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Home » All Recipes » Drinks and Mocktails » Basil Cranberry Mocktail

Basil Cranberry Mocktail

Published: December 18, 2023. Modified: December 18, 2023 By Dhwani Mehta. This post may contain affiliate links. This blog generates income via ads.

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Looking for a refreshing holiday drink that everyone, including children, can enjoy? Look no further than the Basil Cranberry Mocktail! With just a few easy-to-find ingredients, you can whip up a delicious and refreshing drink that will leave you and your guests feeling merry and bright. Plus, the vibrant red makes it a perfect addition to the holiday celebration!

Basil cranberry mocktail in glass, garnished with holiday ice cubes, cranberries, and rosemary.
Jump to:
  • Cranberry Mocktail
  • Ingredients required
  • Step-by-step process
  • Make In Advance
  • Other Juice Options
  • Notes and quick FAQs
  • Other No Alcohol Drink recipes
  • Basil Cranberry Mocktail
  • Video

Cranberry Mocktail

Whenever I host a holiday dinner or any party, I always like to create a special mocktail to serve. It should be something that complements the season and menu.

This Cranberry Mocktail is one of my favorite choices for holiday parties. It’s made with cranberry juice, basil-infused simple syrup, and club soda, and it’s suitable for all guests to enjoy.

This Mocktail is easy to make, refreshing, and has a great flavor, making it a fabulous way to add a personal touch to the party. The red cranberries, rosemary garnish, and holiday ice cubes make it look festive.

Although making the cranberry mocktail without simple syrup is possible, I prefer the extra sweetness. The best part? Prepare the cranberry basil base beforehand and add the club soda before serving.

To impress your guests this Christmas, serve a festive mocktail in a glass ornament. It’s the perfect way to entertain in style!

Close up shot of Christmas mocktail

Ingredients required

Below is the ingredients list and possible substitutions. The exact ingredient amounts are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

  • Cranberry Juice – make sure to look for a 100% juice blend. This means a mixture of cranberry, apple, grape, and other juices instead of just cranberry juice alone. Avoid cranberry juice cocktails, which typically only contain about 20% juice with added sugar. Using a 100% juice blend ensures that your Mocktail is tasty. Don’t use 100% cranberry juice. It’s much too tart.
  • Simple syrup – The simple syrup for this recipe is infused with Fresh basil leaves. This quick 3-ingredient simple syrup adds a fresh, bright flavor that layers with the other ingredients to feel light and refreshing. Basil Simple syrup can be adjusted based on your sweetness preference.
  • Club soda – Gives this Mocktail a fizzy quality, making it a festive holiday drink. It’s added just before serving to maintain its carbonation. You can substitute club soda with sparkling water or Sprite.
  • Pretty Garnishes: To make this drink extra pretty, I used holiday ice cubes and rosemary as garnishes. Rosemary is a must when I make Christmas mocktails; adding a sprig of fresh rosemary looks gorgeous. Even one little rosemary sprig adds another subtle flavor that can be fun!
pre-measured ingredients to make cranberry mocktails.

Step-by-step process

Make Mocktail

  • In a pot, take sugar, water, and basil.
  • Switch on the stove and let everything come to a boil. It will take about 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the heat on low and simmer the syrup for five more minutes. Then, switch off the flame and let the simple syrup cool down.
  • Strain the basil-infused simple syrup through the strainer.
  • Mix this strained simple syrup with cranberry juice. Stir very well.
step by step process of making basil simple syrup.

Serving ideas

  • 1. Take the cranberry basil mixture in a big beverage dispenser or punch bowl. Add the holiday ice cubes or pain ice cubes, some cranberries, rosemary, club soda, or sparkling water. Your drink is ready.
  • 2. Take ice cubs in the serving glass. Fill half of the glass with cranberry and simple syrup mixture. And fill the remaining half of the class with club soda or sparkling water. Garnish it with cranberries and rosemary.
  • 3. To make your mocktail presentation memorable, Serve the drink in clear ornaments. Start by rinsing the clear glass ornaments gently. Then, use a funnel to fill each ornament with a mixture of cranberry juice and simple syrup. Place the filled ornaments, along with some cranberries and sprigs of rosemary, into individual glasses. When it’s time to serve, let your guests pour the Mocktail from the ornaments themselves and add club soda and ice cubes to their drinks as desired.
  • Note – I find glass ornaments more elegant, but you can use plastic ornaments too. It’s easily available on Amazon or look for them at your local stores, like Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, or Target.
Mocktail filled in clear glass ornaments and served in a glass with holiday ice cubes, rosemary, and cranberries.

I hope you guys give this Mocktail a try for the holidays!

Make In Advance

You can make the basil simple syrup in advance and keep it refrigerated. It will be suitable for a week (or even more)! Then mix up the cranberry juice and basil simple syrup for several hours (or a couple of days) before your party and portion them into the clear ornaments. Pop them in the refrigerator and pull them out when it’s serving time. That way, there’s no fuss during the actual gathering.

Once that’s done, you can make the drink on the day of your party. Let the guest add the soda to their glasses.

Skip the step of filling mocktails in ornaments if you don’t have the time or prefer not to make the effort.

Other Juice Options

If you don’t have cranberry juice or don’t like it, you can also use pomegranate juice. Apple juice and orange juice are other options, but adjust the simple syrup then since apple and orange juice are sweeter than cranberry juice. Make sure to use pure juice free of any added sugar.

Notes and quick FAQs

  • Use a funnel. This is the easiest and most efficient way to get the Mocktail into the small opening of the ornament.
  • If you don’t have a funnel, strain the cocktail into a measuring cup with a spout, then pour it into the ornament.
  • Leave some space at the top of the ornament to prevent spillage.
  • Be sure your club soda is chilled before pouring! This helps keep your drink fizzy.
  • You can add as much simple syrup as you like, depending on how sweet you want your drink.
How long will this cranberry mocktail will last in the fridge?

The cranberry juice and simple syrup mixture can last in the fridge for up to a week. Club soda is best when fresh, so if you’ve already mixed it into the cranberry-basil mixture, it’s best to consume it within a few hours for optimal fizziness.

How can I make a non-carbonated version of this Mocktail?

If you prefer a still version, skip the club soda and add water.

basil cranberry mocktail in a glass, garnished with rosemary, and holiday ice cubes.

Other No Alcohol Drink recipes

  • Hibiscus margarita
  • Christmas punch
  • Orange mocktail
  • Strawberry lemonade
  • Blood orange cranberry jalapeno mojito
  • Christmas sangria

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Cranberry mocktail
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5 from 1 vote

Basil Cranberry Mocktail

Looking for a refreshing holiday drink that everyone, including children, can enjoy? Look no further than the Basil Cranberry Mocktail!
Course Beverage, Drinks and Mocktails
Cuisine American
Keyword cranberry mocktail
Prep Time 5 minutes minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes minutes
Total Time 15 minutes minutes
Servings 15 8 oz cups
Calories 78kcal
Author Dhwani
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 5 cups Cranberry juice see notes
  • 1 cup fresh basil
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 liter club soda or sparkling water

Ice cubes, cranberry, and rosemary for garnish

Instructions

Make Mocktail

  • In a pot, take sugar, water, and basil.
  • Switch on the stove and let everything come to a boil. It will take about 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the heat on low and simmer the syrup for five more minutes. Then, switch off the flame and let the simple syrup cool down.
  • Strain the basil-infused simple syrup through the strainer.
  • Mix this strained simple syrup with cranberry juice. Stir very well.

Serving ideas

  • Idea no. 1 – Take the cranberry basil mixture in a big beverage dispenser or punch bowl. Add the holiday ice cubes or pain ice cubes, some cranberries, rosemary, club soda, or sparkling water. Your drink is ready.
  • Idea no. 2. Take ice cubs in the serving glass. Fill half of the glass with cranberry and simple syrup mixture. And fill the remaining half of the class with club soda or sparkling water. Garnish it with cranberries and rosemary.
  • Idea no. 3 To make your mocktail presentation memorable, Serve the drink in clear ornaments. Start by rinsing the clear glass ornaments gently. Then, use a funnel to fill each ornament with a mixture of cranberry juice and simple syrup. Place the filled ornaments, along with some cranberries and sprigs of rosemary, into individual glasses. When it’s time to serve, let your guests pour the Mocktail from the ornaments themselves and add club soda and ice cubes to their drinks as desired.
  • Note – I find glass ornaments more elegant, but you can use plastic ornaments too. It’s easily available on Amazon or look for them at your local stores, like Michael’s, Hobby Lobby, Walmart, or Target.

Video

Notes

  • Use a funnel. This is the easiest and most efficient way to get the Mocktail into the small opening of the ornament.
  • If you don’t have a funnel, strain the cocktail into a measuring cup with a spout, then pour it into the ornament.
  • Leave some space at the top of the ornament to prevent spillage.
  • Be sure your club soda is chilled before pouring! This helps keep your drink fizzy.
  • You can add as much simple syrup as you like, depending on how sweet you want your drink.
  • Make sure to look for a 100% juice blend (No sugar added). This means a mixture of cranberry, apple, grape, and other juices instead of just cranberry juice alone. Avoid cranberry juice cocktails, which typically only contain about 20% juice with added sugar. Using a 100% juice blend ensures that your Mocktail is tasty. Don’t use 100% cranberry juice. It’s much too tart.

Nutrition

Calories: 78kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 0.4g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 71mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 122IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.3mg
Tried this recipe?Share your feedback with pics @cookingcarnival or tag #cookingcarnival on Instagram or Facebook!

Warm regards,

Dhwani.

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