This non-alcoholic Spiced Cranberry Spritz is a bubbly winter cocktail that’s perfect for entertaining. It’s made with homemade spiced cranberry syrup and zero-proof spirits.
This bright and fruity Spiced Cranberry Spritz is wonderfully sweet and full of festive flavors. For this drink, we made an easy spiced cranberry syrup that can be made ahead of time so you have it on hand for quick drink making.
As with many of our cocktails, we used zero-proof spirits that add a layer of complexity to the taste and make the drink feel a bit more sophisticated. This is a buildable drink so no cocktail shaker is needed.
To make it more festive, we like to top it with fresh cranberries and a sprig of rosemary. For more alcohol-free holiday drinks, try our Cranberry Mint Sparkling Lemonade.
Jump to:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Winter Flavors: The spiced cranberry syrup boasts tons of warm winter spices that make it perfect for the holiday season.
- Great for Entertaining: You can make multiple drinks from the syrup and since this is a buildable cocktail, it’s really easy to make several all at once.
- Refreshing: Using ice cold liquids to make your drink is sure to make a chilly effervescent cocktail that’s super refreshing.
Ingredient Notes
Ingredient quantities are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Here you’ll find notes on why we chose certain ingredients as well as any substitutions.
- Fresh Cranberries: You can also use frozen cranberries, and there’s no need to thaw them beforehand.
- Granulated Sugar: You’ll need 1 cup or 200 g.
- Whole Spices: We use a mixture of winter spices like cinnamon sticks, green cardamom pods, cloves, and black peppercorns.
- Orange Peel: Use a wide vegetable peeler to peel the orange without getting too much, if any, of the pith.
- Lyre’s Dry London Spirit: This is one of our favorite non-alcoholic gin alternatives.
- Lyre’s Classico: We always have bottles or cans of this on hand. It’s a sparkling alternative to white wine and is on the sweeter side, making it a good swap for Prosecco.
- Club Soda: You can also use sparkling water.
- Fresh Rosemary: Adding a sprig of rosemary not only makes the drink look pretty, the scent of it also enhances the drinking experience!
Bar Tools
Step-by-Step Instructions
This section provides a general overview as well as any pictures to guide you through the recipe. The full detailed recipe instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
STEP 1: Make the syrup. Add the cranberries, sugar, water, spices, and orange peel to a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently until the sugar has dissolved then bring to a simmer. Lightly mash the cranberries then simmer on low for 20 minutes.
STEP 2: Strain and store. Use a fine mesh sieve to strain the mixture into a measuring cup. Pour into an airtight bottle and cool to room temperature before sealing. Keep in the fridge until ready to use.
STEP 3: Build the cocktail. To a glass filled with ice, add the cranberry syrup and non-alcoholic gin. Stir to combine then top with Lyre’s Classico and club soda. Gently stir once more.
STEP 4: Garnish. Add fresh cranberries and a sprig of rosemary before serving.
Expert Tips
- Use chilled ingredients. To get the most bubbles out of your drink, chill everything for at least 1 hour beforehand. The cold helps trap CO2, resulting in more bubbles and crispness.
- Make the syrup ahead of time. That way you can swiftly make cocktails without the fuss of waiting for the syrup to cool down.
- Don’t overmash the cranberries. Cranberries contain a lot of pectin, so crushing them too much when cooking will result in a thick jam rather than a simple syrup.
FAQ
It should last about 2 weeks in the fridge.
We usually get ours directly from the Lyre’s website, in stores, or from Boisson. We highly recommend Boisson if you’re looking to stock up and try a plethora of alcohol-free products (not sponsored, we just really love their stuff).
There should be enough syrup to make 8 spiced cranberry spritz cocktails.
If you tried this recipe, let us know how it turned out for you! Leave a star rating and review below and tag us on Instagram @fancifuleats so we can see your amazing kitchen creations!
📖 Recipe
Spiced Cranberry Spritz (Non-Alcoholic)
Ingredients
Spiced Cranberry Syrup:
- 2 cups (220 g) fresh cranberries
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (250 ml) water
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 green cardamom pods crushed open
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 tsp black peppercorns
- 3 3-inch (7.5 cm) orange peels little to no pith attached
Spiced Cranberry Spritz:
- Ice
- 1 oz (30 ml) spiced cranberry syrup chilled
- 1 ½ oz (45 ml) Lyre's Dry London Spirit chilled
- 3 oz (90 ml) Lyre's Classico chilled
- 1 oz (30 ml) club soda chilled
- Cranberries for garnish
- Fresh rosemary for garnish
Instructions
Spiced Cranberry Syrup:
- Place all the ingredients into a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Stir frequently until the sugar has dissolved then bring to a simmer (DO NOT boil).
- Reduce the heat to low and gently crush the cranberries a few times with a potato masher to release some of their juices. Be careful not to overdo it as the mixture could easily thicken into a jam instead of a syrup.
- Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes then use a fine mesh sieve to strain into a liquid measuring cup. Gently press the cranberries against the sieve to extract as much liquid as possible.
- Skim any foam off the top and pour into an airtight bottle. Cool completely before sealing and store in the fridge.
Spiced Cranberry Spritz:
- To a glass filled with ice, add the spiced cranberry syrup and Lyre's Dry London Spirit. Stir to combine.
- Top with the Classico and club soda then gently stir once more to combine.
- Garnish with fresh cranberries and a sprig of rosemary.
Notes
- Make the syrup ahead of time so you have it on hand for quick drink making.
- For best results, chill all your liquids for at least 1 hour in the fridge before making the cocktail.
- The syrup should last 2 weeks in the fridge.
- You should end up with roughly 1 cup of syrup which should make about 8 drinks.
Leave a Comment