Nitrate & Nitrite Free Honey Pomegranate Sparkling Cooler
This sparkling cooler is the kind of drink that looks like it came from a fancy brunch spot but comes together with just a handful of clean, whole ingredients. Fresh pomegranate juice, a honey-mint syrup, and chilled sparkling water are all you need — no packaged drink mixes, no artificial preservatives, and nothing that raises a red flag for those avoiding added nitrates or nitrites. So many bottled juices and flavored sparkling drinks sneak in additives that can be hard to spot on a label, so making this from scratch puts you completely in control. The honey syrup is a quick stovetop step where mint steeps right into the sweetness, giving the whole drink a subtle herbal lift that feels genuinely sophisticated. Pressing your own pomegranate juice takes a little elbow grease but rewards you with a deep, jewel-toned color and a tart-sweet flavor that no store-bought version quite matches. Pour it slowly over ice, let the bubbles do their thing, and finish with a few ruby arils and a sprig of mint for a glass that's as beautiful as it is refreshing.
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Learn more →Ingredients
2 servings
For the honey syrup
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup water
- 2 sprigs fresh mint
For the cooler
- 1 cup fresh pomegranate juice (from 1 large pomegranate, seeds pressed)
- 1 ½ cups sparkling water, chilled
- 1 cup ice cubes
For serving
- 2 sprigs fresh mint, for garnish (optional)
- 2 tbsp pomegranate arils, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the honey and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the honey fully dissolves, about 2 minutes. Add the 2 mint sprigs, remove from heat, and let steep for 10 minutes until fragrant. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and discard the mint. Let the syrup cool to room temperature, about 5 minutes.
- 2
To juice the pomegranate, cut it in half and press each half firmly on a citrus juicer, or press the arils through a fine-mesh strainer with the back of a spoon, until you have 1 cup of juice. Discard the solids.
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