Cranberry Mocktail
Whenever I host a holiday dinner or any party, I always like to create a special mocktail to serve. It should be something that complements the season and menu. This Cranberry Mocktail is one of my favorite choices for holiday parties. It’s made with cranberry juice, basil-infused simple syrup, and club soda, and it’s suitable for all guests to enjoy. This Mocktail is easy to make, refreshing, and has a great flavor, making it a fabulous way to add a personal touch to the party. The red cranberries, rosemary garnish, and holiday ice cubes make it look festive. Although making the cranberry mocktail without simple syrup is possible, I prefer the extra sweetness. The best part? Prepare the cranberry basil base beforehand and add the club soda before serving. To impress your guests this Christmas, serve a festive mocktail in a glass ornament. It’s the perfect way to entertain in style!
Ingredients required
Below is the ingredients list and possible substitutions. The exact ingredient amounts are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Cranberry Juice – make sure to look for a 100% juice blend. This means a mixture of cranberry, apple, grape, and other juices instead of just cranberry juice alone. Avoid cranberry juice cocktails, which typically only contain about 20% juice with added sugar. Using a 100% juice blend ensures that your Mocktail is tasty. Don’t use 100% cranberry juice. It’s much too tart. Simple syrup – The simple syrup for this recipe is infused with Fresh basil leaves. This quick 3-ingredient simple syrup adds a fresh, bright flavor that layers with the other ingredients to feel light and refreshing. Basil Simple syrup can be adjusted based on your sweetness preference. Club soda – Gives this Mocktail a fizzy quality, making it a festive holiday drink. It’s added just before serving to maintain its carbonation. You can substitute club soda with sparkling water or Sprite. Pretty Garnishes: To make this drink extra pretty, I used holiday ice cubes and rosemary as garnishes. Rosemary is a must when I make Christmas mocktails; adding a sprig of fresh rosemary looks gorgeous. Even one little rosemary sprig adds another subtle flavor that can be fun!
Step-by-step process
Make Mocktail
In a pot, take sugar, water, and basil. Switch on the stove and let everything come to a boil. It will take about 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the heat on low and simmer the syrup for five more minutes. Then, switch off the flame and let the simple syrup cool down. Strain the basil-infused simple syrup through the strainer. Mix this strained simple syrup with cranberry juice. Stir very well.
Serving ideas I hope you guys give this Mocktail a try for the holidays!
Make In Advance
You can make the basil simple syrup in advance and keep it refrigerated. It will be suitable for a week (or even more)! Then mix up the cranberry juice and basil simple syrup for several hours (or a couple of days) before your party and portion them into the clear ornaments. Pop them in the refrigerator and pull them out when it’s serving time. That way, there’s no fuss during the actual gathering. Once that’s done, you can make the drink on the day of your party. Let the guest add the soda to their glasses. Skip the step of filling mocktails in ornaments if you don’t have the time or prefer not to make the effort.
Other Juice Options
If you don’t have cranberry juice or don’t like it, you can also use pomegranate juice. Apple juice and orange juice are other options, but adjust the simple syrup then since apple and orange juice are sweeter than cranberry juice. Make sure to use pure juice free of any added sugar.
Use a funnel. This is the easiest and most efficient way to get the Mocktail into the small opening of the ornament. If you don’t have a funnel, strain the cocktail into a measuring cup with a spout, then pour it into the ornament. Leave some space at the top of the ornament to prevent spillage. Be sure your club soda is chilled before pouring! This helps keep your drink fizzy. You can add as much simple syrup as you like, depending on how sweet you want your drink.
Other No Alcohol Drink recipes
Hibiscus margarita Christmas punch Orange mocktail Strawberry lemonade Blood orange cranberry jalapeno mojito Christmas sangria
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