Quick Winter Citrus Spritz Mocktail (Single-Serve)
Looking for something fun, fizzy, and packed with vitamin C, antioxidants, and some electrolytes? Whether you’re ringing in the new year or looking for an afternoon pick-me-up, here’s the perfect spritz for you!
I love the zing of wintery citrus, like orange and grapefruit, so they make the perfect base for this easy, single-serve mocktail. During the winter months, you’ll notice that oranges and grapefruits runneth over in the grocery stores, making them the perfect addition to your bubbly beverages.
If you want to get fancy, give your glass a little zesty salt rim, which pairs beautifully with the sharp, sweetness of your citrus and adds those few electrolytes! You can add as little or as much honey or maple syrup (dealer’s choice!) as you’d like, depending on how sweet both your fruits are as well as your own individual preferences.
Cheers to fun, fizzy drinks!
WHAT IS A MOCKTAIL?
Simply put, a mocktail is a version of a cocktail that doesn’t have alcohol in it. Sometimes they are exact dupes, like a non-alchoholic margarita, and sometimes they’re just fun fizzy drinks that could easily have a little booze inside, but don’t. Mocktails are perfect for those who want the joy of having a special drink without the inclusion of alcohol. Whether you’re sober, sober curious, or just don’t drink, a fun mocktail is for you!
Why should I rub my salt and orange zest together? The zest of the orange has a lot of oils, so by rubbing it into the salt, it results in an infused treat perfect for the rim of your glass. This is great to do with sugar as well, with zest and herbs alike (like this rosemary sugar). Just zest your orange over your salt and use your fingers to rub all those oils from the peel in!
INGREDIENTS
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and tartness of the citrus while also providing some electrolytes
- Orange & Grapefruit: Classic winter citrus options, and we use the whole fruit for this, from the rim to the drink
- Ginger: A rhizome packed with health benefits
- Honey or Maple Syrup: Refined sugar-free sweetener options to balance your mocktail
- Sparkling Water: Gives the fizz and “burn” you might expect from a cocktail
- Ice: Freeze in fun molds or just grab from your ice machine. Who doesn’t love a little *clink* when you swirl your beverage?
How do I turn this into a bigger batch mocktail? This recipe makes one drink, perfect for those solo dwellers who want a little fun sip in the afternoon or evening. If you want to make a batch of mocktails for a crowd, simply multiply the amounts below for however many people you are serving. You can add all the drink ingredients to a pitcher to make it easier for group pouring, but leave the sparkling water to the side so people can add that as they make their drink so it doesn’t go flat.
HOW TO MAKE A WINTER CITRUS SPRITZ MOCKTAIL
Add your salt to a plate and zest your fruit over it. Rub your salt and zest together until fragrant and you can see the orange oils infused into the salt (the salt will take on a pale orange color). Use part of your cut orange and run the cut side along the rim of your glass before twisting the rim in the salty zest on your plate.
Grate your ginger into your glass and stir in your fresh orange and grapefruit juices. Pour in your honey or maple syrup if desired for any extra sweetness before adding in your ice and topping with club soda.
Add some fruit peel for garnish and enjoy immediately!
3 reasons you’ll love this drink
TIPS & VARIATIONS
- Swap in your favorite winter citrus as you please! Keep in mind the fruits that may be more tart versus sweet, to keep your balance in the drink
- A fun decoration for one or a crowd is to dehydrate some of your fruit for a pretty topping. Preheat your oven to 200F. Cut your fruit into even 1/8″-1/4″ slices and lay flat on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake until the fruit is dry to the touch and almost leathery (they shouldn’t be sticky!), flipping each slice over every hour. This will take a few hours to do, bake time will depend on how thick you’ve sliced your fruit!
- This drink is easily adaptable based on what you have on hand. A splash of cranberry juice would be delicious. Swap in ginger beer for the sparkling water. The options are endless!
MAKING AHEAD & STORING
You can easily mix together your drink ingredients and store them in a glass or mason jar in the fridge before drinking. If you do this, don’t mix in the sparkling water in advance, or it will go flat. Keep the fizzy water in your fridge and add it to your drink when you’re ready to start sipping!
MORE MOCKTAIL RECIPES
Looking for more ginger? Try my Cranberry-Ginger Mocktail, it’s one of my absolute favorites. Want to include some fresh herbs? This Rosemary-Cranberry Mocktail includes a simple rosemary syrup that takes it to the next level. If you want the health punch without the fizz, my 10-Minute Golden Turmeric Milk Tea will do the trick!
Equipment
- Glass
- Zester or Microplane
- Spoon
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 1 tsp salt
- Zest of one orange or grapefruit
- 2 tsp fresh ginger grated
- ½ cup fresh orange juice
- ¼ cup fresh grapefruit juice
- 1 tsp honey or maple syrup optional (depending on sweetness preference)
- ¼ cup sparkling water or club soda
- Orange or grapefruit peel for garnish
- Ice
Instructions
- On a plate, rub together your salt and zest. Then use part of your cut orange, and run the cut side along the rim of your glass before twisting the rim in the salty, zest on your plate
- Grate your ginger into your glass and stir in your fresh orange and grapefruit juices into the glass
- Pour in your honey or maple syrup if desired for any extra sweetness
- Add ice and top with club soda
- Garnish with your fruit peel and enjoy immediately!
