How to make a festive winter mocktail (Cranberry Rosemary Shrub)
Cranberry Rosemary Shrub mocktail syrup is sweet, tart, and makes the most festive winter sparkling cranberry mocktails.
This Cranberry Rosemary Shrub is the perfect syrup for making festive winter mocktails; it’s sweet, tart, and bright holly red! Paired with club soda or sparkling water this shrub makes a festive and fizzy sparkling cranberry mocktail that’s deliciously herbal, bright, and fresh.
What are shrubs?
Shrubs (or drinking vinegar) are sweetened, vinegar-based syrups made with fruit, sugar, and vinegar. They’re similar to simple syrup, but contain vinegar (typically apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar) in place of water. Like simple syrup they are sweet, however because of the vinegar, they are also tart.
Ingredients for this cranberry rosemary shrub
This shrub uses equal parts fruit, sugar, and vinegar with a few added herbs and spices for extra flavour:
- Cranberries: Cranberries are sweet and tart and practically synonymous with the holidays, making them the perfect fruit for this festive syrup. Since fresh cranberries are typically readily available around the holidays, I like to use fresh cranberries. However, thawed frozen cranberries will work just fine. Honestly, any berry (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries), cherries, or mixed berries work here.
- Granulated sugar: Gives this syrup its sweetness. I prefer using granulated sugar in this syrup, but brown sugar or raw sugar work here too.
- Apple cider vinegar: Brings a robust apple cider flavour and tartness. Vinegar is what makes this syrup a shrub or drinking vinegar and not a simple syrup. I like the mild, fruitiness of apple cider vinegar and find it brings plenty of tartness, but you could also use red wine vinegar. Since red wine vinegar is sharper than apple cider vinegar you may wish to reduce the amount of vinegar or increase the amount of sugar to balance the sweetness with the tartness.
- Rosemary: A single fresh rosemary sprig adds a lovely herbal note. You could also use fresh thyme.
- Cinnamon stick: Brings a little warmth, entirely optional.
- Black peppercorns: Adds a hint of peppery spice, also optional.
How to make cranberry rosemary shrub
Step 1: Combine all the ingredients together in a pot. Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring often until the sugar has dissolved.
Step 2: Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
Step 3: Remove from heat and allow to cool for 30 minutes. Remove the rosemary and cinnamon stick. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth, and discard the cranberries. Transfer the syrup to a glass jar.
How to mix a mocktail with shrubs
To make a sparkling cranberry mocktail, mix 1 oz (2 tablespoons) Cranberry Rosemary Shrub with 6 oz (3/4 cup) sparkling water or soda over ice. For an extra festive touch, I like to serve them over cranberry ice cubes and garnish with a sprig of rosemary. Go ahead and adjust to your taste, you may want to add more sparkling water or a little (a lot) more syrup. If you use 1 oz per serving this recipe yields enough syrup for 10 servings.
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Cranberry Rosemary Shrub
Ingredients
- 1 cup cranberries
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary
- 1 cinnamon stick, optional
- 1 teaspoon black peppercorns, optional
Instructions
- Combine all the ingredients together in a pot.
- Set the pot over medium-high heat and bring to a boil, stirring often until the sugar has dissolved.
- Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool for 30 minutes.
- Remove the rosemary and cinnamon stick. Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth, and discard the cranberries. Transfer the syrup to a glass jar.
