Orange Cranberry Sparkler with Rosemary (Print version)

A refreshing blend of cranberry, orange, and rosemary with sparkling water for a light, festive drink.

# What You Need:

→ Fruit & Juice

01 - 1 cup fresh cranberries
02 - 1/2 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
03 - 1 tablespoon orange zest

→ Sweetener

04 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar

→ Herbs

05 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus extra for garnish

→ Sparkling Base

06 - 3 cups chilled sparkling water

→ Garnish

07 - Orange slices
08 - Additional fresh cranberries

# How to Make:

01 - In a small saucepan, combine cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, sugar, and rosemary sprigs. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 7-8 minutes until cranberries burst and sugar dissolves completely.
02 - Remove from heat and gently muddle rosemary sprigs. Allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing solids to extract all liquid. Discard solids.
03 - Fill glasses with ice cubes. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of the strained cranberry-orange syrup into each glass.
04 - Top each glass with chilled sparkling water and stir gently to combine ingredients.
05 - Garnish each mocktail with fresh rosemary sprigs, orange slices, and cranberries. Serve immediately.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours in a craft cocktail bar, but it takes barely twenty minutes.
  • The tart cranberries and bright orange create a perfect balance that actually tastes like celebration.
  • It's naturally vegan and gluten-free, so you're not leaving anyone out of the gathering.
02 -
  • Don't skip the cooling step—if you strain while the mixture is too hot, the syrup will be thin and watery instead of silky and thick.
  • Strain your syrup the day before if you're hosting, because chilled syrup is easier to work with and your drink will taste better cold from the start.
03 -
  • For a cocktail version, add 1 ounce of vodka or gin to each glass before the sparkling water—it doesn't overpower the fruit flavors, just adds a subtle warmth.
  • Agave syrup instead of sugar makes a lighter, less intense sweetness that lets the cranberry tartness sing through even more clearly.
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