Light & Refreshing Sparkling Cranberry Apple Cider Mocktail Recipe (Easy & Best)
A quick and easy mocktail made with unsweetened cranberry juice, apple cider, and sparkling water, balanced with fresh lime juice. Perfect for any occasion, this refreshing drink is naturally sweet, tart, and bubbly.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 serving 1x
- Category: Beverage
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened cranberry juice (100% juice)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) unfiltered apple cider
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) sparkling water (plain or flavored)
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lime juice
- Ice (large cubes preferred)
- Fresh cranberries, thin apple slices, rosemary sprigs or cinnamon sticks for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare garnishes: slice apple into thin rounds, cut lime into wedges, rinse cranberries, and wash rosemary sprigs. Toss apple slices in lime juice to prevent browning if making ahead.
- Fill a glass three-quarters full with ice.
- Pour 1 cup cranberry juice over the ice.
- Add 1/2 cup apple cider and stir gently to combine.
- Squeeze in 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice and stir again.
- Slowly pour 1/2 cup sparkling water down the side of the glass to preserve carbonation.
- Stir once more very gently to incorporate.
- Garnish with apple slice, cranberries, and rosemary or cinnamon stick. Serve immediately.
Notes
Chill all ingredients beforehand to reduce ice melt. Use unsweetened cranberry juice to avoid cloying sweetness. For a batch, mix cranberry juice, apple cider, and lime juice up to 3 days ahead; add sparkling water and ice just before serving. For a sweeter version, add a teaspoon of maple syrup or honey. For a lower-sugar option, reduce apple cider to 1/4 cup and increase sparkling water to 3/4 cup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 glass (about 8 oun
- Calories: 110130
- Sugar: 2226
- Carbohydrates: 2832
Keywords: mocktail, cranberry apple cider, non-alcoholic drink, holiday drink, sparkling mocktail, easy mocktail, refreshing drink