Zesty Cranberry Ginger Sparkling Refresher

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 4 servings (about 240 ml / 8 fl oz each)
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes (includes steeping and cooling)

Quick Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh ginger (about 2 oz / 55 g)
• 2 cups 100% cranberry juice (unsweetened preferred)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 large lime)
• 2 cups chilled sparkling water or club soda
• Ice cubes
• Optional garnish: lime wheels, fresh cranberries, crystallized ginger

Do This

• 1. Combine water, sugar, and sliced ginger in a small saucepan; bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• 2. Simmer gently for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let the ginger steep for 10–15 minutes.
• 3. Strain out the ginger and cool the ginger syrup to room temperature (speed this up in the fridge if needed).
• 4. In a pitcher, stir together cranberry juice, cooled ginger syrup, and lime juice.
• 5. Fill 4 glasses with ice. Pour the cranberry–ginger mixture halfway to two-thirds up each glass.
• 6. Top each glass with chilled sparkling water and stir gently to combine without losing too many bubbles.
• 7. Garnish with lime wheels, fresh cranberries, or crystallized ginger, and serve immediately.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bright, tart cranberry and spicy fresh ginger make an incredibly refreshing, grown-up flavored sip.
• Light and bubbly, it works as a daytime refresher, holiday mocktail, or cocktail base.
• Make the ginger syrup ahead so you can mix a batch in just a few minutes.
• Easily adjustable: sweeter, more tart, extra gingery, or spiked with your favorite spirit.

Grocery List

• Produce: Fresh ginger root, limes, optional fresh cranberries, optional fresh rosemary sprigs, optional orange (for zest).
• Dairy: None.
• Pantry: Granulated sugar (or honey), 100% cranberry juice (unsweetened if possible), sparkling water or club soda, ice.

Full Ingredients

For the Ginger Syrup

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar (or use 1/2 cup mild honey for a softer sweetness)
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh ginger (about 2 oz / 55 g, unpeeled is fine if well-scrubbed)

For the Cranberry–Ginger Sparkling Refresher

• 2 cups 100% cranberry juice, well-chilled (unsweetened preferred)
• 1/2 cup cooled ginger syrup (from above; adjust to taste)
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (about 1 large lime), plus more to taste
• 2 cups chilled sparkling water or club soda, plus extra if you like a lighter drink
• Ice cubes, for serving

Optional Garnishes

• Lime wheels or wedges
• Fresh cranberries
• Thin slices or matchsticks of fresh ginger
• Crystallized (candied) ginger pieces, on cocktail picks
• Fresh rosemary sprigs or a twist of orange peel

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Make the ginger syrup

Add the water, sugar, and sliced fresh ginger to a small saucepan. Place the pan over medium heat and bring the mixture just to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally to help the sugar dissolve. Once it reaches a simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook for 5 minutes. The syrup should be clear and lightly bubbling around the edges, and you should smell a strong ginger aroma.

Step 2: Steep and cool the syrup

After 5 minutes of simmering, remove the saucepan from the heat. Leave the ginger slices in the hot syrup to steep for at least 10 minutes and up to 20 minutes for a bolder ginger kick. The longer it sits, the spicier and more aromatic the syrup will become. When it tastes gingery enough for you, strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve into a heat-safe jar or bowl, discarding the ginger slices (or saving them for another use). Let the syrup cool to room temperature, then transfer it to the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the rest of the drink.

Step 3: Prep your glasses and garnishes

While the ginger syrup is cooling, get your serving glasses and garnishes ready. Choose 4 rocks glasses, highball glasses, or sturdy tumblers. Fill each glass to the top with ice cubes. If using garnishes, slice limes into thin wheels or wedges, rinse a handful of fresh cranberries, and cut a few extra thin slices or matchsticks of fresh ginger if you like. Set the garnishes aside so they are ready to go as soon as you mix the drink.

Step 4: Mix the cranberry–ginger base

In a medium pitcher, combine the chilled cranberry juice, 1/2 cup of the cooled ginger syrup, and the fresh lime juice. Stir well to blend. Taste the mixture: if you prefer a sweeter drink, add another tablespoon or two of ginger syrup. If you like it more tart, squeeze in a bit more lime juice. Keep in mind that you will be diluting this base with sparkling water and ice, so it should taste slightly more intense at this stage.

Step 5: Add the bubbles

When you are ready to serve, pour the cranberry–ginger base into each ice-filled glass, filling them about halfway to two-thirds full. Work gently to avoid splashing. Top each glass with chilled sparkling water or club soda, pouring slowly down the side of the glass to preserve as many bubbles as possible. Use a bar spoon or a long-handled spoon to give each drink a brief, gentle stir from the bottom up, just enough to combine the liquids without flattening the carbonation.

Step 6: Garnish and serve

Finish each glass with your choice of garnishes. A lime wheel on the rim, a few fresh cranberries floating on top, and a tiny matchstick of fresh ginger or a piece of crystallized ginger on a cocktail pick all look beautiful and signal the flavors in the drink. Serve the cranberry–ginger sparkling refresher immediately while it is very cold and fizzy. Invite guests to taste first and then adjust their glass with a splash of extra sparkling water, more ginger syrup, or a squeeze of lime to suit their own preference.

Pro Tips

• For stronger ginger flavor, slice the ginger very thinly and steep it in the hot syrup for the full 20 minutes before straining.
• Chill everything: syrup, cranberry juice, and sparkling water. Starting with very cold ingredients keeps the drink bubbly and prevents the ice from melting too quickly.
• Use 100% cranberry juice, not cranberry cocktail, to control the sweetness. Then sweeten to taste with your ginger syrup.
• If serving a crowd, double or triple the ginger syrup and cranberry base. Keep the base in the fridge and add sparkling water to each glass just before serving.
• To avoid watered-down drinks, use larger ice cubes or even frozen cranberries as part of the “ice.” They keep the drink cold and look festive.

Variations

• Cocktail version: Add 1–1 1/2 ounces of vodka, gin, or bourbon to each glass before topping with sparkling water. Stir well, then garnish as directed.
• Citrus twist: Replace half of the cranberry juice with freshly squeezed orange juice and add a strip of orange zest to each glass for a rounder, fruitier flavor.
• Extra-spicy ginger: Add a pinch of ground ginger or a few slices of jalapeño to the syrup while it simmers for a punchier, spicier drink, then strain thoroughly.

Storage & Make-Ahead

The ginger syrup can be made up to 1 week in advance. Store it in an airtight jar or bottle in the refrigerator. The cranberry–ginger base (cranberry juice, ginger syrup, and lime juice mixed together) can be prepared up to 24 hours ahead and kept chilled in a covered pitcher. Stir well before using. Do not add the sparkling water or ice until just before serving, or the drink will go flat and dilute. Leftover mixed drinks with sparkling water are safe to drink for up to 1 day in the refrigerator but will lose their fizz; for best flavor and texture, enjoy them fresh.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate values for 1 of 4 servings made with sugar-based syrup and unsweetened cranberry juice: about 130 calories; 0 g fat; 0 g saturated fat; 0 mg cholesterol; 10 mg sodium; 33 g carbohydrates; 30 g sugars; 0 g fiber; 0 g protein. Values will vary based on the exact cranberry juice, sweetener, and garnishes used.