Citrusy Grapefruit Cranberry Spritz Mocktail

This citrusy grapefruit cranberry mocktail is the perfect bubbly drink to make when you want something refreshing for happy hour, but without the alcohol! It’s made with a simple combo of grapefruit and cranberry juices, a little agave to sweeten it up just the right amount, a spritz of fresh lime, and bubbly soda water!

Grapefruit mocktails FTW!

We LOVE a refreshingly cool and bubbly mocktail at our house.

Because even if you’re not indulging in an alcoholic beverage, it’s always nice to feel like you have something special to cheers with when happy hour or a special occasion rolls around.

This one is fruity, bright, full of bubbles, and incredibly easy to make – a real win / win / win!

A serendipitous mocktail

We were out seeing some music a little while ago and I had been ordering soda water with a splash of grapefruit and a lime wedge. At one point, the bartender accidentally used cranberry juice instead of grapefruit, and instead of re-making it I just asked him to include a splash of grapefruit juice as well.

And it was SO good! A combination I probably never would’ve come up with if not for that happy lil accident, and I immediately knew I’d be making the same thing at home.

This version is a little different because I’m using pure cranberry juice instead of cranberry cocktail. Hence, the addition of agave to sweeten things up a bit.

Without it, the mocktail will probably border too much on the tart side. It did to me when I tested it both ways.

If you’re using cranberry cocktail you might be able to skip the sweetener since it already has added sugar in it.

For some other delightful alcohol-free drink ideas be sure to check out our recipes for Naturally Sweetened Hibiscus Lemonade, Strawberry Hibiscus Slushies, and this 5-Minute Blended Citrus Juice (very good with a splash of soda water!).

Key ingredients

Ruby red grapefruit juice

I love grapefruit juice. But I find that ruby red tends to have a more robust, slightly sweeter flavor than its extra-tart counterpart – white grapefruit juice. For this recipe I’d definitely recommend using ruby red grapefruit juice for that added bit of flavor and sweetness. It’s also prettier!

Fresh lime juice

There’s almost never a time I won’t recommend using fresh lime juice over bottled. It just has a better, more pure flavor. And you only need about half of a lime for one of these mocktails!

Agave

For this recipe I wanted to use a sweetener that dissolves easily in cold liquid. The first batch I tested I used maple syrup, which totally worked, but the flavor slightly overpowered the fruit juices. I felt that agave ended up being the better, more neutral flavored option that fit in with the rest of the ingredients perfectly!

How to make this grapefruit mocktail

This mocktail truly could not be easier to make. You don’t need a cocktail shaker, and it’ll probably take you less than 5 minutes!

The juices and agave are combined in your favorite glass and mixed together.

Next, you’ll fill the glass with ice and top with your favorite sparkling water. We love Minergua (how are the bubbles SO BIG and just, well, bubbly?!).

Garnish with a few citrus wedges for a bit of flair and get to sipping!

How to make this mocktail for more than one person

You can totally make a larger batch of this mocktail if you’re having a party or just a little get-together and want enough to share with your whole crew!

To do this, I would suggest mixing together the juice base of recipe times 4 or 6 (depending on the size of your gathering) and storing in the refrigerator until ready to use.

Then just fill glasses with ice, divide the juice between them (about 1/3 of the glass should be the grapefruit + cranberry base), and top with soda water when you’re ready to serve!

You can also have some grapefruit and lime wedges cut and at the ready for a pretty presentation.

If you enjoyed this grapefruit mocktail, we’d love it if you would take a minute to rate and review it below! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 It’s also a good place for questions, and super helpful for other readers if you share any modifications you made to the recipe. 

Thank you for sharing your kitchen with NK. We’re so grateful you’re here!

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