Here’s a festive and healthy recipe for a Sparkling Tart Cherry Mocktail that is both alcohol-free and sugar-free. This is a great bubbly mixed drink to make for friends or family who want to celebrate without alcohol.

cherry mocktail with cherries on top served in highball glass.

Mocktails are simply cocktails made without alcohol. They are usually festive and carbonated using either sparkling water, soda, or kombucha.

Mocktail are great for friends who are sober or who want to avoid alcohol for whatever reason.

The base of this mocktail recipe uses tart cherry juice which is a superfood ingredient. Tart cherry juice has been shown to have a ton of health benefits including being anti-inflammatory with lots of antioxidants.

Sparkling Cherry Juice Mocktail Benefits

  • Make the holidays healthy with this alcohol-free mocktail that is actually health-promoting. Many mocktail recipes are loaded with simple syrup and added sugars. This fun drink has no added sugars.
  • Serve this at Christmas, New Year’s, a baby shower, or even Valentine’s Day. It’s a pretty drink that tastes great too.
  • If you’re hosting a party, it’s nice to have a festive non-alcoholic drink option for those who don’t drink or for children. This Cherry Lime Mocktail is a great option.

Cherry Mocktail Ingredients

ingredients for cherry mocktail.

This Cherry Mocktail uses fairly simple ingredients.

  • You can use either tart cherry juice (also called sour cherry juice) or regular cherry juice from the grocery store. Try to find one without added sugars. Just read the ingredient label and make sure it’s 100% juice.
  • Orange juice adds sweetness and balances the tartness of the cherry juice. Fresh orange juice is always best, but you can use canned or packaged orange juice if you don’t have access to fresh oranges.
  • Lime juice adds brightness of flavor, plus even more vitamin C.
  • Sparkling naturally-flavored fruit water is carbonated and helps make this drink taste like a cocktail. I like using Spindrift Lime-Flavored sparkling water, but you can use whatever brand you like. You can also use regular sparkling mineral water if you prefer.
  • Ice cubes chill the drink and enhance the natural sweetness of the cherry mixture.

Recipe Steps

This fun alcohol-free cocktail is so easy to make; let me show you the steps!

Step One

Use a citrus juicer to make about one cup of orange juice (you’ll need about three medium oranges).

Use the juicer to also juice two limes.

Step Two

In a pitcher, combine the citrus juices and tart cherry juice. Then, when you’re ready to serve, divide your ice between two cocktail glasses.

Divide the citrus mixture between your glasses, and then top each glass with sparkling water. Stir to combine and serve right away while the water is still fizzy.

I hope you agree that this is a tasty mocktail that is incredibly easy to make.

two glasses of pretty cherry mocktail garnished with cherries and rosemary.

Recipe Tips

  • You can juice the oranges and limes up to a day in advance. Store the citrus juice in a tightly-sealed container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make the mocktails.
  • I like the Spindrift brand of naturally-flavored carbonated water, but you can use whatever brand you like. Just make sure there are no added sugars. You can also use regular plain sparkling mineral water or other types of sugar-free flavored sodas, too. See my related article, Is Olipop Healthy?

Recipe FAQs

What is the difference between cherry juice and tart cherry juice?

Regular cherry juice comes from sweet cherries. Tart cherry juice comes specifically from tart cherries (also called sour cherries). Most of the research on the health benefits of cherry juice is on tart cherry juice.

What do I garnish my Cherry Mocktail with?

It’s up to you and can vary on the season. In the winter, try a sprig of rosemary or a slice of orange. In the summertime, you can use a wedge of pineapple, fresh mint, fresh cherries, or fresh berries.

Can tart cherry juice help with sleep?

Yes! It won’t necessarily make you sleepy, but it can help with sleep, especially in older adults with insomnia.

More Healthy Drink Recipes You Might Like

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cherry mocktail on table garnished with cherries and rosemary.

Sparkling Tart Cherry Mocktail (No Added Sugar)

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5 from 2 reviews

Here’s a festive and healthy recipe for a Sparkling Tart Cherry Mocktail that is both alcohol-free and sugar-free. This is a great bubbly mixed drink to make for friends or family who want to celebrate without alcohol.

  • Total Time: 11 minutes
  • Yield: 3 1x

Ingredients

Units Scale
  • 1/4 cup tart cherry juice
  • 1 cup freshly-squeezed orange juice (from about 3 medium oranges)
  • 1/4 cup freshly-squeezed lime juice (from about 2 limes)
  • 1 cup ice
  • 1/4 cup lime-flavored or orange-flavored sparkling mineral water, chilled

Instructions

  1. Combine the cherry juice, orange juice, and lime juice in a pitcher. Stir to combine.
  2. When you’re ready to serve, divide the ice between two cocktail glasses.
  3. Divide the juice mixture between the glasses and then top each glass with the sparkling water. Stir to combine and serve right away.

Notes

  1. You can juice the oranges and limes up to a day in advance. Store the citrus juice in a tightly-sealed container in the refrigerator until you’re ready to make the mocktails.
  2. I like the Spindrift brand of naturally-flavored carbonated water, but you can use whatever brand you like. Just make sure there are no added sugars. You can also use regular plain sparkling mineral water, too.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 53
  • Sugar: 9.9 g
  • Sodium: 4.4 mg
  • Fat: 0.2 g
  • Saturated Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 13 g
  • Fiber: 0.3 g
  • Protein: 0.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

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About the Author: Carrie Forrest has a master’s degree in public health with a specialty in nutrition. She is a top wellness and food blogger with nearly 10 million annual visitors to her site. Carrie has an incredible story of recovery from chronic illness and is passionate about helping other women transform their health. Send Carrie a message through her contact form.