This sweet and refreshing non alcoholic cherry spritz is the perfect summer mocktail. Made with the most delicious homemade sweet cherry syrup, combined with lemon juice and tonic water, this is the drink you’ll want to sip on this festive season so you don’t feel like you’re missing out.
This cherry spritz is the perfect non alcoholic drink this summer. It’s sweet, it’s tart, and it’s so incredibly refreshing it’s perfect for enjoying on a hot day by the pool (if you’re lucky enough to have a pool that is!).
After making the most delicious, sweet cherry syrup for my cherry amaretto sour cocktails, I knew I needed more drinks that used this.
This spritz is the perfect option if you still want something delicious to sip on but don’t drink, don’t feel like alcohol, or are the driver. It still feels festive and fancy but is actually hydrating.
Make the syrup ahead of time, and then you can easily mix up this cherry mocktail when you need it, or batch it into a large jug for sharing.
And as if you needed an excuse to buy that giant bag of cherries this summer, here is one anyway. And for more, try my chocolate cherry no-bake cheesecake or this chocolate cherry layer cake.
Key Ingredients
This is a simple and refreshing drink that can be made quickly using few ingredients. Make a batch of the cherry syrup and store in the fridge so you can whip these up anytime.
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Cherry syrup – the key to this drink is the homemade cherry syrup. This is the same as what I use in my cherry amaretto sour so make a batch and store it in the fridge and you’ll have cherry drink options for everyone. The full ingredients and method are included in the recipe card below.
- Lemon juice – fresh lemon juice balances out the sweetness of the cherry syrup.
- Tonic water or soda water – I like using sugar free tonic water in non alcoholic drinks to add that sharpness and extra flavour that would usually be carried in the alcohol but if it’s not for you, soda water works really well in this drink. Use what you like.
- Garnish – for extra freshness, finish off the drink with fresh mint and a slice of lemon.
Step-By-Step Instructions
There are two parts to making this drink. First you’ll need to make the cherry syrup ahead of time so that it has time to cool before assembling your drink.
How to make cherry syrup
Cut the cherries in half and remove the stems and pits and place them into a small saucepan. Add in the sugar, water and extracts and place on the stove over a medium/low heat until the sugar dissolves. Allow the syrup to simmer for 10 minutes or until the cherries have softened and the syrup is a rich, purply red colour.
Remove from the heat and strain the syrup, discarding the cherries. Pour the syrup into a glass bottle or jar and store in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
To make your spritz, add lots of ice to your glass. Add the cooled cherry syrup, the lemon juice and then top the glass with tonic water or soda water.
You can use a long stemmed spoon or cocktail mixer to combine everything together so the syrup doesn’t just sit in the bottom of the glass.
Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint and a slice of lemon and enjoy this super refreshing mocktail.
👉Tip! Adjust the ratios of lemon juice and cherry syrup as needed according to your tastes and how sweet / sour you want your drink to be.
Recipe FAQs
For the best flavour, I recommend fresh but if they are out of season, frozen cherries work just fine. No need to thaw them beforehand; simply add them to the saucepan with the sugar, water, and extracts.
Yes, this recipe works well for this! Scale up the cherry syrup recipe as needed and mix the spritzes individually or prepare a pitcher version. If making a pitcher, mix the cherry syrup, lemon juice, and tonic water, but add ice and garnish right before serving.
If you don’t like tonic water, you can definitely use soda water instead. For a sweeter option, try lemonade or ginger ale.
More summer drinks:
Non Alcoholic Mojito
Limoncello Spritz
Mango Kale Smoothie
Non Alcoholic Cherry Spritz
Ingredients
For the cherry syrup:
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
- 150 grams cherries
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
For the cherry spritz:
- 40 mls / 1 ⅓ ounces cherry syrup
- 20 mls / ⅔ ounce lemon juice
- Tonic water
- Fresh mint for garnish
Instructions
- Make the cherry syrup. Cut the cherries in half and remove the stems and pits and place them into a small saucepan. Add in the sugar, water and extracts and place on the stove over a medium/low heat until the sugar dissolves. Allow the syrup to simmer for 10 minutes or until the cherries have softened and the syrup is a rich, purply red colour.
- Remove from the heat and strain the syrup, discarding the cherries. Pour the syrup into a glass bottle or jar and store in the fridge until you’re ready to use it.
- To make the cherry spritz, fill a glass with ice. Add the cherry syrup and lemon juice and top with tonic water or soda water. Mix using a long handled spoon and garnish with fresh mint and a slice of lemon.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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