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This deeply flavored Cranberry Ginger Mocktail is spiced with fresh ginger, a homemade cinnamon simple syrup, and pure cranberry juice. It’s the most festive non-alcoholic drink to serve at all of your holiday parties.
The holidays in a glass!
Bring a little life to your cocktail glass with this Cranberry Ginger Mocktail. The layers of wintery flavors make it the best non-alcoholic accompaniment to any Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s Eve party!
Every sip of this cranberry mocktail tastes just like the holidays. Spiced with muddled ginger, a warming homemade cinnamon simple syrup, cranberry juice, and fresh lime, you’ll feel warm and refreshed by the time you reach the bottom of the glass. There’s no chance you’ll be missing the booze!
Cranberry mocktail ingredients
You'll find all of the flavors needed to capture the special feeling of the holidays in this mocktail:
Fresh ginger
The secret to the robust flavors in this mocktail comes from fresh ginger. Muddling the ginger in a cocktail shaker before adding the rest of the ingredients ensures the strong and spicy flavors are put right on display.
Feel free to play around with the amount you use in the recipe. Use the full tablespoon if you love the spiciness or use a little less if it’s too much for you.
Cranberry juice
Do your best to find unsweetened cranberry juice not from concentrate for this cranberry juice mocktail. Not only does it have great cranberry flavors and makes the drink super festive, but it doesn’t contain any added sugar and won’t make the drink taste overly sweet.
Cinnamon simple syrup
When you really want to infuse deep, holiday flavors into your drinks, make sure you always have a batch of this custom cinnamon simple syrup on hand. It’s really easy to make! All you need is white sugar, water, and cinnamon sticks.
No cinnamon sticks at home? You can make the mocktail using plain simple syrup, but the flavors won’t be as deep.
Lime juice
The bright acidity in fresh lime juice is just what you need to cut through the tart cranberry and spicy ginger! If you don’t have fresh limes at home, you can use bottled juice instead. Lemon juice should also work well as a replacement.
Ginger ale
I love the sweet and subtle ginger flavors in ginger ale. Unlike strongly flavored and fermented ginger beer, mild ginger ale will balance the mocktail instead of making it taste overly sweet or spicy.
How to make a cranberry ginger mocktail
Once your homemade syrup is ready and the fresh ginger is muddled, this tasty holiday drink is ready to be put together:
Step 1: Make the cinnamon simple syrup and let it cool.
Step 2: Muddle the ginger in a cocktail shaker.
Step 3: Add the cranberry juice, cinnamon simple syrup, and lime juice to the shaker.
Step 4: Add ice and shake like crazy!
Step 5: Strain into two glasses filled with ice.
Step 6: Top off each glass with ginger ale.
Customize your mocktail
Impress your guests or put your own special spin on this mocktail recipe! The customizations are practically endless:
- Bubbles: Top each glass with sparkling water for extra fizz.
- Garnish: Serve your mocktail with frozen cranberries, lime wedges, or a sprig of rosemary.
- Salt or sugar the rim: For an extra special presentation, run a lime wedge around the rim of each glass and dip it in a plate of kosher salt mixed with lime zest or some granulated sugar.
Make ahead tips
If you’re looking to save time, make the cinnamon simple syrup 1 week before the party. Simply store the cooled batch in a sealed jar in the fridge until you’re ready to add it to the mocktail.
Serving a crowd? Instead of spending all of your time in the kitchen, mix all of the ingredients (except the ginger ale) together in a pitcher. Keep it in the fridge overnight, then top with ginger ale right before serving.
Recipe
Cranberry Ginger Mocktail
Equipment
- cocktail shaker
- mini angled measuring cup
- fine mesh strainer
Ingredients
Cinnamon Simple Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 4 large cinnamon sticks
Mocktail
- 1 tablespoon minced ginger
- 2 ounces cranberry juice
- 1.5 ounces cinnamon simple syrup
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 8 ounces ginger ale
Instructions
Cinnamon Simple Syrup
- Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan.
- Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally until sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow the cinnamon sticks to steep in the sugar water for 30 minutes.
- Remove and discard the cinnamon sticks and allow the cinnamon simple syrup to cool completely before using. Store covered in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Mocktail
- Place ginger into a cocktail shaker and muddle well.
- Add cranberry juice, cinnamon simple syrup, and lime juice.
- Fill with ice and shake vigorously.
- Evenly divide between two ice-filled glasses.
- Top each glass with four ounces ginger ale and stir.
- Garnish with limes and enjoy!
Katie says
This was excellent! I was looking for a mocktail that would be good for the fall, did not contain apples (allergic), but was more elevated than just sparkling cranberry juice and that cinnamon simple syrup and fresh ginger really knocked it out of the park! I sliced my ginger thin instead of mincing just to save some time and no complaints!
Michelle Weiner says
Thank you SO MUCH for sharing! I'm glad it fit all of your needs and found it delish!