High Fructose Corn Syrup Free Cranberry Ginger Cooler
Tart cranberry, zesty lime, and a bold hit of fresh ginger come together in this sparkling cooler that tastes like something you'd pay way too much for at a trendy café. The secret weapon is a quick homemade ginger syrup made with maple syrup instead of refined sugar or any processed sweetener — so you know exactly what's going into your glass. Unsweetened 100% cranberry juice keeps things clean and bright without any sneaky additives, which is exactly the kind of reassurance you want when store-bought drinks are so often loaded with hidden corn-derived sweeteners. The syrup comes together in minutes on the stovetop, steeps until fragrant, and then gets strained into a pitcher for a silky, deeply flavored base. Fresh lime juice adds a citrusy punch that balances the tartness of the cranberry beautifully. Topped off with sparkling water and a handful of ice, this drink is refreshing, fizzy, and genuinely impressive — especially with a sprig of mint and a lime wheel for that finishing touch.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the ginger syrup
- 1 cup 100% cranberry juice (unsweetened)
- ½ cup water
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
For the cooler
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 2 cups sparkling water
- 2 cups ice cubes
For serving
- 4 sprigs fresh mint (optional)
- 4 thin lime slices (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the water, maple syrup, and sliced ginger in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the maple syrup dissolves. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5 minutes, until the syrup is fragrant and the ginger flavor is pronounced.
- 2
Remove from the heat and let the ginger syrup steep for 15 minutes, until cooled to room temperature. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer into a pitcher, pressing the ginger slices to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the solids.
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