Emulsifier Free Cranberry Orange Agua Fresca
Tart cranberries, bright orange juice, and a squeeze of lime come together in this refreshing agua fresca that tastes like a fancy juice bar drink you made entirely at home. Every ingredient is whole and straightforward — fresh fruit, maple syrup, a pinch of salt — so there's nothing hidden in the mix that could sneak in unwanted additives. Store-bought fruit drinks and punches are notorious for containing emulsifying agents and stabilizers that keep things shelf-stable but complicate clean-ingredient goals, and this recipe sidesteps all of that completely. The blending and straining process pulls out all the vibrant color and flavor from the cranberries while leaving the pulp behind, giving you a silky-smooth drink with zero need for anything artificial to hold it together. Maple syrup adds a gentle, rounded sweetness that plays beautifully against the tartness of the cranberries and the citrusy brightness of the orange and lime. Serve it over a big glass of ice with a few orange slices floating on top and it looks genuinely stunning, whether you're pouring it for a weeknight dinner or setting it out for guests.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- ½ cup fresh orange juice (from about 2 medium oranges)
- 3 cups cold water, divided
- 4 tbsp maple syrup, or more to taste
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- ¼ tsp fine salt
For serving
- ice cubes, for serving
- orange slices or fresh cranberries, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the cranberries, orange juice, maple syrup, lime juice, salt, and 1 cup of the cold water in a blender. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 45 seconds.
- 2
Set a fine-mesh strainer over a large pitcher. Pour the blended mixture through the strainer, pressing on the solids with the back of a spoon until only dry pulp remains. Discard the solids.
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