Citric Acid Free Sparkling Raspberry Lemon Spritzer
Fresh raspberries and real lemon juice come together in a drink that looks like something you'd order at a fancy brunch — jewel-red, bubbly, and absolutely gorgeous over ice. The homemade raspberry syrup is the secret here: simmering the berries with maple syrup and water coaxes out a deep, jammy sweetness that no bottled mixer can match. Avoiding added citric acid is trickier than it sounds, since it hides in flavored syrups, packaged drink mixes, and even some sparkling waters — but this recipe sidesteps all of that by building every layer from scratch. Fresh-squeezed lemon juice brings the brightness, maple syrup handles the sweetness, and chilled sparkling water gives you that satisfying fizz without any additives to second-guess. A quick strain of the cooked raspberries keeps the texture silky smooth, so every sip is clean and refreshing rather than pulpy. Garnish with a lemon slice and a sprig of mint and you've got a drink that genuinely earns its place at the table.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the raspberry syrup
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup water
- 1 cup fresh raspberries
For the spritzer
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice (from about 4 lemons)
- 3 cups sparkling water, chilled
- 2 cups ice
For serving
- 4 lemon slices, for garnish (optional)
- 4 fresh mint sprigs, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Combine the maple syrup and water in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the maple syrup dissolves, about 1 minute. Add the raspberries and cook, pressing them gently with the back of a spoon, until the berries have broken down and the syrup is deep red, about 3–4 minutes.
- 2
Pour the raspberry mixture through a fine-mesh strainer set over a small bowl or measuring cup, pressing the solids firmly with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the solids. Let the raspberry syrup cool to room temperature, about 10 minutes.
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