This immune-boosting Cranberry Mocktail recipe contains fresh ginger and orange juice, making it perfect for flu season. Freeze the concentrate to make decorative ice cubes and store them for up to 3 months.
Keep these homemade cranberry mocktail ice cubes in your freezer and prepare an immune-boosting mocktail, tea, or cocktail in just a few minutes. They're a great way to get more antioxidants and help improve your health all year round.
Cranberries are not just for Thanksgiving! They can add zing to your drinks, and an abundance of health benefits throughout the year. Fresh cranberries are sour, and not typically eaten raw. You mostly see them in juice form, but cranberry juice is typically made with added sugars. Try this unsweetened cranberry mocktail recipe for a healthy and delicious way to enjoy fresh cranberries.
This Cranberry Mocktail recipe was inspired by my Lemon & Ginger Tea ice cubes on this site.
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👩🏼🌾 Ingredients
- Fresh cranberries have anti-inflammatory effects due to their high amounts of antioxidants, especially anthocyanins and flavanols. Antioxidants may reduce the risk of certain chronic diseases as well as inflammation.
- Oranges are known for their high vitamin C content. However, they also contain a range of other antioxidants that may reduce inflammation and help prevent disease. In addition, oranges are a good source of fiber and potassium, both of which can support heart health.
- Ginger is known for its strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects, and may boost immunity.
See recipe card for quantities.
🍊 Substitutions
- Fresh cranberries - Instead of fresh cranberries, use unsweetened cranberry juice to make Cranberry Mocktails. Simmer until warm without adding water. Follow the remainder of the recipe as written.
- Fresh ginger - substitute with ginger powder to taste
- Fresh oranges - use store bought unsweetened orange juice, apple juice, or pineapple juice instead
- Agave - use maple syrup, honey, or granulated sugar instead as desired
- Rosemary - optional
See this Lemon & Ginger Tea recipe on my website.
📖 Instructions
Step 1. Simmer the cranberries uncovered for about 10 minutes. Add the fresh orange juice and ginger to the liquid and mix well to combine. Set aside for at least 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
Step 2. Strain the liquid using a tea strainer or a fine mesh strainer to remove the pulp, ginger, and cranberries. Add sweetener to taste.
Step 3. Place a few cranberries, a couple of branches of fresh rosemary, and a few pieces of orange rind into each cube of a large ice cube tray. Divide the cranberry orange ginger juice evenly between the cubes until they are mostly full. Freeze overnight before using.
Step 4. Add one to two Cranberry Mocktail cubes to each glass for serving. Fill the glass halfway with vodka or gin for an alcoholic beverage, or ginger ale or sparkling water for a mocktail. Or add hot water to make cranberry ginger tea.
💡 Expert Tips
- Mash the cranberries while simmering to break them apart and make a purée. This incorporates more of the juice into the water.
- For a stronger ginger flavor, simmer the grated ginger with the cranberries.
- Strain the juice for clearer ice cubes. For straining, use a small spatula to press down on the fruit pulp and push the juice through the holes.
- For an immune-boosting tea on the go, add the cubes to a thermos with hot water.
- Storage: Freeze Cranberry Mocktail cubes for up to 3 months.
🙋🏽♀️ Recipe FAQs
Try sparkling water, ginger ale, a different sparkling beverage of choice, fruit concentrate, or fruit juice.
Cranberry-orange is a classic holiday flavor combination. This juice combination is a favorite and tastes pure and fruitful. Use fresh juice or unsweetened store bought juice to reduce sugar intake.
Cranberries have a vibrant tart flavor, and are best prepared with a sweetener like agave or maple syrup. Cranberries are also often paired with sweet fruits like oranges, apples, or pineapple to cut their tart flavor naturally.
🍽 Related Recipes
👩🏽🍳 Made This Recipe?
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📖 Recipe
Cranberry Mocktail
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups fresh cranberries
- 1 ½ tablespoons grated ginger (about one 2-inch piece) peeled, and grated
- 3 large navel oranges
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary (optional)
- Agave or maple syrup, or sweetener to taste
For serving (optional):
- Sparkling water or ginger ale, vodka, gin, or hot water for tea
- 4 sprigs fresh rosemary
Instructions
- Simmer cranberries: Transfer 1 cup cranberries to a small saucepan with 1 ½ cups water. Bring the liquid to a boil before reducing the heat to low. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, or until the water is half evaporated and the cranberries soften and start to break apart. Roughly mash the cranberries into a loose purée.
- Prepare oranges: Meanwhile, juice the oranges, and remove about 12 small strips of zest with a vegetable peeler.
- Strain and steep: Remove the simmered cranberries from the heat. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh sieve to remove the mashed cranberries, reserving the liquid. Add the fresh orange juice and ginger to the liquid and mix well to combine. Set aside for at least 7 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Strain (optional): Strain the liquid using a tea strainer or a fine mesh strainer to remove the pulp and ginger. Add sweetener to taste.
- Prepare ice cubes: Place about 3 cranberries, 2 small branches of fresh rosemary, and 2 pieces orange rind into each cube of a large ice cube tray. Divide the cranberry orange ginger juice evenly between the cubes until they are mostly full. Freeze overnight before using.
- For serving: Add one to two cubes to each glass for serving. Fill each glass halfway with vodka or gin for an alcoholic beverage, or ginger ale or sparkling water for a mocktail. Or add hot water to make cranberry-ginger tea.
Notes
- For a stronger ginger flavor, simmer the grated ginger with the cranberries.
- Strain the juice for clearer ice cubes. For straining, use a small spatula to press down on the fruit pulp and push the juice through the holes.
- Fill the ice cube tray to about 80% full as water expands upon freezing.
- For an immune-boosting tea on the go, add the cubes to a thermos with hot water.
- Storage: Freeze for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
This information is provided as a courtesy and is an ESTIMATE only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased can change the nutritional information in any given recipe.
Primla Goddard
What an amazing idea ! This cranberry, orange juice and ginger combo is perfect as a mocktail but even nicer as a cocktail with vodka or gin. Chock full of antioxidants! Love it ❤️
Nisha Melvani
Thank you. They take your mocktail to the next level for sure!