Have extra cranberries from your holiday dinner? Smash them to make this 3 ingredient smashed cranberry mocktail. It's easy, simple, and bursting with flavor. Not a cranberry fan? Try this similar Pomegranate Spritzer or Raspberry Mojito Mocktail.
[This cranberry mocktail recipe was originally posted in January 2021. It has been updated with cooking instructions, expert tips, FAQ, related recipes, and ways to repurpose/use up ingredients]
Table of contents
How will it make your life easier?
This simple smashed cranberry mocktail is a great way to add flavor to water. It's just 3 ingredients and majorly delicious, even makes for a lovely holiday drink. Check out these other holiday drinks: Citrusy Sparkling Apple Cider & a Tart Cherry Spritzer.
What makes this winter mocktail so good?
- fresh cranberries
- orange juice concentrate
- sparkling water
How do I make a cranberry orange mocktail?
To make your cranberry mocktail, start by adding washed fresh cranberries and orange juice concentrate to your glass. Grab your cocktail muddler (or the bottom of a small jar) and smash your cranberry mixture until it's as smooth as you want.
After your cranberry mixture is smashed, add sparkling water to your glass. Stir if desired and enjoy your mocktail immediately.
Substitutions/Tips
- Orange juice concentrate: a good option if you're an OJ lover, but cook for one. Adding a spoonful of OJ concentrate to smoothies, chicken dishes, and salad dressings adds a lot of fresh flavor to foods. It lasts longer and is inexpensive.
- If smashed cranberries is too chunky, I recommend throwing them + your OJ + a tablespoon or more of water to a blender/food processor. This will make smooth juice to add to your water.
- You can use cranberry juice if that's what you have, but try it when you have leftover cranberries because it's perfectly tart-sweet with these 3 ingredients. It's really good in this cranberry mocktail.
- Other great add-ins: ginger beer, ginger ale, lemonade, lime juice, pinch of salt.
FAQ
Yes, mocktails don't have alcohol added to them. They contain many of the same flavors of cocktails, just not the booze. Many have sparkling water, soda, or juice instead of alcohol, or just omit the alcohol. This cranberry mockail is an example.
Yes, they're delicious together, as in this cranberry mocktail. Here are a couple great flavor pairings for fresh cranberries/cranberry juice:
ginger
orange
cinnamon
maple syrup
lemon/lime
nuts
pumpkin
vinegar
No. Cranberry juice is 100% juice, but may not be 100% cranberry juice. Other fruit juices may be added to sweeten it. Cranberry cocktail usually has added sugar (not from other fruit juices). Taste both to see which you like better.
What can I make with leftover ingredients?
- Cranberries: Swap for equal parts pomegranate juice in this Pomegranate Lime Spritzer
- Orange Juice Concentrate: Use it in the dressing for this Spinach Salad with Mandarin Oranges
Did you make this smashed cranberry mocktail? Leave me a comment & rating to share how it turned out!
Smashed Cranberry Mocktail
Equipment
- spoon
- Muddler
- Glass
Ingredients
- ½ cup fresh cranberries washed
- 2 teaspoons orange juice concentrate
- ½ cup sparkling water
Instructions
- Add ½ cup fresh cranberries and 2 teaspoons orange juice concentrate to your serving glass. Using a cocktail muddler, smash the cranberries and orange juice. Smash until cranberry mixture is smashed to your preference.
- Pour ½ cup sparkling water over cranberry, orange juice mixture. Mix together and enjoy.
Video
Notes
- Don't have a cocktail muddler? Use the bottom of a small jar to smash your cranberries, a food processor, or blender.
- Add a tablespoon or two of water to your cranberry orange juice mixture to blend if you don't want chunks in your drink.
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Kushigalu says
Love cranberries and how refreshing and pretty is this drink. A amust try.
Rebecca says
definitely 🙂
Tara says
Oh yum! What a fun use of extra cranberries! I love how easily this mocktail comes together too.
Rebecca says
yes, it's so easy!
Megan Lehr says
Oh this is PERFECT as I do a Whole30! I want a drink but can't have one and this will make me feel like I'm getting a treat. Thank you!
Rebecca says
great to hear!