If you want something light, refreshing, and wintery without any heaviness, the Winter Cranberry Spritz is a perfect cold-weather mocktail or low-alcohol sipper. It’s bright, bubbly, and beautifully red—basically the drink version of holiday cheer without being overly sweet.
Cranberry juice brings tartness, orange juice adds a soft citrus glow, and rosemary syrup gives you that cozy, woodsy flavor that instantly feels like winter.
The best part? It’s incredibly easy. You don’t shake it, muddle anything, or need any special tools. Just build it right in the glass and top with soda water. Add a handful of pomegranate seeds, candied rosemary, and/or spun sugar, and it becomes instantly festive.
Winter Cranberry Spritz Recipe
Glass: Stemless wine glass, spritz glass, or any tall glass (this is the one in the picture)
Ice: Plenty of ice for maximum bubbles
Ingredients
- 2 oz cranberry juice
- 1 oz orange juice (fresh-squeezed if possible)
- 0.5 oz rosemary syrup
- Soda water to top
- Ice
Garnish: pomegranate seeds, orange wheel, sugared rosemary, or spun sugar
Instructions
- Fill a glass with ice.
- Add cranberry juice, orange juice, and rosemary syrup.
- Top with soda water.
- Give it a gentle stir.
- Garnish with pomegranate seeds or an orange slice.
That’s it—zero effort, high reward.
The Twist
For a festive pop of color and texture:
Add pomegranate seeds.
They sink, sparkle, bounce when the bubbles rise, and make the drink look instantly more upscale.
Mocktail Version
It is a mocktail already!
The Winter Cranberry Spritz is naturally alcohol-free, bright, bubbly, and refreshing. Nothing changes—just build it the same way.
If you want to make it slightly fancier:
- Add a splash of nonalcoholic sparkling wine
- Use sparkling cranberry juice
- Add a rosemary sprig as a garnish for aroma
Home Bar Tips
Use 100% cranberry juice for tartness.
Cranberry cocktail (sweetened) works too, but the drink will be sweeter and softer.
Chill your soda water.
Cold bubbles = more carbonation and a better spritz.
Add soda last.
This keeps the drink lively and prevents overmixing.
Use clear ice if you want a pretty presentation.
Not necessary, but gorgeous. I use this clear ice maker for cubes and this one for spheres.
Rosemary is strong—start small.
0.5 oz rosemary syrup is enough to give you herbal depth without tasting piney.
What If I Don’t Have…?
No rosemary syrup?
Try:
- Vanilla simple syrup
- Honey syrup + one drop of orange blossom water
- Cinnamon syrup (cozier and very holiday-friendly)
No soda water?
Use:
- Sparkling water
- Lime soda (sweeter, but works)
- Sparkling cider for a more autumn-forward version
No cranberry juice?
Pomegranate juice makes a great substitute.
Troubleshooting
“It’s too sweet.”
- Use unsweetened cranberry juice
- Add more soda water
- Reduce rosemary syrup to 0.25 oz
“It tastes flat.”
- Make sure your soda water is freshly opened
- Add more ice (more ice = better carbonation)
“The rosemary is too strong.”
- Reduce syrup
- Remake syrup with fewer sprigs
“The drink looks pale.”
- Use 100% cranberry juice
- Add a splash more cranberry for deeper color
