syrup, soda water, lime slices, and rosemary sprigs for a festive garnish.
- Cranberry juice: Buy a high-quality, unsweetened cranberry juice for the best flavor. I prefer to look for 100% pure cranberry juice with no added sugar over cranberry juice cocktail, but you could also use the cocktail blend if you prefer. It is mixed with sugar, so it won’t be quite as tart, and you may need to adjust the amount of simple syrup.
Emily’s Tips & Tricks
- Pro tip: I think some extras help make mocktails that much more fun, so for this recipe, garnish the drink with lime slices and rosemary sprigs. It adds so much!
- Shortcuts: Simple syrup is pretty quick and easy, but you can also buy it if you prefer. You can also order it or check your local specialty stores that might have something similar. I have not personally tried this option, but it’s made with simple ingredients, minimal preservatives, and has good reviews.
- Variations: If you want to lower the sugar in the simple syrup, you can use cut the sugar in half. It will leave this drink quite tart, but is an easy way to cut some sugar.
- Additions: You could add NA spirits for more depth, I think Seedlip Garden 108 would be delicious, but there are so many options out there.
Cranberry Mocktail Spritz Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Category: Drink
Description
This cranberry mocktail is made with tart cranberry juice, rosemary simple syrup, and bubbly soda water for a refreshing and festive drink.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup cranberry juice
- 1/2 oz. rosemary simple syrup (1 Tablespoon)
- soda water
- lime slices
- rosemary sprigs
Rosemary Simple Syrup:
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 4 rosemary sprigs (a sprig is a whole stem, not single leaves)
Instructions
- Make rosemary simple syrup. Bring sugar, water, and rosemary to a boil over medium heat in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and let cool. Remove rosemary and discard. Store simple syrup in the refrigerator for about 3-4 weeks.
- Fill a tall or highball glass with crushed ice and add lime slices to the glass. Add cranberry juice and rosemary simple syrup and gently stir.
- Top with soda water and garnish with rosemary sprigs.
Notes
- Storage: This drink is best served immediately. Store the rosemary simple syrup in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
- Ingredient notes: 100% cranberry juice provides the best flavor, but cranberry cocktail works if you prefer sweeter drinks. If you prefer to order the rosemary simple syrup, this option is made with simple ingredients, minimal preservatives, and has great reviews!
- Prep ahead: Make simple syrup a few days in advance, prep garnishes, and chill cranberry juice and soda water ahead of time for quick assembly when guests arrive.
- Serve with: Trader Joe’s charcuterie board, cranberry jalapeno cream cheese dip, or whipped feta dip.
Serving Suggestions
I like to serve a cranberry mocktail recipe like this one with some appetizers/snacks:
FAQs
It’s lightly sweet, and the simple syrup helps balance the tartness of the cranberry juice, but the nice thing is that you can adjust it to your own personal preference. I tend to prefer mine less sweet, but I would recommend mixing the drink as written and trying it. If it needs more sweetness, simply stir in some more simple syrup.
Yes, it’s incredibly easy to make at home, but you can also order it or check your local specialty stores that might have something similar. I have not personally tried this option, but it’s made with simple ingredients, minimal preservatives, and has good reviews.
Yes! If you’ve got fresh cranberries from holiday celebrations, you should garnish the drink with a few or you could even make cranberry ice cubes by putting a few fresh cranberries in an ice mold and topping with water. They’ll be a beautiful addition to the drink.
Yes, you can make a batch of this drink. Simply combine the cranberry juice and rosemary simple syrup in a pitcher. If you’re serving this at a party, put out some simple directions to pour cranberry mixture over ice and top with soda water, and garnish with rosemary. The bubbles tend to lose their strength, so I wouldn’t recommend serving in a punch bowl.
More Easy Mocktail Recipes
If you like this cranberry rosemary mocktail, you might also like these other easy non-alcoholic drink recipes:
- Pineapple Ginger Beer Mocktail
- Sleepy Girl Mocktail
- Mocktail Margarita
- Mojito Mocktail
- Surely Wine (Not a mocktail, but my fave NA wine!)
About the Author
Emily Dingmann is a recipe developer, nutrition expert, and founder of My Everyday Table. She specializes in creating easy, healthy recipes that help busy parents feed their families well every single day, without the stress. With a degree in Nutrition and over 20 years of experience, Emily shares family-friendly meals that are practical, nourishing, and full of flavor. Learn more about Emily’s approach to everyday cooking and nutrition here.
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