Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Cherry Holiday Mocktail
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Made with simple ingredients, this Sparkling Cherry Holiday Mocktail is perfect for the holiday season and a non-alcoholic drink the whole family can enjoy.
Delicious mocktails (a.k.a. a non-alcoholic cocktail) are my favorite way to provide an alternative to holiday cocktails. This refreshing cherry drink has a gorgeous color, especially for Christmas entertaining.
By skipping the expensive fresh cherries and instead using tart cherry juice, we’re keeping the costs low on this mocktail and making it easier to create a batch of drinks for everyone.
Tart cherry juice has a fresh cherry flavor that makes it a great option for these sparkling cherry mocktails.
We’re using cinnamon simple syrup in this easy mocktail recipe instead of cherry syrup to bring in a subtle spiciness. This sets it apart from other cherry drinks, like my sparkling cherry limeade made with sweet cherry syrup and fresh lime juice.
Ingredients
- Tart cherry juice – Sometimes labeled sour cherry juice, tart cherry juice is found in the bottled juice section of your local grocery store.
- Cinnamon simple syrup – Cinnamon syrup is super easy to make at home and adds a festive, warm spice to this mocktail.
- Fresh orange – Adds sweetness and fresh orange flavor. Use fresh fruit juice if possible.
- Fresh lemon – A little fresh, bright lemon helps balance out this drink.
- Ginger ale – Choose ginger ale, not ginger beer, for this mocktail. The more subtle ginger flavor pairs better with the cherry and cinnamon.
- Orange slices – fresh or dehydrated (garnish) – Either thin sliced fresh oranges or dried orange slices work well for an easy garnish.
- Cinnamon stick (garnish, optional) – I love adding a cinnamon stick into this cocktail to bring out the cinnamon flavor a little more, but this is completely optional.
How to make a Cherry Holiday Mocktail
Combine cherry juice, cinnamon syrup, orange juice, lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes.
Shake well.
Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
Top with ginger ale.
Garnish with a slice of orange and a cinnamon stick.
Sip and enjoy!
Recipe Tips and Substitutions
- If you absolutely hate ginger flavor, swap out the ginger ale for lemon-lime soda. Or increase the cinnamon syrup to 2 ounces and use club soda instead of the ginger ale.
- While it’s tempting to add a sprig of mint or rosemary for festive color on this drink, the flavor just doesn’t work with the cinnamon. Skip the fresh herb sprigs.
- Garnish for the ingredients in the drink, not the colors of the season. For this cherry mocktail, that means garnishing with sweet cherries, orange slices, and cinnamon sticks. NOT cranberries, rosemary, or lime slices.
Make a Pitcher of Cherry Mocktails
Need to make a large batch of these cherry holiday mocktails? Combine the following in a large pitcher:
- 16 oz (2 cups) tart cherry juice
- 14 oz (1 3/4 cups) cinnamon simple syrup
- 16 oz (2 cups) orange juice, fresh squeezed
- 4 oz (1/2 cup) lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 4 oz (1/2 cup) cold water
Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
To serve: Pour over ice and top each drink with 2 ounces of ginger ale. Garnish with orange slices (fresh or dehydrated) and a cinnamon stick. Makes 8 servings.
Looking for More Holiday Mocktail Recipes?
Everyone deserves a delicious drink, especially at the holidays! Try a Gingerbread Mocktail made with easy gingerbread syrup or an Espresso Martini Mocktail made with two ingredient coffee syrup.
I love mocktail recipes to serve come in large-batch form! Serve a pitcher of my alcohol-free Pomegranate Christmas Punch made with pomegranate and pineapple juice, or a non-alcoholic Thanksgiving Punch recipe with homemade pear syrup.
Homemade Cinnamon Simple Syrup
Water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, and 5 minutes are all it takes to make a delicious, homemade cinnamon simple syrup. Get all the directions and tips over on my Cinnamon Simple Syrup page.
Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Cherry Holiday Mocktail
Ingredients
- 2 oz tart cherry juice
- 1.75 oz cinnamon simple syrup
- 1 oz orange juice, fresh squeezed
- 0.5 oz lemon juice, fresh squeezed
- 2 oz ginger ale
- Orange slices – fresh or dehydrated, garnish
- 1 Cinnamon stick, garnish
Instructions
- Combine cherry juice, cinnamon syrup, orange juice, lemon juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.2 oz tart cherry juice, 1.75 oz cinnamon simple syrup, 1 oz orange juice, 0.5 oz lemon juice
- Shake well. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
- Top with ginger ale.2 oz ginger ale
- Garnish with a slice of orange and a cinnamon stick.Orange slices – fresh or dehydrated, 1 Cinnamon stick
My nieces and nephew-in-law all loved this and said it was very good. Thank you!
Yay! So glad they liked it!