Nitrate & Nitrite Free Ginger Pear Sparkling Cooler
This sparkling cooler is the kind of drink that feels fancy without requiring any bartending skills — just ripe pears, fresh ginger, honey, and a little patience at the stove. The magic starts with a homemade pear-ginger concentrate, where the fruit simmers down until completely soft and the ginger infuses every drop with a warm, lively kick. Straining and pressing the solids gives you a beautifully clear, golden syrup that tastes nothing like anything you'd find in a bottle. That matters here, because so many store-bought flavored drinks and syrups sneak in preservatives — including nitrates and nitrites — that have no business being in a simple fruit drink. Every ingredient in this recipe is whole and recognizable, so you know exactly what's going into your glass. Topped with chilled sparkling water and a sprig of mint, it's refreshing, subtly sweet, and just spicy enough to keep things interesting. Make the concentrate ahead of time and you've got a crowd-pleasing drink ready to pour whenever you need it.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the ginger-pear syrup
- 3 medium ripe pears (such as bartlett or anjou), peeled, cored, and roughly chopped
- 1 ½ cups water
- 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp honey
To assemble
- 3 cups sparkling water, chilled
- ice cubes, for serving
For serving
- fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
- thin pear slices, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the chopped pears, water, and sliced ginger in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, for 12–15 minutes, until the pears are completely soft and beginning to break down.
- 2
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the honey until fully dissolved. Let the mixture cool in the pan for 10 minutes.
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