Want a fun beverage recipe to make tonight?  Try this sparkling apple cider mocktail.  It’s full of sparkles, it’s red, it’s pretty–it will get the attention of all the ladies in the room!  As an added bonus, the rim of the glass is dipped in homemade butterscotch sauce, then lightly pressed into margarita salt to give you the sweet/salty combo.  Tempted? 😋

Is sparkling cider the same as apple cider?

Not really, but they have some similarities.

• Sparkling cider is carbonated, so its bubbly.  Apple cider has no fizz.
• Sparkling cider is pasteurized, apple cider isn’t.
• Sparkling cider is filtered, apple cider isn’t.
• Sparkling cider has no alcohol, just like apple cider.

Is sparkling cider bad for you?

It depends.  If you’re on a diet, or need to watch your sugar intake, you might want a smaller glass as it is high in calories and sugar.  The good news is it’s free of sodium, cholesterol and fat.  It is also high in vitamin C.  It’s carbonated so it’s full of sparkles and fizz, which makes it fun to drink.

How to Make Sparkling Apple Cider Mocktail

Twirl the rim of the glass in butterscotch.  Lightly press it into the salt.

Gather the ingredients for the drink: apple juice, sparkling apple cider, grenadine, and Angostura bitters.

To build the drink in the glass, pour in 6 ounces of apple juice.

Pour in 6 ounces of sparkling apple cider.

Add the grenadine and the Angostura bitters.

Carefully stir with a long handled spoon.

Enjoy this cold beverage with a group of friends or with your family at a holiday meal.  It’s a showstopper, plus it’s quick to make, which makes this drink recipe a real winner in my books.

Pro Tips

• Want a garnish?  Float a thin slice of apple on top.
• Can’t find store-bought grenadine, or need to substitute?  Learn how to make your own grenadine syrup here.
• No ice?  Use cold ingredients, and you can skip the ice.
• Plain sparkling apple cider is best for this recipe.
• Need to make it ahead?  Prep the rim of the glasses.  Mix up everything, except the sparkling cider, refrigerate, then add the sparkling cider just before serving.

Treat yourself to one of these amazing mocktails.  Just pretend it’s the weekend! 😊

• Cranberry Apple Cider Mocktail: tangy zing from the cranberry juice plus sweet apple cider?  You can’t go wrong.
• Caramel Apple Mocktail: gingery fizz combines with buttery homemade caramel to make a luscious drink.
• Sparkling Cranberry Mocktail: a super-quick, 5-ingredient drink that’s totally awesome.

Did you make this sparkling apple cider mocktail?  Please leave a recipe rating below to share how you enjoyed it.

Sparkling Apple Cider Mocktail

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• Author: Brooke
• Prep Time: 6 minutes
• Total Time: 6 minutes
• Yield: 12 fl oz
• Category: Beverages
• Method: Chilled
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Sparkling apple cider mocktail is a healthy, nonalcoholic festive drink you can mix up in minutes.  This easy recipe is perfect for kids or for a crowd.  The whole family will enjoy drinking this fun cold beverage at brunch, Thanksgiving, or at your next Christmas party.  Bring some holiday cheer to your loved ones this year and serve this simple drink to them.

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Ingredients

• 1/4 cup homemade butterscotch sauce
• 1/4 cup margarita salt
• 1/2 glass apple juice (approximately 6 fl oz)
• 1/2 glass sparkling cider (approximately 6 fl oz)
• 1 teaspoon grenadine
• 3 dashes Angostura bitters

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Instructions

Decorating the Glass

1. Put the butterscotch sauce and margarita salt in two separate bowls.  Twirl the rim of the glass in the butterscotch, then lightly press it in the margarita salt.

Making the Beverage

1. To build the drink in the glass, fill it halfway with apple juice (approximately 6 fl oz).  Next, carefully fill the rest of the glass with sparkling cider (approximately 6 fl oz).  Add the grenadine and the Angostura bitters, gently stir, and serve immediately.
2. To make a small pitcher, quadruple the ingredients.  Stir together the apple juice, grenadine, and Angostura bitters and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Just before serving, gently stir in the sparkling cider.

Notes

• If you’re using butterscotch sauce, make sure it’s plain and not smoked butterscotch.

Keywords: non alcoholic, easy mocktails recipes