Cranberry Spiced Spritzer (Mocktail or Cocktail)

This cranberry spiced spritzer is a festive drink to have around the holidays. It’s refreshing, delicious, and oh so pretty to look at. The recipe is healthy as is, but it would make a great base for a cocktail too. Serving something like this is both fun for those that drink and those who don’t but still want to feel like they are part of the party. Let’s get this party drink started!

Cranberry Spiced Spritzer

Makes 2 Drinks ~ Multiply For A Large Party

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup fresh organic cranberries
• 4 tsp raw honey
• 3 tsp of water
• 1/2 inch grated ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick
• juice of 1/2 orange for stove mixture
• zest from 1/4 orange
• 1/2 cup 100% cranberry juice
• juice of 1 orange for drink mixture
• 12 oz. sparkling water
• garnishes – cinnamon stick, fresh cranberries, orange slices
• cocktail version – 1 shot of vodka or bourbon

Directions

1. Add the cranberries, honey, water, grated ginger, cinnamon stick, orange zest, and orange juice to a sauce pan on the stove and bring to a boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes. If you multiply this recipe for 6 or 8 servings, boil closer to 5 minutes. Some of the cranberries will burst and others will remain whole. Use a fork to carefully mash down the remaining whole cranberries. It will look like a thick cranberry jam mixture in the end. Remove the pot from the heat and let the mixture cool completely.
2. Once cooled, add the cranberry jam mixture to a shaker along with 1/2 cup of cranberry juice and the juice of 1 orange. Shake vigorously. If you don’t have a shaker, you can use a covered jar. Set the shaker or jar in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
3. At the time of serving, shake up the cranberry juice mixture, take out the cinnamon stick, and then pour and divide the entire mixture into 2 cocktail glasses (unless you multiplied the recipe). Top the glasses off with sparkling water. If making a cocktail version, add the shot of alcohol with the cranberry mixture and mix together well. Then top off with the sparkling water. If you want it sweeter, squeeze in more fresh orange. Garnish with a few fresh cranberries, a cinnamon stick, and/or an orange slice. Cheers!

Riane’s Tidbits

Cranberry Mixture

Using the entire thick cranberry mixture is what makes this drink flavorful, so you don’t want to strain anything. Just know you’ll get a little surprise mashed cranberry here and there.

You can add 1 clove to the stovetop mixture if you have it on hand. It would be delicious and add even more spice.

Cranberry Juice

I use Trader Joes 100% cranberry juice.

You can substitute for 100% pomegranate juice if you wish.

Make Ahead

You can easily make the majority of this recipe ahead and store it in the fridge until it’s ready to serve. I would still make it the same day as the party though.

Sparkling Water

I use Gerolsteiner Sparkling Natural Mineral Water. It has more of a mineral taste than most sparkling waters which you may or may not like. Any sparkling water of your choice will do perfectly.

The extra fizziness and foam on top of the drinks shown in the pictures are due to me really shaking the cranberry jam, cranberry juice, and orange juice in my shaker. Once I added that mixture to the glasses and topped them off with sparkling water it really foamed up. I think it makes it look extra wintery.

Tag me @herhealthystyle so I can see you enjoying your fun spritzer!

Grateful you are following along, xx Riane

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Cranberry Spiced Spritzer (Mocktail or Cocktail)

This cranberry spiced spritzer is a festive drink to have around the holidays. It's refreshing, delicious, and oh so pretty to look at. The recipe is healthy as is, but it would make a great base for a cocktail too. Serving something like this is both fun for those that drink and those who don't but still want to feel like they are part of the party. Let's get this party drink started!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings 2

Ingredients

  

• 1/2 cup fresh organic cranberries
• 4 tsp raw honey
• 3 tsp of water
• 1/2 inch grated ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick
• juice of 1/2 orange for stove mixture
• zest from 1/4 orange
• 1/2 cup 100% cranberry juice
• juice of 1 orange for drink mixture
• 12 oz. sparkling water
• garnishes – cinnamon stick fresh cranberries, orange slices
• cocktail version – 1 shot of vodka or bourbon

Instructions

 

• Add the cranberries, honey, water, grated ginger, cinnamon stick, orange zest, and orange juice to a sauce pan on the stove and bring to a boil. Boil for 2-3 minutes. If you multiply this recipe for 6 or 8 servings, boil closer to 5 minutes. Some of the cranberries will burst and others will remain whole. Use a fork to carefully mash down the remaining whole cranberries. It will look like a thick cranberry jam mixture in the end. Remove the pot from the heat and let the mixture cool completely.
• Once cooled, add the cranberry jam mixture to a shaker along with 1/2 cup of cranberry juice and the juice of 1 orange. Shake vigorously. If you don’t have a shaker, you can use a covered jar. Set the shaker or jar in the fridge until you are ready to serve.
• At the time of serving, shake up the cranberry juice mixture, take out the cinnamon stick, and then pour and divide the entire mixture into 2 cocktail glasses (unless you multiplied the recipe). Top the glasses off with sparkling water. If making a cocktail version, add the shot of alcohol with the cranberry mixture and mix together well. Then top off with the sparkling water. If you want it sweeter, squeeze in more fresh orange. Garnish with a few fresh cranberries, a cinnamon stick, and/or an orange slice. Cheers!

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