Looking for an easy mocktail to serve during the holidays? Sparkling cranberry mocktail is a ridiculously easy mocktail that’s full of sparkles and fun!
Looking for more holiday mocktails family and friends will love? Try our Winter Sangria and our Candy Cane Mocktail.
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Ingredients
Curious about what ingredients you need to make this simple sparkling cranberry mocktail? Fortunately, it doesn't take a lot of ingredients. Let's talk about each one.
- Cranberry Juice: Use unsweetened, pure juice for the best flavor.
- Cranberry Sprite: If you can find it, cran Ginger Ale is especially delicious in this recipe! However, regular Sprite is also great.
- Cranberries: Feel free to use fresh or frozen here to float in the drink as a garnish.
- Fresh Rosemary: This really is the key ingredient, as it adds a lovely aroma when you sip the drink. Don't skip it!
- Ice: This is optional, but if you didn't have time to chill the juice and Sprite, we'd recommend adding some to the drink.
How to Make
Gather the ingredients for our sparkling cranberry mocktail.
- Pour ⅓ cup of juice into a 15.5 ounce glass.
- Fill the glass with Sprite (about 1 ½ cups or 12 fl oz). Leave a little room at the top for garnish.
3. Add some crushed ice and a few fresh cranberries.
4. Don't forget the rosemary sprig; it adds a lot of flavor and aroma to the drink!
We encourage you to make this super-easy drink for company or just for yourself this holiday season. It takes hardly any time to make and is so refreshing and festive. It would be perfect to serve at a New Year's Eve celebration or any holiday party.
Recipe FAQs
Mocktails are a "cocktail" that doesn't contain alcohol--hence the "mock." They are a fun and tasty drink you can enjoy without having any alcohol.
Cranberries have an affinity for a wide variety of fruits, herbs, and spices. We love how it works in our cranberry mocktail with the lemon-lime flavors of the Sprite and the sprigs of rosemary. In particular, it goes well with apples, cinnamon, orange, ginger, and vanilla.
Mocktails are great to enjoy for parties, special events, holidays, or even just an evening at home any time you wish to avoid drinking alcohol.
It's easy to make this cocktail for a group. First, pour six cans (about 2 liters) of Cranberry Sprite into a punch bowl or drink dispenser. Then add 14 ounces of cranberry juice. To add some pizzazz, float fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs in the drink.
For an extra special occasion, you can make an ice ring as a fancy garnish. Freeze a few inches of water in an angel food cake pan or small bundt pan and add fresh cranberries to it. To release it from the pan, set it in warm water for a few seconds, then turn it out into the punch bowl.
Variations
- Squeeze the juice of a fresh lemon wedge into your glass.
- Add a few drops of Angostura orange bitters.
- Try ginger ale instead of Sprite.
- Pour in a few tablespoons of simple syrup to add sweetness.
- Rim the glass with sugar. (Dip the rim in water, then in sugar.)
Expert Tips
- Save some time by rinsing the rosemary sprigs and fresh cranberries a few hours in advance.
- Can't find cranberry Sprite? Use cranberry ginger ale or regular Sprite instead.
- Chill the juice and Sprite for at least a couple of hours to ensure a cold drink.
- Adjust the ratio of juice and Sprite to your personal taste.
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Recipe
Sparkling Cranberry Mocktail
Ingredients
For the Drink
- ⅓ cup cranberry juice
- 1 ½ cups cranberry Sprite
For the Garnish
- 1 tablespoon crushed ice
- 1 tablespoon fresh cranberries
- 1 sprig of fresh rosemary
Equipment
Instructions
- Rinse the fresh cranberries and rosemary sprig.
- Pour the juice and Sprite into a 15.5 ounce highball or Collins glass, then gently stir to combine.
- Garnish with crushed ice, fresh cranberries, and the rosemary sprig. Serve immediately.
Make for a Crowd
- Pour six cans (about 2 liters) Cranberry Sprite into a punch bowl or drink dispenser. Add 14 ounces of cranberry juice.
- Float fresh cranberries and rosemary sprigs in the drink.
Ice Ring
- Freeze a few inches of water in an angel food cake pan or small bundt pan and add fresh cranberries to it.
- To release it from the pan, set it in warm water for a few seconds, then turn it out into the punch bowl.
Notes
- Save some time by preparing the garnishes a few hours ahead of time.
- Can't find cranberry Sprite? Use cran ginger ale or regular Sprite instead.
- Chill the liquids for a couple of hours.
- Adjust the ratios to your personal taste.
Nutrition
Serving sizes and nutritional information are only an estimate and may vary from your results.
Our sparkling cranberry mocktail post was originally published on December 29, 2017.
Alex
I like the fizzy Sprite. This drink looks very festive with the rosemary sprig and cranberries! 🌿 The ice gives coolness to this refreshing drink.
Emma
Aww, thank you, Alex! It's so fun making--and drinking--festive mocktails!
Beth
This is tangy from the cranberries and bubbly from the Sprite. A nice refreshing drink for a Christmas party.
Emma
Thank you, Beth! This is a nice drink to serve to guests.