BHA & BHT Free Cucumber-Basil Grapefruit Rosemary Sparkler
This sparkling drink is a genuinely stunning combination of tart grapefruit, cool cucumber, and fragrant herbs, and it tastes like something you'd order at a fancy brunch spot — except you made it yourself in about twenty minutes. Every single ingredient here is whole and fresh: real honey, actual grapefruit, garden herbs, and plain sparkling water, which means no synthetic preservatives like BHA or BHT hiding in a bottle of flavored syrup or store-bought mixer. The rosemary-honey syrup is the quiet star of the show — just honey, water, and two sprigs steeped until the whole thing smells like a hillside in Provence. Muddling the cucumber and basil together before shaking unlocks a bright, green freshness that you simply cannot get from a packaged drink. The result is layered and complex without being fussy, and it works equally well as a mocktail centerpiece or a base for a light cocktail. Serve it immediately so the bubbles stay lively and the garnishes look their best.
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Learn more →Ingredients
2 servings
For the rosemary-honey syrup
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup water
- 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
For the sparkler
- ½ cup fresh grapefruit juice (from about 1 large grapefruit)
- ⅓ cup cucumber, thinly sliced (about ¼ of a medium cucumber), plus extra for garnish
- 8 fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
- 2 tbsp rosemary-honey syrup (from above)
- 1 cup sparkling water, chilled
- 1 cup ice cubes
For serving
- 2 thin cucumber slices (optional)
- 2 small fresh basil sprigs (optional)
- 2 small fresh rosemary sprigs (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the honey, water, and rosemary sprigs in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the honey dissolves, about 2 minutes. Bring to a gentle simmer, then remove from the heat and let the rosemary steep for 15 minutes, until the syrup is fragrant and lightly herbal.
- 2
Strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a small bowl or jar, discarding the rosemary sprigs. Let the syrup cool to room temperature before using.
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