Sparkling Cranberry Mocktail
A bright, fizzy nonalcoholic Thanksgiving mocktail — fresh cranberry syrup, orange, and sparkling water with a rosemary garnish. The festive drink everyone can raise, from the kids' table to the designated drivers.
Prep time
10 min (plus 10 min syrup)
Cook time
10 min
Total time
20 min
Yield
Serves 4 (about 1 quart syrup, enough for 8 mocktails)
Ingredients
- Cranberry syrup: 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water
- Sparkling water or club soda, chilled
- Fresh orange juice (about 1 tbsp per glass)
- Fresh lemon juice (about 1 tsp per glass)
- Fresh cranberries, orange slices, and rosemary sprigs, for garnish
- Ice cubes
- Optional: 1 oz gin or vodka per glass (for a spiked version)
About 90 kcal per mocktail (without alcohol)
Instructions
- 1
1. Make the cranberry syrup
In a small saucepan, combine the cranberries, sugar, and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook 8–10 minutes, crushing the berries as they burst, until the syrup is deep red. Strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing on the solids; let cool. (Keeps a week in the fridge.)
- 2
2. Mix the base
For each mocktail, add 1 oz (2 tbsp) of the cooled cranberry syrup to a tall glass, then stir in the fresh orange juice and lemon juice.
- 3
3. Top with sparkle
Fill the glass with ice and slowly top with chilled sparkling water or club soda, leaving room at the top. Give it one gentle stir from the bottom to lift the syrup — don't over-stir or you'll lose the fizz. (For a spiked version, add the spirit before the sparkling water.)
- 4
4. Garnish and serve
Thread a few fresh cranberries onto a rosemary sprig and rest it across the rim with an orange slice. Serve immediately while it's bubbly.
Chef's notes
- ★The cranberry syrup doubles as a pancake topper or a stir-in for yogurt — make a double batch.
- ★For a less sweet mocktail, use unsweetened sparkling water and add syrup to taste.
- ★Set up a DIY mocktail bar: leave the syrup, sparkling water, citrus, and garnishes out and let guests build their own.