This is a festive and refreshing drink perfect for the holiday season! Featuring a vibrant cranberry simple syrup that creates a stunning ombre effect when layered with orange juice and sparkling water, it’s easy to make, family-friendly, and great for any special occasion.
Step 1: Make the Cranberry Simple SyrupCombine fresh cranberries, water, and sugar in a medium saucepan.Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar.Reduce heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes until the cranberries burst and soften.
Carefully pour the mixture into a blender and blend until smooth to extract every bit of juice and flavor from the cranberries.
Strain the blended mixture through a fine mesh sieve into an airtight container, pressing the pulp to release as much liquid as possible.
Save the leftover cranberry pulp—it makes a delicious jam for toast or a festive topping for vanilla ice cream!
Let the syrup cool completely before using. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks. But brink to room temp before using as it gets thick in the fridge.
Step 2: Assemble the SpritzerFill individual glasses with ½ cup sparkling water.
Add in ½ cup orange juice.
Gently pour ¼ cup cranberry simple syrup over the top. The layers will create a gorgeous ombre effect.
Garnish with a slice of orange, a sprig of rosemary, and sugared cranberries.