Cranberry Orange Christmas Mocktail
Cranberry and orange juices make an orange-hued base for this sparkling, nonalcoholic drink. Chilled ginger ale adds a mild ginger note, and each serving is poured over ice in a short rocks glass with floating cranberries, orange slices, a lime wedge, and rosemary.
The sweetness depends on the cranberry juice and mixer you use. Taste the juice base before adding any simple syrup, and pour in the ginger ale just before serving to keep the drinks fizzy.
Ingredients for Cranberry Orange Christmas Mocktails
- 1 cup cranberry juice
- 1½ cups orange juice, chilled
- 1½ cups ginger ale, chilled
- About 2 cups ice cubes, or as needed
- About ½ cup fresh cranberries (50g)
- 1 orange, cut into thin slices or half-moons
- 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
- 4 small fresh rosemary sprigs
- Optional: 1 to 2 tablespoons simple syrup, or to taste
How to Make Cranberry Orange Christmas Mocktails
- Chill the ingredients: Refrigerate the cranberry juice, orange juice, and ginger ale until cold. Cold ingredients keep the drinks from needing extra ice to cool them down.
- Mix the juice base: Combine the cranberry and orange juices in a pitcher. Taste; if the base is too tart, stir in a little simple syrup at a time, remembering that the ginger ale will add sweetness.
- Add the ginger ale: Pour it in just before serving and stir gently once or twice to keep the bubbles.
- Fill the glasses: Add ice to four short rocks glasses. Divide the mocktail evenly among them, filling each nearly to the rim.
- Garnish and serve: Float a few cranberries and an orange slice on each drink. Set a lime wedge on each rim, add a rosemary sprig upright, and serve promptly.
Choosing the Cranberry Juice and Mixer
Cranberry juice cocktail is typically sweeter than unsweetened cranberry juice. Ginger ale adds more sweetness as well as a mild ginger flavor, so the optional simple syrup may not be needed.
For a less-sweet, less-gingery drink, replace the ginger ale with chilled sparkling water or club soda. Taste the juice base before deciding whether to add any sweetener.
Make the Juice Base Ahead
Mix the cranberry and orange juices ahead and refrigerate the base in a covered container. Keep the ginger ale separate until serving, then add it gently before pouring over ice and garnishing the glasses. A fully mixed drink will gradually lose its fizz.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per drink, based on 4 servings and excluding optional simple syrup: 130 calories, 1g protein, 0g fat, and 33g carbohydrates. Per 100g: about 35 calories, 0g protein, 0g fat, and 9g carbohydrates. Values vary with the cranberry juice and ginger ale used.
Cranberry Orange Christmas Mocktail
Equipment
- Pitcher
- Rocks glasses
Ingredients
- 1 cup cranberry juice
- 1½ cups orange juice, chilled
- 1½ cups ginger ale, chilled
- About 2 cups ice cubes, or as needed
- About ½ cup fresh cranberries (50 g)
- 1 orange, cut into thin slices or half-moons
- 1 lime, cut into 4 wedges
- 4 small fresh rosemary sprigs
- Optional: 1 to 2 tablespoons simple syrup, or to taste
Instructions
- Refrigerate the cranberry juice, orange juice, and ginger ale until cold.
- Combine the cranberry juice and orange juice in a pitcher.
- Taste the juice base and stir in simple syrup a little at a time if needed.
- Add the ginger ale just before serving and stir gently once or twice.
- Add ice to four rocks glasses and divide the drink evenly among them.
- Garnish each glass with cranberries, an orange slice, a lime wedge, and a rosemary sprig. Serve promptly.
Tips
- Taste the juice base before adding simple syrup; ginger ale adds sweetness.
- Add ginger ale just before serving to preserve the fizz.
- Use chilled ingredients to avoid needing extra ice to cool the drinks.
- Add the garnishes just before serving.
Variations
- Less-Sweet Sparkling Version: Replace the ginger ale with chilled sparkling water or club soda.