Orange Cranberry Sparkler Rosemary (Printable)

A vibrant blend of cranberries, orange, and rosemary with sparkling water for refreshing enjoyment.

# Components:

→ Fruit & Juice

01 - 1 cup fresh cranberries
02 - 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
03 - 1 tablespoon orange zest

→ Sweetener

04 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar

→ Herbs

05 - 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, plus extra for garnish

→ Sparkling Base

06 - 3 cups chilled sparkling water

→ Garnish

07 - Orange slices
08 - Additional fresh cranberries

# Method:

01 - Combine cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, sugar, and rosemary sprigs in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 7 to 8 minutes until cranberries burst and sugar dissolves completely.
02 - Remove from heat and gently muddle rosemary sprigs. Allow the mixture to cool for 5 minutes, then strain through a fine mesh sieve, pressing firmly to extract all liquid. Discard solids.
03 - Fill four glasses with ice cubes. Pour 2 to 3 tablespoons of the prepared cranberry-orange syrup into each glass.
04 - Top each glass with chilled sparkling water and stir gently to combine ingredients.
05 - Garnish each serving with rosemary sprigs, orange slices, and fresh cranberries. Serve immediately while chilled.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It looks stunning in a glass without requiring any fancy bartending skills, and guests always assume you've spent hours on it.
  • The rosemary gives you that unexpectedly grown-up flavor that makes people ask for the recipe immediately.
  • You can make the syrup ahead and simply top with sparkling water when friends arrive, leaving you actually present instead of stuck in the kitchen.
02 -
  • If you skip the cooling step and try to strain hot syrup, the warmth will keep the cranberries soft and they'll slip through the sieve instead of catching—I learned this the messy way.
  • The ratio of syrup to sparkling water matters more than you'd think; too much syrup and it becomes cloying, too little and it tastes like plain fizzy water with a hint of memory.
03 -
  • Fresh fruit always beats frozen for this drink because the texture of the cranberries matters when they burst and release their color and tartness into the syrup.
  • If you're making this for a crowd, prepare the syrup in advance and keep it in a glass jar in the refrigerator; it stays vibrant and fresh-tasting for up to three days.
Return