Whether you're entertaining friends during Dry January or are simply craving a booze-free bevvie at any time of year, we urge you to put down that plain ginger ale and opt for a homemade mocktail. A well-crafted, balanced, fizzy drink can transform your post-work funk into a luxurious evening in — especially when it's served in your favorite fancy glassware. Alternatively, serving a nonalcoholic drink at your next party will ensure that everyone can enjoy the merriment, for whatever reason they're abstaining. Consider this your sign to elevate your next home happy hour with something sweet, sour, and a little bit bougie.
If you don't yet have a favorite mocktail, we encourage you to try this elegant but simple cranberry fizz, infused with herbal thyme syrup. Culinary creator Blair Horton includes this easy recipe in her mocktail book Everyday Elixirs. "I love serving this drink for celebrations because it's a beautiful color and easy to make a batch for a crowd," Horton writes. The author also points out that the ingredients are good for you, to boot: "Cranberries are packed with antioxidants and vitamin C, supporting immunity and heart health, while the syrup adds calming and anti-inflammatory properties." The result is a mocktail that feels celebratory, intentional, and quietly calming.
Cranberry Fizz
Serves 1
Ingredients
- 1 ounce pure unsweetened cranberry juice
- ½ ounce Rosemary Thyme Syrup (instructions below)
- 3 to 4 ounces sparkling water
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a glass and stir well. Pour into an ice-filled glass and enjoy!
Tip: For an extra festive touch, add cranberries, rosemary, thyme, and water to an ice cube tray, then freeze!
Choose a Garnish: Add a fresh rosemary sprig, fresh thyme sprig, and/or fresh cranberries.
Dress Your Glass: Coat the rim with honey, then dip in coarse sugar or coconut sugar.
Rosemary Thyme Syrup
Makes about 1 cup
Ingredients
- ½ cup honey or sweetener of choice
- 3 to 4 fresh rosemary sprigs
- 3 to 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- Pinch of sea salt or mineral salt
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan, add 1 cup water, and bring to a boil over medium heat.
- Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and let cool. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a sealable container. Discard the solids.
Storage: Allow to cool and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Excerpted from the book EVERYDAY ELIXIRS by Blair Horton. Copyright © 2025. From Harvest Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Photographs by Joni Schrantz. Reprinted by permission.
