Description

This spiced cranberry juice is a refreshing and nourishing mocktail, combining fresh or frozen cranberries with aromatic spices like cinnamon, cloves, and star anise. The juice is gently boiled to preserve vitamins, sweetened naturally with agave syrup or honey, and can be enjoyed hot or cold, making it perfect for any season.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1 liter cold water
1 orange or lemon zest
1 cinnamon stick

Spices (choose according to preference)

3 cloves
3 cardamom pods
3 allspice berries
1 star anise
1 inch grated ginger

Optional Ingredients

½ cup freshly squeezed orange juice or lemon juice
3 tablespoons agave syrup, honey or sugar (adjust to taste)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Wash Ingredients: Rinse the cranberries and any other fresh fruits you are using thoroughly under cold water to remove any impurities.
Prepare Spices: Tie your chosen spices (cloves, cardamom pods, allspice, star anise, grated ginger) into a small cheesecloth pouch for easy removal. If cheesecloth is unavailable, you may add the loose spices directly to the pot.
Combine Ingredients: In a medium-sized pot, combine cranberries, orange or lemon zest, the cinnamon stick, cold water, and the prepared spice pouch or loose spices.
Bring to Boil: Heat the pot and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. As soon as it reaches a boil, remove the pot from heat within one minute to preserve the vitamins.
Cool Down: Let the cranberry mixture cool for 30 minutes to an hour at room temperature to allow flavors to meld.
Strain Juice: Remove and discard the spice pouch if used. Pour the juice through a tight-mesh colander into a clean one-liter jar, pressing the berries and fruit gently with a wooden spoon to extract maximum juice.
Sweeten and Flavor: Taste the juice and add agave syrup, honey, or sugar to your preference. Optionally, stir in freshly squeezed orange or lemon juice for extra citrus brightness.
Mature the Juice: Let the juice stand for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator to enhance the flavors.
Serve: Serve the spiced cranberry juice chilled, at room temperature, or gently heated in the microwave as a comforting warm drink.

Notes

This spiced cranberry juice is full of vitamins and antioxidants, making it a healthy and delicious beverage choice.
The juice can be served hot during colder months or chilled to refresh you in warmer weather.
Adjust sweetness according to your taste preference for a more natural or richer flavor.
Using a cheesecloth pouch for spices makes straining easier and prevents spice bits in the final juice.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cup (250ml)
Calories: 169 kcal
Sugar: 29 g
Sodium: 30 mg
Fat: 1 g
Saturated Fat: 0.1 g
Unsaturated Fat: 0.2 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 42 g
Fiber: 4 g
Protein: 1 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg