Cranberry Sparkler Mocktail
This cranberry mocktail is a bright, sparkling non-alcoholic holiday drink, naturally sweetened with orange juice, maple syrup, and fresh cranberries. All those bubbles make it perfect for Christmas and New Year’s toasts!
I love serving this cranberry mocktail so the whole family, including kids, can get in on the fun! For an adults-only festive drink, try my pomegranate cocktail.
Delicious Details
- Cuisine Inspiration: American
- Primary Cooking Method: No-cook
- Dietary Info: Gluten-free, Dairy-free
- Skill Level: Easy
Every year, as Christmas approaches, I look forward to gathering around our holiday ham and toasting to the season. When I saw the idea for homemade cranberry juice from Lisa’s Dinnertime Dish, I knew immediately that it belonged in a cocktail. With a splash of orange juice and a little fizz, it became a fun sparkling mocktail for those who don’t imbibe. Yes, this cranberry mocktail is alcohol free, and perfect for Christmas festivities!
Why You Should Toast the Holidays With a Cranberry Mocktail
- Fruity but sophisticated. It’s made with fresh cranberries, and naturally sweetened with orange juice and real maple syrup. The vibrant flavors and color comes from real ingredients, not artificial ones.
- Ready for toasting. The vibrant red color makes it perfect for serving at holiday parties. It’s truly a festive, sparkly non-alcoholic beverage to enjoy at celebrations with family and friends.
- Allergy-friendly. The simple ingredients mean that it’s free from gluten, dairy, and other major allergens. It’s a Christmas mocktail recipe that everyone can enjoy!
Gather Your Ingredients
A few fresh ingredients make this holiday mocktail zesty, sweet, and delicious. Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need, and you’ll find the full amounts and recipe details in the printable recipe card after the post.
- Fresh cranberries – Rinse them and discard any berries that are mushy or discolored.
- Orange juice – I highly recommend juicing fresh oranges for the best flavor. Otherwise, choose your favorite store-bought brand without pulp.
- Maple syrup – Honey or agave nectar are good substitutes. Simple syrup will also work.
- Sparkling water – Or club soda, which has slightly more fizz. To bring more flavor to your mocktail, play around with brands like Sanpellegrino that offer flavors such as blood orange, tangerine, lemon zest, etc.
How to Make a Non-Alcoholic Cranberry Cocktail
Any glass will do, but the bubbles in this mocktail look especially pretty in Champagne flutes, like you’d use for a mimosa. There’s the option to make this alcohol-free cocktail in individual glasses, or you can prepare your cranberry mocktail in a pitcher if you’re serving a crowd.
- Prepare the homemade cranberry juice. First, purée the cranberries, orange juice, water, and maple syrup in a blender. Strain the mixture, then return the juice to the blender. Purée again, and strain one more time.
- Make the cocktail. When you’re ready to serve your mocktails, pour about 1/4 cup of cranberry juice into each flute glass. Top each glass with sparkling water or club soda. Cheers!
Make a Mocktail Pitcher
To make this drink in a pitcher format, once you’ve blended and strained the cranberry juice, simply add the juice to a large pitcher. Keep the juice refrigerated, and when it’s time to serve, top up the pitcher with sparkling water or soda so it’s fresh and fizzy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Absolutely, and there are a few ways to turn your cranberry mocktail into a cocktail. I’d recommend replacing the sparkling water with sparkling wine, like Prosecco. Substitute some of the orange juice with Cointreau and add a splash of vodka to the drink for a Cosmopolitan-inspired twist.
Frozen cranberries will work if fresh cranberries aren’t available. Another option is to substitute store-bought cranberry juice. In this case, you’ll need to swap the 2 cups of whole cranberries with approximately ½-1 cup of cranberry juice.
Tips for a Perfect Drink
- Use a high-powered blender. You really want to break down those cranberries, so make sure to use a high-powered blender or food processor. I like the Blendtec or Ninja blender.
- Double-strain the juice. This is not a drink where you want little bits floating in it, so you’ll need a fine mesh sieve or some cheesecloth to strain the juice.
- Add garnishes. Plop a few fresh cranberries into each glass for a pretty garnish. Or, for a frosted look, you can rim the flute glasses with coarse sugar. Dip each rim into lemon juice, then into a shallow bowl of sugar, similar to how you’d make a salt rim on a margarita.
Can I Prepare This Mocktail in Advance?
Yes. You can prepare this fizzy mocktail an hour or so before serving without it going flat. However, any longer than that, and it’ll lose all of its bubbles. For a make-ahead option, blend and strain the cranberry juice and keep it in the refrigerator until you are ready to add the sparkling water. It keeps for 2 or 3 days.
Make It a Celebration!
This Christmas mocktail is the perfect booze-free refresher at parties and celebrations during the holiday season. To help with your holiday planning, here are some occasions and food pairings for a cranberry mocktail:
- Holiday open house. Serve a variety of appetizers to guests, like melty baked brie and finger foods like bacon-wrapped dates or savory spinach feta pinwheels. Don’t forget a dessert charcuterie board for something sweet!
- Cookie exchange. Let everyone nibble on sweets like chocolate fudge and candied spiced nuts while packing containers of sugar cookies and brown butter snickerdoodles.
- Christmas dinner. Raise a toast over a feast of bottom round roast with sides of corn pudding casserole, mouthwatering honey roasted carrots, and creamy scalloped sweet potatoes.
More Non-Alcoholic Drinks and Mocktail Recipes
Cranberry Mocktail
Ingredients
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup maple syrup or to taste (see Note). You can also substitute honey or agave nectar
- Sparkling water or club soda (see Note)
- Frozen cranberries to serve as ice cubes if desired
Instructions
- Place the cranberries, orange juice, water, and maple syrup in a blender, and puree thoroughly.
- Strain through a mesh strainer.
- Return the juice to the blender and puree once more. Strain again.
- Keep juice in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, pour about 1/4 c juice in each champagne flute, and add about an equal amount of sparkling water or club soda.
- Garnish with frozen cranberries, if desired.
Notes
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This looks great. How many cocktails does this make?
Carolyn, the recipe as written makes 2 mocktails.