This Cranberry Orange Vanilla Mocktail is a great drink any time of year, but especially during the winter months. Maybe you are looking for the best non-alcoholic drink for your Christmas Eve or Christmas day get together? This is mocktail is it.
Mocktail Made With 3 Simple Ingredients
The best part of this drink is how simple it is. There doesn't need to be a lot of planning or stress. Grab 3 easy to find items from the store and you're done! Check it off the list and it is ready to go. Not everything about meal planning and party planning needs to feel overwhelming!
So, what exactly will you need? You ready for this?
- Cranberry Juice
- Orange Juice
- Cream or some type of vanilla soda
Ingredient Recommendations For The Cranberry Orange Vanilla Mocktail
Here are my recommendations for each one. For the cranberry juice, I love RW Knudsen. It is pure cranberry juice, yes from concentrate, but that is it. No sugar added. I prefer this. I love their branding of "Just Juice".
The Orange Juice
Next up is fresh squeezed orange juice. I know, this might feel like too much for your dinner or get together. If it is, BUY THE ORANGE JUICE. If you are willing to get a little arm workout, use the fresh squeezed orange juice. It really does taste better and of course is healthier for you. This time of year, the oranges are so good, who can resist?
Vanilla Cream Soda
The last up is your cream soda. My Grandma Pearl used to call this "jazzing up" your drink. We are not alcohol drinkers in the family, so this was as wild as we got. It is still a running joke with my siblings and me. So, next time you are considering spicing up your drink with a little carbonation, think about Grandma Pearl. My recommendation is Henry Winehard's Vanilla Cream Soda. Y'all, if you have never had it before, let me take a minute to sing it's praised. If you don't know me personally, I rarely drink anything but water. I grew up with it and it's just what I prefer. But..if you put a Henry Winehard's Vanilla Cream Soda in front of me, I will never turn it down!
The Ratio
You can of course use whatever ratio you prefer, but here is what I used. 1 part cranberry juice, 1 part orange juice, 4 parts cream soda. In the glasses I used, it was ¼ cup cranberry juice, ¼ cup orange juice, 1 cup vanilla soda.
Candied Cranberries
I topped our drinks with candied cranberries. Yes, this is extra. It took a little more time, but it was really pretty. I included the recipe below, but here are the basics. Make a simple syrup, 1 part granulated sugar to 1 part water. Cook to dissolve the sugar. Pour over your cranberries and mix well. Spread these on a cooling rack and allow them to sit for about 45 minutes. Then sprinkle with sugar and mix to coat. Once that layer has set for a while, I sprinkle on a touch more. They hold well for several days, so can be made in advance. In this drink, they sit perfectly on top of the ice.
Cranberry Orange and Vanilla Mocktail
Ingredients
- 1 cup pure cranberry juice
- 1 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
- 4 cups vanilla soda We prefer Henry Winehards vanilla cream, but use your favorite if you have another!
Instructions
- In each of your servings glasses add ¼ cup cranberry juice, ¼ cup fresh squeezed orange juice, and 1 cup vanilla cream soda. Mix gently. Serve chilled with ice or room temp. They are good both ways! I like top mine with candied cranberries for decorations or even orange slices. These are best served immediately.Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!
Candied Cranberries
Ingredients
- ¼ cup granulated sugar for simple syrup
- ¼ cup water
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- ½ cups granulated sugar This is for the final coating on the cranberries
Instructions
- Remember to read instructions all the way through before beginning. Start by adding your ¼ cup of sugar and ¼ cup water to a small saucepan. Over medium- low heat dissolve the sugar.Add your cranberries to a bowl. When the sugar has dissolved, pour the simple syrup over the cranberries mix carefully with a rubber spatula (you don't want to break up the cranberries). Spread the coated cranberries over a coolinf rack on top of a bakign sheet. You want the baking sheet under the cooling rack to catch the excess simple syrup. Spread the cranberries out so they aren't touching each other. Allow them to sit like this for about 45 minutes-1 hour.Add the cranberries back into a bowl. Sprinkle with all but about 2 tablespoons of the ½ cup granulate sugar. Mix carefully to coat. Allow this to sit about 5 minutes. Add in the remaining sugar and mix again to coat. Spread on a bakign sheet. That is it. They are ready to go! They hold well for several days. I leave them at room temp and open. The only issue may be for those of you living in humid climates. If you are one of these people, just know they won't last as long out. Now, sit back and enjoy. You deserve it!
Other Options
If you are looking for another mocktail, this Pomegranate Fizz has been big on the blog lately. It is so yummy and simple to make as well. Maybe you need a good cookie to go with your drink? I love the sugar on sugar too. These stamped gingerbread cookies would pair perfectly with this drink! These Carrot Cake Cookies are also big on the blog and would be good with this cranberry drink!