Artificial Food Coloring Free Classic Citrus Mocktail
Bright, tangy, and completely refreshing, this citrus mocktail is the kind of drink that makes you feel like you're sitting on a sun-drenched patio even on the most ordinary Tuesday. The color in the glass comes entirely from real squeezed oranges, lemons, and limes — no dyes, no shortcuts, just fruit doing what fruit does best. That matters more than you might think, because a surprising number of bottled mocktails, flavored sparkling waters, and cocktail mixers sneak in artificial colorants to achieve that vivid, photogenic hue. Here, everything is made from scratch, including a quick lemon zest simple syrup that adds a subtle floral depth without any mystery additives. A good shake over ice chills the citrus blend perfectly before sparkling water is stirred in for that satisfying fizz. Finished with an orange slice and a sprig of fresh mint, it looks genuinely stunning without a drop of anything artificial. It's the kind of drink you can hand to anyone at the table and feel completely confident about what's in it.
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Learn more →Ingredients
2 servings
For the simple syrup
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 1 tsp lemon zest
For the mocktail
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice (from about 2 medium oranges)
- 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)
- 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice (from about 1 lime)
- 1 cup sparkling water, chilled
- 1 cup ice cubes
For serving
- 2 orange slices, for garnish (optional)
- 2 sprigs fresh mint, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the sugar, water, and lemon zest in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves, about 2–3 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool for 10 minutes, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl or jar, discarding the zest.
- 2
Combine the orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, and 2 tablespoons of the cooled lemon simple syrup in a cocktail shaker or pitcher. Taste and add up to 1 additional tablespoon of syrup if you prefer a sweeter drink.
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