Do you want to drink something sparkling and festive this holiday season but don't want to indulge in alcoholic beverages? Then, this Sparkling Cranberry Mocktail is perfect for you! With just a few simple ingredients, you can have a delicious and refreshing holiday drink that will leave you feeling merry and bright. Top cranberry juice with chilled cranberry raspberry sparkling water, and garnish the glass with sugared cranberries.
Cranberry is one of my favorite seasonal flavors! I love this sparkling tart and lightly sweet beverage when it's cranberry season; it's festive with the sugared cranberries, which are easy to make. Another mocktail you're to enjoy, especially over the summer, is this Blue Lagoon Mocktail.
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It's fabulous for entertaining during the holidays or all year round as a non-alcoholic beverage. This sparkling mocktail with vibrant red color is a great way to enjoy the festivities of holiday parties while staying hydrated.
Serve this fun non-alcoholic mocktail over the holidays, on New Year's Eve, at Thanksgiving, or at a Christmas brunch! This cranberry mocktail would pair nicely with these vegan cranberry cream cheese bites and vegan cranberry orange bread!
If you'd like to serve drinks with alcohol, try this Plum Ginger Gin Sour, Blood Orange French 75, Meyer Lemon French 75, Vegan Irish Cream, or this Classic Sidecar Cocktail. Many of these can be modified to skip the alcohol; refer to each recipe for the details. For a warm drink, try Vin Chaud.
Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients to make this fun and sophisticated beverage without alcohol; you can find the ingredients easily at the local grocery store.
- Cranberry juice - I used pure unsweetened cranberry juice.
- Sparkling water - I like a bit of fizz, so I used cranberry raspberry sparkling water, naturally flavored with real squeezed fruit. You can use any sparkling water you like.
- Sugared cranberries - you'll need fresh cranberries, sugar, and water to make these.
- Organic cane sugar to rim the glass - this is optional but a nice festive touch!
A complete ingredient list with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.
Variations
Here are some variations you can try:
- Cranberry juice - Use cranberry cocktail instead.
- Sparkling water - Use any variety you like, plain or flavored. Lemon, lime, apple, and other fruity sparkling waters would be delicious if you can't find cranberry raspberry sparkling water. You can also try ginger beer, which is not beer, ginger ale, or club soda.
- Sweeter - Add pomegranate juice, pomegranate seeds, pineapple juice, or freshly squeezed orange juice for a sweeter mocktail.
- Alcoholic - add an ounce of vodka.
- Garnishes - Add a sprig of fresh rosemary or a sprig of mint.
- Muddle with lime or fresh mint; add a squeeze of fresh lime juice.
How to Make This Sparkling Cranberry Mocktail
It's easy to make this holiday cranberry mocktail. But, first, I'll tell you how to make sugared cranberries! You can make these the day before or a few hours before you need them.
For the Sugared Cranberries
- Step 1: Bring organic cane sugar and water to a boil on medium heat in a small or medium saucepan. Heat and stir until the sugar dissolves and the liquid is clear.
- Step 2: Then, take the saucepan off the heat and stir in the fresh cranberries. Mix them gently to coat them in the simple syrup.
- Step 3: Remove the cranberries with a slotted spoon and place them on a cookie rack to dry for a couple of hours.
- Step 4: Place the remaining sugar in a medium bowl and spoon the cranberries in the bowl. Stir the cranberries gently to coat them with sugar. Place the sugared cranberries on the cookie rack to dry for another hour.
For the Sparkling Cranberry Mocktail
Once you have the sugared cranberries, you can make the perfect mocktail. Here are the simple steps:
- Step 1: Rim the edge of the glasses with water and organic cane sugar.
- Step 2: Pour chilled cranberry juice into each glass.
- Step 3: Top each glass with raspberry cranberry sparkling water.
- Step 4: Garnish each glass with sugared cranberries on a cocktail pick.
Serve the drink in a highball glass with crushed ice if you prefer.
Recipe FAQs
Cranberry juice has many health benefits. It's a good source of vitamin C and several other vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Many people drink cranberry juice to prevent urinary tract infections. Sparkling water is carbonated water; the main benefit is hydration!
Mocktails are cocktails with no liquor. They contain no alcohol, so they are suitable for children and anyone else who doesn't drink alcohol.
This refreshing mocktail is best enjoyed immediately. If you mix the drink beforehand, it will lose the bubbles and go flat.
Related Vegan Drinks
If you try this recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a star rating and let me know how it goes in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Recipe
Sparkling Cranberry Mocktail
EQUIPMENT
- Slotted spoon
- baking sheet
- Cookie rack
- cocktail glasses or glasses of choice
- Cocktail pick
INGREDIENTS
For Sugared Cranberries
- ¾ cup organic cane sugar, divided
- ½ cup water
- 6 oz cranberries rinsed
For Sparkling Cranberry Mocktail
- Organic cane sugar to rim the glass
- 5 oz cranberry juice, unsweetened chilled
- 5 oz raspberry cranberry sparkling water chilled, or sparkling water of choice
- Sugared cranberries garnish, optional
INSTRUCTIONS
For the Sugared Cranberries
- Place a cookie rack on a baking sheet.
- In a small saucepan, bring ½ cup organic cane sugar and ½ cup water to boil on medium heat. Heat and stir until sugar dissolves.¾ cup organic cane sugar, divided, ½ cup water
- Take the saucepan off the heat and stir the cranberries in, mixing them gently to coat them in the simple syrup.6 oz cranberries
- Remove the cranberries with a slotted spoon and place them on the cookie rack to dry for two hours.
- Place remaining ¼ cup of sugar in a medium bowl and spoon the cranberries in the bowl. Stir the cranberries gently to coat them with sugar. Place the sugared cranberries back on the cookie rack to dry for another hour.
For the Sparkling Cranberry Mocktail
- Rim the edge of the glasses with water and then organic cane sugar.Organic cane sugar to rim the glass
- Pour 2.5 oz chilled cranberry juice into each glass.5 oz cranberry juice, unsweetened
- Top each glass with 2.5 oz raspberry cranberry sparkling water.5 oz raspberry cranberry sparkling water
- Garnish each glass with sugared cranberries on a cocktail pick.Sugared cranberries
NOTES
NUTRITION
Resplendent Kitchen offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site as a courtesy. Although resplendentkitchen.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information from online calculators, these figures are estimates.
Dannii says
This looks so light and refreshing. Perfect for a holiday party.
Emily says
Thank you for your kind words, Dannii! I'm glad you like the recipe and we hope you'll give it a try at your next party.
Natalie says
I made this non-alcoholic cocktail for my daughter's birthday. The kids were so excited, it was perfect, thanks!
Emily says
Thank you for trying this recipe Natalie, I'm glad the kids enjoyed it!
Amanda says
Love anything fizzy and this looks perfect for Christmas parties and for kids too.
Emily says
Thank you for your kind words, Amanda! This mocktail will be a hit at any Christmas party!
Jovita says
So beautiful and light mocktail! Also it's easy to prepare. I will serve it to my friends.
Emily says
Thank you very much, Jovita! I hope your friends enjoy it too!
Farah says
I love this! How cute are the sugared cranberries. Thanks for the beautiful seasonal recipe!
Emily says
Thank you, Farah! The sugared cranberries are definitely a seasonal favorite.