Spiced Cranberry Sparkler
Our spiced cranberry sparkler is a simple, festive drink that’s perfect for any holiday table. It’s made with seasonal flavors like cranberry and orange and warm spices like cinnamon and cloves. Best of all, this cranberry mocktail is easy to make and kid-friendly!
What’s a spiced cranberry sparkler?
A cranberry sparkler is a non-alcoholic holiday drink that combines cranberry juice, a touch of orange juice, and sparkling water with a homemade spiced simple syrup. The syrup, made with cinnamon, cloves, and star anise, adds sweetness and balances the tartness of the cranberry. Topped with fizzy bubbles and garnished with fresh cranberries and orange slices, it’s a festive drink perfect for holiday gatherings!
For more holiday drink ideas, check out our Berry Christmas Mocktail or Sparkling Christmas Mocktails, or warm up with our Apple Cider.
What you’ll need for a cranberry sparkler drink
- Cranberry Juice: Look for cranberry juice that’s unsweetened.
- Spiced Simple Syrup: This is our homemade syrup that adds sweetness and seasonal spices. You can omit the star anise if it’s not your favorite.
- Orange Juice: Freshly squeezed orange juice works great, but I love the ease of bottled juice.
- Sparkling Water or Club Soda: Choose your preferred option! Both work well.
You’ll need this spiced simple syrup recipe
Making your own spiced simple syrup is really easy! We recommend making this ahead of time and letting it cool completely before using it in the cranberry mocktail.
Ingredients:
Instructions:
- In a small saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- Stir until the sugar dissolves, then remove from heat and let steep for 20-30 minutes.
- Strain and cool before using. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
How to make our spiced cranberry sparkler
For a Single Serving:
- Fill a glass with ice cubes.
- Add 2 ounces cranberry juice, 1 ounce spiced simple syrup, and 1 ounce fresh orange juice.
- Top with 4 ounces sparkling water or club soda and stir gently.
- Garnish with fresh cranberries, an orange slice, and cinnamon sticks.
For a Pitcher (Serves 6-8):
- In a large pitcher filled with ice, add 3 cups cranberry juice, 1 ½ cups spiced simple syrup, and 1 ½ cups fresh orange juice.
- Pour in 4 cups sparkling water or club soda, stirring gently to combine.
- Garnish with fresh cranberries and orange slices before serving.
Tips for making the perfect spiced cranberry sparkler
Make it ahead of time
It’s best to mix this drink just before serving to keep the sparkling water or club soda fizzy. However, you can prepare the spiced simple syrup in advance and chill it, so assembly is easy when guests arrive.
The use of club soda or sparkling water
Using any kind of unflavored water tones down the overall flavor of the other ingredients. If you’d like use something other than a fizzy water, try ginger ale, ginger beer, or lemon lime soda.
You may need to adjust or omit the amount of simple syrup which will also reduce the amount of spices in the drink.
To maintain some of the seasonal flavor while adding a bubbly soda, we recommend trying one of these in place of club soda:
- Sprite Winter Spiced Cranberry
- Canada Dry Cranberry Ginger Ale
- 7UP Shirley Temple
- Oli Pop Crisp Apple
Make it an adult beverage
Turn this mocktail into a Christmas cocktail by making it boozy! Add a splash of dark rum, some prosecco, a little orange liqueur, some vodka, or a touch of brandy.
Serve it in a stemless wine glass or a champagne flute and you’ll have an easy cocktail recipe for all your holiday celebrations!
Ingredients
For the Spiced Simple Syrup
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 to 5 whole cloves
- 1 star anise, optional
For a Single Serving of Cranberry Sparkler
- Ice cubes
- 2 ounces unsweetened cranberry juice
- 1 ounce spiced simple syrup, recipe above
- 1 ounce orange juice, fresh or store bought
- 4 ounces club soda, or ginger ale (See note)
For a Pitcher of Cranberry Sparkler (serves 6-8):
- Ice cubes
- 3 cups unsweetened cranberry juice
- 1 ½ cups spiced simple syrup, recipe above
- 1 ½ cups orange juice, fresh or store bought
- 4 cups club soda, or ginger ale (See note)
Instructions
To Make the Simple Syrup
- Combine sugar, water, cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise in a small saucepan.1 cup granulated sugar1 cup water2 cinnamon sticks4 to 5 whole cloves1 star anise
- Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves.
- Remove from heat and let steep for 20-30 minutes.
- Strain and cool before using.
To Make a Single Serving
- Fill a glass with ice cubes.Ice cubes
- Add cranberry juice, spiced simple syrup, and orange juice.2 ounces unsweetened cranberry juice1 ounce spiced simple syrup1 ounce orange juice
- Top with club soda and gently stir.4 ounces club soda
- Garnish with a cinnamon stick, fresh cranberries, and an orange slice.
To Make a Pitcher
- Fill a large pitcher with ice cubes.Ice cubes
- Add cranberry juice, spiced simple syrup, and orange juice.3 cups unsweetened cranberry juice1 ½ cups spiced simple syrup1 ½ cups orange juice
- Pour in the club soda and stir gently to combine.4 cups club soda
- Garnish with fresh cranberries and orange slices.
Notes
- The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and the following serving sizes:
- Single Serving: 1 glass (about 8 ounces total liquid, plus ice)
- Pitcher Serving: Approximately 6-8 servings, depending on glass size (each serving is around 8 ounces of liquid with ice).
- Feel free to use club soda or something similar to ginger ale. Soda makes this drink sweeter, so you’ll need to adjust the simple syrup to taste. For a seasonal variety, check out some limited-edition holiday sodas we’ve highlighted in the post for added flavor options.