When I was a kid, my favorite thing to order at a restaurant was a Shirley Temple. I felt so fancy and grown-up when that pink, sweet, fizzy beverage showed up in front of me. I was on cloud nine!
This mocktail of my childhood inspired me to create an equally tasty, but slightly more nuanced, non-alcoholic beverage celebrating winter citrus: Orange mocktails!
Making the Orange Mocktails
Harry & David’s mandarin oranges are exceptionally juicy, making them perfect for squeezing. It doesn’t take much work to obtain the 1 1/2 cups of freshly squeezed orange juice needed for two mocktails. I juiced them all by hand, but you could also use a juicer.
Once you’ve collected your freshly squeezed orange juice, strain it through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the pulp and any seeds. Divide the juice into two tall glasses filled with ice, then top them with the grenadine syrup and ginger beer. The ginger beer adds the perfect amount of effervescent fizz to these drinks. It also has a bit more kick to it than the ginger ale or lemon-lime soda that’s typically used in a Shirley Temple. The added ginger flavor balances the sweetness of the orange juice and grenadine nicely, plus makes these orange mocktails feel more like an adult beverage!
To finish these drinks, add 1-2 dashes of Angostura bitters and a slice of orange for garnish. While bitters do technically contain alcohol, the bitters are used at a very small volume in this recipe. The majority of the time they’re considered an acceptable ingredient in non-alcoholic beverages. It’s similar to how we use vanilla extract, which is an alcohol-based flavoring agent, in cakes and cookies.
Serve these mocktails for an easy weekend cocktail alternative. You can also pair them with a cheese plate for a night in with friends. Cheers!
Orange Mocktail Recipe
In 2021 Food Trends we explore the recipes we think will be a hit this new year! From sunny orange mocktails to personal charcuterie boards, let’s start the year with something delicious.
Orange Mocktail
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Loading...Ingredients
- 8-10 Harry & David Mandarin Oranges
- 4 tablespoons grenadine syrup
- 1/2 cup ginger beer
- 2-4 dashes Angostura bitters
Instructions
1
Slice the oranges in half and squeeze the juice from them until you’ve collected 1 1/2 cups of freshly squeezed juice. Strain the collected juice through a fine mesh sieve into a clean container. Discard any pulp and seeds.
2
Fill two glasses with ice. Divide the strained orange juice between the two glasses. Then add 2 tablespoons of grenadine syrup to each glass (it will naturally sink to the bottom of the glass). Top each glass with 1/4 cup of the ginger beer and 1-2 dashes of bitters.
3
Garnish with orange slices. Stir before sipping.
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