Cranberry Orange Mocktail Sangria

Name: Cranberry Orange Mocktail Sangria
Prep time: 20 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: Spanish
Ingredients: 3 cups (720 ml) 100% cranberry juice (unsweetened), well chilled; 1 cup (240 ml) fresh orange juice, from about 3 oranges, strained and chilled; 3 tablespoons (60 ml) pure maple syrup; 2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained; 2 sticks (6 g) cinnamon sticks, 3-inch (7.5 cm) sticks; 1 large (230 g) navel orange, unpeeled, scrubbed, cut into thin ¼-inch (6 mm) rounds, then halved; 1 large (200 g) crisp apple such as Honeycrisp or Gala, cored, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes; ½ cup (80 g) pomegranate arils, fresh, removed from the membrane; ½ cup (50 g) fresh cranberries, rinsed, left whole (optional); 2 cups (480 ml) plain sparkling water, very cold, from a freshly opened bottle; 4 cups (560 g) ice cubes, for serving

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

A ruby-red, alcohol-free sangria built on tart cranberry juice, fresh orange juice and a spiced fruit soak, then topped with sparkling water for a lively fizz. Vegan, make-ahead friendly and perfect for a party pitcher.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: —
Wait: 4 hr
Total: 4 hr 20 min
Makes: About 2 quarts (1.9 liters), 8 servings of about 1 cup (240 ml)

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Ingredients

8 servings

3 cups (720 ml) 100% cranberry juice (unsweetened), well chilled
1 cup (240 ml) fresh orange juice, from about 3 oranges, strained and chilled
3 tablespoons (60 ml) pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lemon juice, strained
2 sticks (6 g) cinnamon sticks, 3-inch (7.5 cm) sticks
1 large (230 g) navel orange, unpeeled, scrubbed, cut into thin ¼-inch (6 mm) rounds, then halved
1 large (200 g) crisp apple such as Honeycrisp or Gala, cored, cut into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes
½ cup (80 g) pomegranate arils, fresh, removed from the membrane
½ cup (50 g) fresh cranberries, rinsed, left whole (optional)
2 cups (480 ml) plain sparkling water, very cold, from a freshly opened bottle
4 cups (560 g) ice cubes, for serving

Equipment (6)

Large glass pitcher or drink dispenser, at least 2.5-quart (2.4 liter) capacity
Cutting board and sharp knife
Long wooden spoon for stirring
Citrus juicer or reamer
Measuring cups and spoons
Wine or highball glasses

Steps

Before you start

Chill the cranberry juice, orange juice and sparkling water for at least 2 hours so the sangria is cold without lots of ice diluting it.
Plan on at least 4 hours of fruit soaking time (up to 12 hours) for the best flavor; add the sparkling water only just before serving.
Use 100% unsweetened or lightly sweetened cranberry juice, not cranberry juice cocktail, if you want to control sweetness. The recipe is written for regular unsweetened juice plus maple syrup.
Wash the orange and apple well since the peel stays on for slices.

1
Juice the citrus
- Squeeze about 3 oranges to get 1 cup (240 ml) juice, and squeeze 1 lemon for 2 tablespoons (30 ml).
- Pour both through a fine strainer into a large pitcher to remove seeds and pulp.
- Keep the whole navel orange for slicing in the next step, so buy 4 oranges total.
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Ready when: You have 1 cup of smooth juice and 2 tablespoons lemon juice with no seeds.
Tip: Roll the fruit firmly on the counter first to get more juice.
2
Prep the fruit
- Scrub the navel orange, then slice it into ¼-inch (6 mm) rounds and cut each round in half.
- Core the apple and cut it into ½-inch (1.25 cm) cubes.
- Remove the pomegranate arils from the membrane and rinse the cranberries if using.
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Ready when: Orange half-rounds are even and apple cubes are bite-size.
Tip: Cut the apple last so it has less time to brown; the lemon juice in the pitcher also protects it.
3
Sweeten the base
- Add the maple syrup to the pitcher with the orange and lemon juice.
- Stir with a long spoon for 30 seconds until the syrup completely dissolves into the juice, with no syrup streaks on the bottom.
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Ready when: No syrup visible at the bottom of the pitcher.
4
Combine and add fruit
- Pour in the 3 cups (720 ml) chilled cranberry juice and stir.
- Add the orange half-rounds, apple cubes, pomegranate arils, cranberries if using, and cinnamon sticks.
- Stir gently to submerge the fruit.
- Taste the base: it should be tart, fruity and lightly sweet.
- Add 1 more tablespoon maple syrup if it is too tart.
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Ready when: All fruit is submerged and the liquid is deep ruby red.
Tip: Do not add the sparkling water yet or it will go flat during chilling.
5
Chill and infuse
- Cover the pitcher with a lid or plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, or up to 12 hours.
- Give it a gentle stir once halfway through.
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Ready when: The orange slices look slightly softened and the juice smells of cinnamon and citrus.
Tip: Remove the cinnamon sticks after 6 hours if holding overnight so the spice doesn't turn bitter.
6
Add the fizz
- Just before serving, pour the 2 cups (480 ml) very cold sparkling water down the side of the pitcher and stir once, gently, to combine.
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Ready when: Light bubbles rise through the sangria.
Tip: Stir only once to keep the bubbles.
7
Serve over ice
- Fill 8 glasses halfway with ice (about ½ cup / 70 g each).
- Ladle or pour the sangria over the ice, spooning some fruit into each glass.
- Serve right away.
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Ready when: Each glass holds about 1 cup of sangria with a mix of orange, apple and pomegranate.
Tip: Serve with a spoon or cocktail pick for eating the fruit.

Good to know

Tips

Use unsweetened juice so you control the sweetness; if you only have cranberry juice cocktail, skip the maple syrup and taste first.
Freeze some cranberries or orange slices ahead and use them as ice cubes so the drink stays cold without watering down.
Keep the pomegranate arils whole and stir gently; crushed arils make the drink cloudy and slightly bitter.
For a deeper, wine-like tannin, add ½ cup (120 ml) strong cooled black or hibiscus tea in place of ½ cup of the cranberry juice.

Make ahead

"Make the base (everything except the sparkling water and ice) up to 12 hours ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Add the sparkling water just before serving."

Storage & reheating

"Without sparkling water, keep covered in the refrigerator up to 2 days; strain out the fruit after 24 hours for the best flavor. Once sparkling water is added, drink within 2 hours as it goes flat. Not recommended at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Freeze leftover base (without fruit) in ice cube trays for up to 1 month and use the cubes to chill future glasses; no reheating needed."

Substitutions

pure maple syrup → agave nectar or granulated sugar. Use the same amount of agave; for sugar use 3 tablespoons and stir until fully dissolved.
plain sparkling water → ginger ale or lemon-lime soda. Makes it sweeter, so reduce the maple syrup to 1 tablespoon.
crisp apple such as Honeycrisp or Gala → firm pear. Use the same weight, cut in ½-inch cubes.
cinnamon sticks → 3 whole star anise or 4 whole cloves. Gives a different warm spice note; use sparingly since cloves are strong.