Description
A refreshing mocktail made with thyme, honey, and tart cherry juice, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup honey
- 4 to 5 fresh thyme sprigs (about 4 inches long each)
- 1/2 teaspoon Aleppo pepper
- Pinch fine sea salt
- Ice cubes
- 2 cups tart cherry juice, preferably unsweetened, chilled
- 2 cups sparkling water or club soda, chilled
- Lemon twists for garnish
- Fresh thyme sprigs for garnish
Instructions
- Make the thyme-honey-aleppo syrup. In a small saucepan, combine the water, honey, fresh thyme sprigs, Aleppo pepper, and a pinch of salt. Set over medium heat and stir until the honey dissolves completely. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and let the syrup cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes. The thyme and Aleppo pepper will continue to infuse as it cools. Once cooled, strain the syrup through a fine-mesh strainer into a jar or bowl, pressing on the thyme with the back of a spoon to extract maximum flavor. Discard the solids. You should have about 3/4 cup of syrup.
- Mix the mocktails. Fill coupe glasses (or rocks glasses) with ice cubes if desired, or serve straight up. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of the thyme-honey-aleppo syrup to each glass (adjust to taste—start with less and add more if desired). Pour about 1/3 cup of tart cherry juice into each glass, then top with about 1/3 cup of sparkling water per glass. Stir gently to combine.
- Garnish and serve. Express a lemon twist over each glass to release the oils, then drop it in or perch it on the rim. Add a fresh thyme sprig for garnish. Serve immediately while still fizzy.
Notes
- This mocktail can be adjusted for sweetness by varying the amount of thyme-honey-aleppo syrup used.
- Feel free to experiment with different herbs for unique flavor profiles.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Beverages
- Method: Mixing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 glass
- Calories: 100
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 5mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 25g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Cholesterol: 0mg