Cranberry Apple Refresher With Lemon

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 4 servings (about 10–12 oz each)
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh cranberries, rinsed
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• Pinch of fine salt
• 3 cups chilled 100% apple juice
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup cold still or sparkling water
• Ice cubes
• Optional: apple slices, extra cranberries, lemon slices, fresh mint

Do This

• 1. Simmer cranberries, 1/2 cup water, sugar, and a pinch of salt over medium heat for 4–5 minutes until berries pop and soften.
• 2. Cool 2–3 minutes, then blend until very smooth.
• 3. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher, pressing to extract all the ruby-red juice.
• 4. Stir in chilled apple juice, lemon juice, and 1 cup cold water (still or sparkling).
• 5. Taste and adjust: add more lemon for brightness or a teaspoon of sugar at a time for sweetness.
• 6. Fill glasses with ice, pour in the cranberry-apple refresher, and garnish with apple slices and cranberries.
• 7. Serve immediately while icy cold and enjoy the tart, crisp flavor.

---

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Beautiful ruby-red color that looks impressive but comes together in minutes.
• Perfect balance of tart cranberries, crisp apple, and bright lemon for a truly refreshing sip.
• Non-alcoholic, family-friendly drink that still feels special and grown-up.
• Easy to batch ahead for holidays, brunches, or cozy winter evenings by the fire.

Grocery List

• Produce: Fresh cranberries, lemons, 1–2 apples (for garnish), fresh mint (optional)
• Dairy: None
• Pantry: Granulated sugar, fine salt, 100% apple juice, still or sparkling water, ice

Full Ingredients

Cranberry Base

• 1 cup fresh cranberries (about 100 g), rinsed and picked over
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (add up to 1/3 cup if you like it sweeter)
• 1 small pinch fine sea salt or table salt

Refresher Mix

• 3 cups chilled 100% apple juice (ideally crisp and not from concentrate)
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 1/2 large lemon)
• 1 cup cold water or chilled sparkling water (for a lighter, more sippable drink)
• Ice cubes, for serving

Optional Garnishes

• 1 small apple, thinly sliced into half-moons (toss in a little lemon juice to prevent browning)
• Extra fresh cranberries (whole or halved)
• Lemon slices or twists
• Fresh mint sprigs

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the cranberries

Rinse the fresh cranberries under cool running water and pick out any shriveled or bruised ones. Measure out 1 cup and add them to a small saucepan. Add 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup sugar, and a small pinch of salt. The salt will not make the drink salty; it simply rounds out the sharp tartness of the cranberries and brightens the flavor.

Step 2: Simmer until the berries pop

Place the saucepan over medium heat. Bring the mixture up to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to help the sugar dissolve. Once simmering, cook for 4–5 minutes, until most of the cranberries have popped and the liquid looks deep red and slightly syrupy. Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture cool for 2–3 minutes so it is not scalding hot when you blend it.

Step 3: Blend the cranberry mixture

Carefully transfer the warm cranberry mixture to a blender. Vent the lid slightly (cover the opening with a clean kitchen towel) to let steam escape, then blend on high for 30–45 seconds until completely smooth and vividly red. If you prefer not to use a blender, you can mash the cranberries thoroughly with a potato masher right in the pan, but blending will give the brightest color and smoothest texture.

Step 4: Strain for a silky, ruby-red base

Set a fine-mesh sieve over a large heat-safe pitcher or bowl. Pour the blended cranberry mixture through the sieve. Use the back of a spoon or a rubber spatula to press and scrape, extracting as much liquid and pulp as possible while leaving behind the skins and seeds. You should end up with a smooth, jewel-toned cranberry base in the pitcher. Discard the solids left in the sieve.

Step 5: Stir in apple juice and lemon

To the pitcher with the cranberry base, add 3 cups of chilled apple juice, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, and 1 cup cold water or sparkling water. Stir well until everything is evenly combined. Taste a spoonful: if it is too tart for your liking, stir in another teaspoon or two of sugar and mix until dissolved. If you would like more zing, add an extra teaspoon of lemon juice.

Step 6: Chill briefly and prepare the glasses

If you have time, place the pitcher in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes to chill further and let the flavors meld. Meanwhile, fill 4 tall glasses with ice cubes. If using, tuck a few thin apple slices and cranberries along the sides of each glass so they show through the drink, and have additional apple slices, lemon slices, and mint sprigs ready for garnish.

Step 7: Serve your cranberry-apple refresher

Give the pitcher a final stir, then pour the tart cranberry-apple refresher over the ice in each glass, dividing it evenly. Garnish each glass with a fan of apple slices on the rim, a few floating cranberries, a lemon slice, or a sprig of mint. Serve immediately while icy cold. Stir gently as you sip to keep the flavors balanced from top to bottom.

Pro Tips

• Adjust sweetness to taste: Cranberries vary in tartness. Start with 1/4 cup sugar and add extra, 1 teaspoon at a time, after mixing the drink if you prefer it sweeter.
• Use very cold ingredients: Chill the apple juice and water well in advance. The colder everything is, the more refreshing the drink will be without needing tons of ice to dilute it.
• Go sparkling for a party: Swap still water for sparkling water or a mild, unsweetened soda water to give the refresher a festive fizz.
• Make it smoother: For an ultra-silky drink, strain the blended cranberry mixture twice, rinsing the sieve in between to remove trapped skins.
• Keep apples from browning: Toss sliced apples in a teaspoon or two of lemon juice before using them as garnish to keep them looking fresh and bright.

Variations

• Ginger cranberry-apple refresher: Add 2–3 thin slices of fresh ginger to the saucepan with the cranberries and simmer together. Remove the ginger before blending, or leave it in for an extra spicy kick.
• Herb-infused version: Steep a small handful of fresh mint or rosemary in the hot cranberry base for 5 minutes before straining. This adds a fragrant, wintery twist that pairs beautifully with apple.
• Light brunch spritz: Use 2 cups apple juice and 2 cups sparkling water instead of 3 cups juice and 1 cup water for a lighter, more bubbly drink with fewer calories per glass.

Storage & Make-Ahead

You can prepare the cranberry base up to 3 days in advance. After blending and straining, cool it completely, transfer to a jar or airtight container, and refrigerate. When ready to serve, combine the chilled cranberry base with cold apple juice, lemon juice, and water or sparkling water in a pitcher, then taste and adjust sweetness. Once mixed, the drink will stay fresh in the refrigerator for about 24 hours, though the flavor is brightest on the first day. If it sits for a while, give it a good stir before serving, as natural separation can occur. Add ice and garnishes only right before serving so the drink does not become watered down and the apple slices stay crisp.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values per serving (1 of 4, without garnishes, using still water): about 150 calories; 0 g fat; 0 g protein; 38 g carbohydrates; 33 g sugars; 0 g fiber; 10 mg sodium. Using sparkling water instead of still water does not significantly change the nutrition but adds a bubbly texture. Actual values will vary based on the exact apple juice and sugar amounts you use.