Description
A refreshing and nourishing spiced cranberry juice made with fresh or frozen cranberries infused with warming spices like cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and star anise. This versatile drink can be enjoyed hot or cold and is naturally sweetened with honey, agave syrup, or sugar to taste. Perfect as a comforting beverage in colder months or a rejuvenating mocktail any time of year.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 liter cold water
- 1 orange or lemon zest (from one fruit)
- 1 cinnamon stick
Spices (optional selection)
- 3 cloves
- 3 cardamom pods
- 3 allspice berries
- 1 star anise
- 1 inch of grated fresh ginger
Additional Ingredients
- ½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice or lemon juice (optional)
- 3 tablespoons agave syrup, honey, or sugar (adjust to taste)
Instructions
- Prepare Ingredients: Wash the fresh or frozen cranberries thoroughly. Also prepare any citrus fruit by zesting the orange or lemon. Gather your chosen spices.
- Combine Ingredients in Pot: In a medium-sized pot, combine the cranberries, the citrus zest, and cold water. Tie your chosen spices in a small cheesecloth pouch, or if you don’t have cheesecloth, simply add the loose spices directly to the pot.
- Heat the Mixture: Place the pot on the stove and bring the contents gently to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, remove from heat after about one minute to preserve the vitamins and delicate flavors.
- Cool the Juice: Allow the cranberry mixture to cool for 30 minutes to one hour to let the flavors infuse.
- Strain the Juice: Remove the cheesecloth pouch or strain the loose spices and cranberries using a tight-mesh colander into a clean one-liter jar. Press the berries and fruit gently with a wooden spoon to extract as much juice as possible.
- Sweeten and Flavor: Add the optional freshly squeezed orange or lemon juice if desired. Sweeten the juice with agave syrup, honey, or sugar to your taste preference. Stir well.
- Let Flavors Meld: For best flavor, let the juice stand for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator to allow the spices and sweetener to meld together.
- Serve: Serve chilled, at room temperature, or warmed gently in the microwave according to your preference.
Notes
- This spiced cranberry juice is rich in antioxidants and vitamins from fresh cranberries and warming spices.
- The juice can be enjoyed hot to warm you up on chilly days or served cold as a refreshing drink.
- Adjust sweetness to your liking; the honey or agave can be replaced with sugar for a different taste.
- If you prefer a stronger spice flavor, steep the spices longer before removing them.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup (approximately 240 ml)
- Calories: 70
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 5 mg
- Fat: 0.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0.1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 18 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
