This fruity spiced non-alcoholic pomegranate drink recipe is made with a base of honey, orange, and cardamom syrup and finished with pomegranate juice and club soda. This pomegranate mocktail is as refreshing as it is tasty!
I've been a firm advocate and disciple of ‘Dry January’ for the last 15 years (before it was even cool!). Plus, having a teetotal husband, I am always on the lookout for a great mocktail recipe or tasty non-alcoholic beverages to serve at any time of year.
A few years back, I discovered you can easily make a base for a mocktail with what you likely have in your fridge and spice rack. All you need to do is create a flavored simple syrup, then top with club soda, juices, or some combination of the two! It's the same concept used when making the zero proof version of this Blood Orange Rosemary Cocktail/Mocktail, or even a classic Strawberry Lemonade.
Simple syrup usually contains a hefty amount of sugar, but this spiced syrup recipe uses only honey for a healthier version that's just as delicious! Sweet-tart fresh orange and tangy-earthy pomegranate are a delicious duo to balance the sweetness of the honey syrup. But the addition of spicy cardamom makes it a tasty trifecta to be reckoned with! It’s that savory element of surprise that gives a layer of complexity to the drink, setting it apart from plain old juice and giving it a more late-night, grown-up spirit.
Table of Contents
- What is in this Pomegranate Mocktail Recipe
- How to Make this Pomegranate Mocktail Recipe
- Ways to Make This Pomegranate Mocktail Recipe Your Own
- Getting Ahead
- What to Serve with this Pomegranate Mocktail Recipe
- More Non-Alcoholic Drink Recipes
- Greek Honey - Thyme, Forest & Wild Herbs
- Spiced Pomegranate Fizz Mocktail Recipe
What is in this Pomegranate Mocktail Recipe
The ingredients in this pomegranate drink recipe are a match made in heaven—rounding off and complementing each other perfectly.
For the honey syrup:
- Orange zest adds a more intense citrus flavor.
- Fresh orange juice is used as the liquid base for the syrup.
- Green cardamom pods add a floral, piney, spiced flavor, bringing out the citrus notes in the orange. Green cardamom pods are available from stores with a large spice selection.
- Honey creates the sweetness and a syrupy consistency. Use a high-quality variety with a pleasant flavor, like our delicate Greek Wildflower Honey with notes of thyme and wild herbs.
- A pinch of kosher salt heightens the flavors—only a pinch is needed, but it really does make a difference!
For the mocktails:
- Pomegranate juice: I recommend fresh pomegranate juice sold in the refrigerated aisle, rather than the juice sold and stored on the shelves. Or you can seed and juice from scratch, see our guide: How To Cut A Pomegranate.
- Club soda adds the refreshing fizz.
- Orange wheels are used as a garnish to add flair.
- Pomegranate seeds add little nuggets of deliciousness that pop in your mouth!
How to Make this Pomegranate Mocktail Recipe
The first step is to make a homemade spiced syrup, which gives this pomegranate mocktail a depth of flavor without any alcohol necessary. Here's how it's done:
Make and Cool the Syrup
- Prep the orange. Use a vegetable peeler to remove 1 long strip of orange zest, leaving behind as much of the white pith as possible. Add the strip to a small saucepan and set aside. Slice 2 wheels from the orange, cut in half to make half moons, and reserve for garnish. Juice the remainder of the orange until you have 3 tablespoons of juice. Add to the pot with the strip of zest.
- Prep the spices. Lightly crush 4 teaspoons of cardamom pods using a heavy-bottomed saucepan or the back of a chef’s knife, and add to the saucepan, along with ⅓ cup honey, 3 tablespoons water, and a pinch of salt.
- Thicken and heat the syrup. Set the saucepan over medium heat and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer and reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a low simmer, stirring occasionally, until it’s slightly thickened, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Steep the syrup. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature and steep for 30 minutes. During this time, it will thicken more and the flavors will intensify.
- Strain the syrup. Pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing the pods and zest with the back of a spoon to squeeze out the maximum flavor. Discard the solids. You’ll end up with about ½ cup of syrup.
Build the Cocktails and Enjoy
- Make the cocktails. Fill 4 rocks glasses with ice. Divide the honey-cardamom syrup between the 4 glasses (about 2 tablespoons per glass). Add 3 tablespoons of pomegranate juice to each glass and top with club soda (about ¼ cup per glass). Stir thoroughly to combine and garnish with an orange slice and 1 tablespoon of pomegranate seeds per glass, if using.
Ways to Make This Pomegranate Mocktail Recipe Your Own
This pomegranate drink is easily adaptable, so you can swap out some of the ingredients to suit your personal taste, what’s available in your fridge or pantry, or what’s in season.
Alternatives and substitutes:
- Navel oranges: 2 juicy clementines or mandarins should give you the amount of juice and slices you need for garnish if you only have those to hand. Or, for a zestier, sour flavor profile, replace the orange juice and zest with lime juice and zest.
- Cardamom pods: Use 1 cinnamon stick and 3 cloves instead of the cardamom pods to add a warming flavor profile.
- Club soda: For a sweeter fizz, use ginger ale to top instead of club soda, but reduce the syrup to 1 tablespoon per glass.
- Pomegranate juice & seeds: If it’s not the right season, replace pomegranate juice and seeds with blueberry juice and berries for garnish.
If you prefer your mocktail served up:
- Shake until cold. Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice, add 2 tablespoons of the honey-cardamom syrup and 3 tablespoons of pomegranate juice, and shake for 20 seconds until the outside of the shaker is frosty.
- Strain, finish and serve. Then pour through a strainer into a coupe or Nick and Nora glass, and top with club soda. Garnish with an orange twist and pomegranate seeds.
Make it boozy:
- Add 1 ounce of vodka and ½ ounce triple sec (or any orange liquor) to the glass with the syrup and pomegranate juice.
- Stir well before topping with club soda and garnishing.
Getting Ahead
This is the perfect recipe as a non-alcoholic mocktail option for parties or the holidays, as you can make the base for this pomegranate drink in advance. Just add the ice, club soda, and garnish in real-time!
To make the base for 4 cocktails in advance:
- Once the syrup has cooled, combine the strained syrup (about ½ cup) with ¾ cup of pomegranate juice into a jar or container.
- Store in your fridge for up to 10 days.
- When you’re ready to serve, fill a rocks glass with ice, add ¼ cup of the pre-mixed mocktail base, then top with club soda and garnishes.
What to Serve with this Pomegranate Mocktail Recipe
As this is a perfect party beverage, this pomegranate drink would complement any party platter, such as this Antipasto Platter, or The Ultimate Mediterranean Party Platter.
As pomegranates go well with most steak or lamb dishes (they cut through the richness), serve it with Tantuni Turkish Steak Wraps or Mediterranean Grilled Lamb Chops.
More Non-Alcoholic Drink Recipes
Browse all Mediterranean recipes.
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Greek Honey - Thyme, Forest & Wild Herbs
Make your spiced honey syrup with the highest quality honey from the Greek island of Crete.
Spiced Pomegranate Fizz Mocktail
Ingredients
For the Syrup
- 1 navel orange, trimmed
- 4 teaspoons green cardamom pods (about 30 pods)
- ⅓ cup (4 ounces) honey
- 3 tablespoons water
- Pinch kosher salt
For the Mocktails
- Ice
- ¾ cup pomegranate juice (such as Pom)
- 1 (12-ounce) can club soda (1 ½ cups)
- ¼ cup fresh pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Prep the orange. Use a vegetable peeler to remove 1 long strip of orange zest, leaving behind as much of the white pith as possible. Add the strip to a small saucepan and set aside. Slice 2 wheels from the orange and slice each in half down the middle. Reserve for garnish. Juice the remainder of the orange until you have 3 tablespoons of juice and add to the pan with the zest.
- Add the seasonings. Lightly crush the cardamom pods using a heavy-bottomed saucepan, mortar and pestle, or the back of a chef’s knife. Add the crushed pods to the saucepan, along with the honey, water, and a pinch of salt.
- Thicken and heat the syrup. Set the saucepan over medium heat and stir to combine. Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low to maintain a low simmer, stirring occasionally, until it’s slightly thickened, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Steep the syrup. Allow the syrup to cool to room temperature and steep for 30 minutes. During this time, it will thicken more and the flavors will intensify.
- Strain the syrup. Pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing the pods and zest with the back of a spoon to squeeze out the maximum flavor. Discard the solids. You’ll end up with about ½ cup of syrup.
- Make the mocktails. Fill 4 rocks glasses with ice. Divide the honey-cardamom syrup between the 4 glasses (about 2 tablespoons per glass). Add 3 tablespoons of pomegranate juice to each glass and top with club soda (about ¼ cup per glass). Stir thoroughly to combine and garnish with an orange slice and 1 tablespoon of pomegranate seeds per glass, if using.
Notes
- If you prefer to make a batch of 4 mocktails to drink at another time: Combine all of the syrup (about ½ cup) with ¾ cup pomegranate juice in an airtight jar or container and store in the fridge for 7 to 10 days. When serving, add ¼ cup of the mixture to each glass with ice, top with club soda, and garnish.
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