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A glass of cranberry thyme spritzer garnished with a dried orange slice, cranberry, and sprig of thyme on a pick, with ice cubes and dried orange slices nearby.
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Cranberry Thyme Spritzer

With sweet-tart cranberry juice, freshly squeezed orange juice, and thyme-infused simple syrup, this cranberry thyme spritzer is the perfect drink to add to your Thanksgiving menu!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Steeping Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Beverages, Mocktail
Cuisine: American
Servings: 1
Author: Rachel Gurk

Ingredients

For simple syrup (makes ½ cup, enough for 8 drinks):

  • ½ cup water
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 4 fresh thyme sprigs

For each spritzer:

  • ice cubes (make sure your ice is fresh)
  • ¼ cup 100% cranberry juice (unsweetened)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice (about ½ medium orange)
  • 1 tablespoon thyme-infused simple syrup, or to taste
  • ¼ cup chilled sparkling water (plain or orange-flavored)

Optional Garnishes:

  • fresh cranberries, orange slices or dehydrated orange slices, or thyme sprigs

Instructions

For the simple syrup:

  • In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the water, sugar, and thyme. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the mixture begins to simmer.
    ½ cup water, ½ cup granulated sugar, 4 fresh thyme sprigs
  • Remove the pan from the heat and steep for 15 minutes. Discard thyme and cool completely. Simple syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container (such as a small jar with a lid) for up to 1 week.

For the spritzer:

  • Fill a highball glass (or a large stemless wine glass) halfway with ice. Add the cranberry juice, orange juice, and thyme simple syrup. Stir well.
    ice cubes, ¼ cup 100% cranberry juice, 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice, 1 tablespoon thyme-infused simple syrup, or to taste, ¼ cup chilled sparkling water
  • Top with the sparkling water, and stir very gently. Don't overstir or the spritzer will go flat.
  • Garnish with a fresh thyme sprig, a few cranberries, and an orange slice.
  • Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  • Make-ahead tip: Prep the syrup up to a week ahead and juice the oranges the night before (store in a sealed jar).
  • Cranberry juice: For best flavor, make sure to look for 100% cranberry juice which is usually unsweetened, not cranberry cocktail which is heavily sweetened.
  • Adding alcohol: If desired, add 1.5 ounces gin or vodka (per serving) to this mocktail to make it a cocktail. Another option is to replace the sparkling water with chilled prosecco.
  • For a pitcher (4 servings):
    • 1 cup cranberry juice
    • ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice
    • ¼ cup thyme-infused simple syrup, or to taste
    • 1 cup chilled sparkling water (if prepping ahead, wait to add the sparkling water until just before serving)
    • To make 8 servings: Double the above ingredients (2 cups cranberry juice, 1 cup orange juice, ½ cup simple syrup, 2 cups sparkling water).

Nutrition

Serving: 6ounces | Calories: 98kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.02g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 26mg | Potassium: 130mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 96IU | Vitamin C: 23mg | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

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