By Elaine Gordon · Published: · Modified:
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Gluten-FreeNut-FreePaleoRefined Sugar-FreeVegan
Ready to put on your bartender apron and create a drink especially for Valentine's Day? This Love Potion No. 9 Sparkling Cherry Spritzer is just right for the day of love! It's a classic fruity co*cktail made with fresh lime, maple syrup for sweetness, 100% fruit juice, and sparkling water. Finish it off with heart-shaped ice cubes for a drink to make you fall in love!
Valentine's Day is coming up and I love creating a sweet drink to serve alongside a special dinner! I always create both a co*cktail and mocktail version so everyone can have something special and sparkling in their glass. My kids love feeling like they get a special drink just like the grown-ups! This Love Potion No. 9 Sparkling Cherry Spritzer is filled with fresh berry flavor, sparkling water, fresh lime, and a splash of maple syrup for sweetness. You won't have to "hold your nose or close your eyes" to take a drink, promise! See what I did there!? 😉 Cheers!
Sparkling Cherry Spritzer
Pretty much any of your favorite sparkling waters will work well in this recipe! I love Topo Chico sparkling mineral water and think the bottle it comes in is so cute. You could also use La Croix, Perrier, Pellegrino, Schweppes, Bubly...there are so many options available in every grocery store!
100% Juice in co*cktails
I love cherry juice in this mocktail because it's a classic Valentine's Day flavor...and I think the bright red color is so romantic and festive! Check your labels to make sure the juice you buy is 100% fruit juice. So often there are sugars and preservative snuck in! You could also juice your own cherries, pomegranates, or cranberries (or a mix!) to use in this sweet Sparkling Cherry Spritzer.
Heart-Shaped Ice Cubes
What's better than a heart-shaped ice cube in your Valentine's Day co*cktail?! I think it adds the perfect seasonal touch. My kids especially love it when I make them mocktails and have fancy red ice cubes! It's really simple to make them, too. A couple hours before you plan on serving a Sparkling Cherry Spritzer (I usually just do it the night before), fill silicone heart molds with pure cherry (or pomegranate or cranberry!) juice. Pop them out while you're making drinks and drop them in! So cute!
How to Make Sparkling Cherry Spritzers
Assembling these sparkling drinks is super easy and the result is so festive and sweet! Everyone gets so excited for that first sip and it doesn't disappoint.
- Start by preparing your co*cktail glasses with a sugar rim. Rub the edge of the glass with just enough lime juice to wet the rim, then dip them in pure maple sugar. This extra step makes each sip feel so special! Set them aside or pop them in the freezer to chill.
- In a co*cktail shaker filled with ice cubes, shake the cherry juice, maple syrup, fresh lime, and vodka (if you're making a co*cktail--leave it out for a mocktail!).
- Fill the co*cktail glasses with ice cubes and pour the cherry co*cktail in until it's about half full, leaving room at the top for sparkling water and heart-shaped ice cubes!
- Arrange fresh raspberries on a co*cktail pick and place them in the drink or balancing on the top of the glass. Clink glasses with your sweetheart and enjoy!
More Fruity Drinks
Cranberry Pomegranate Spritzer
Strawberry Mint Lime Spritzer
Watermelon Mint Lime Slushies
Easy Fresh-Squeezed Lemonade
Grapefruit Vodka Tonics
Watermelon Mint Lime Agua Fresca
Frozen Mint Lemonade
All my Valentine's Day recipes can be found here.
Love Potion #9: Sparkling Cherry Spritzer - Valentine's Day Mocktail or co*cktail
- Author: Elaine Gordon
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 3-4 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Ready to put on your bartender apron and create a drink especially for Valentine's Day? This Love Potion No. 9 Sparkling Cherry Spritzer is just right for the day of love! It's a classic fruity co*cktail made with fresh lime, maple syrup for sweetness, 100% fruit juice, and sparkling water. Finish it off with heart-shaped ice cubes for a drink to make you fall in love!
Ingredients
UnitsScale
- 5 ounces 100% cherry juice (or pomegranate juice or cranberry juice)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 large lime, juiced
- OPTIONAL: 2 shots (jiggers) vodka [one shot or one jigger equals 1.5 fluid ounces]
- Sparkling mineral water to top off each drink (I love Topo Chico)
Garnishes
- 2 tablespoons maple sugar for sugar rim
- fresh raspberries
- Heart Shaped Ice Cubes: 100% pomegranate juice for silicone heart molds (or cherry juice or cranberry juice)
Instructions
- MAKE IN ADVANCE: Place a silicone heart mold on a small baking sheet. Fill the molds with pomegranate juice (or cherry juice or cranberry juice) and place the baking sheet in your freezer for eight hours until juice is frozen solid. I typically do this the night before.
- JUST BEFORE SERVING: Prepare 3-4 co*cktail glasses with a sugar rim. Place maple sugar on a small plate. Rub the rim of the glasses with a lime wedge (just enough to wet the rim) and then dip the rim of each glass in the maple sugar. You can use any granulated sugar here but to keep it refined sugar-free I recommend using maple sugar. Set glasses aside or place in your freezer to chill the glasses.
- PREPARE THE DRINK: Shake cherry juice, maple syrup, lime juice and vodka (if using) in a co*cktail shaker filled with ice cubes.
- Fill the co*cktail glasses with ice cubes. Pour the shaken co*cktail into the glasses (about halfway). Leave room for sparkling mineral water.
- Fill each glass with sparkling mineral water and stir gently with a spoon. Leave room for 1-2 red heart ice cubes.
- Remove red heart ice cubes from the silicone mold and place 1-2 (or more!) in each drink.
- Arrange fresh raspberries on a co*cktail pick and place the pick in the drink or balancing on the glass rim.
- Enjoy immediately.
Equipment
Buy Now →- Prep Time: 5
- Category: Beverage
- Fruit
- Valentine's Day
- Gluten-Free
- Nut-Free
- Paleo
- Refined Sugar-Free
- Vegan
- No-Bake
- Raw
- Easy
- Kid-Friendly
- Quick
