This sparkling blackberry mocktail is a fun and fruity non-alcoholic drink that is perfect for summer drinks or holiday celebrations! Quick and easy, we muddle fresh blackberries with fragrant basil and sweet honey to make a delicious blackberry drink in just a few minutes.
Do have a peek at my passion fruit mocktail recipe and my frozen mocktail for more fun drinks ideas!
Come late summer and fall, I love to make the most of juicy fresh blackberries by making this blackberry mocktail. Super pretty and perfectly sweet with a hint of tartness, what better way to enjoy this seasonal fruit than with a fun non-alcoholic drink!
We muddle the blackberries together with sweet honey and fragrant basil to make a flavorful blackberry syrup, then top with sparkling water and ice. It's super simple!
And the best things about mocktails is that they are suitable for both kids and adults alike! So do check out my peach honey mocktail and my blueberry mocktail, or my refreshing yeast free ginger beer for more fun recipes. All so delicious!
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⭐ Why this recipe is so good
- Deliciously sweet and tart. Blackberries pack a punch with a delicious balance of sweet and tart flavors and are perfect for a fall mocktail.
- Minimal ingredients. Just a few fridge and pantry staples that are all inexpensive and easy to find in stores.
- Perfect for family drinks. As a non alcoholic blackberry drink, both kids and adults alike can enjoy it!
- Healthy berry goodness. Blackberries are a good source of antioxidants, including anthocyanins, vitamin C and potassium (BBC Good Food).
- Quick and easy. It takes minutes to muddle your blackberries, and give them a shake in your cocktail shaker (or jar, see below for details!).
🍹 Ingredients
All the ingredients and their quantities are set out in the recipe card below.
Some notes on a few of them:
- Fresh blackberries - choose fresh ripe blackberries as they will have the best sweetness and be soft enough to muddle with the basil and honey. Not too soft though - we don't want over-ripe fruit!
- Honey - to combine with the berries to make the blackberry syrup that is the basis of the mocktail. You want to use liquid runny honey not set honey.
- Basil leaves - to give a little hint of herb flavor to the drink. Definitely use fresh rather than dried!
- Sparkling water: to top the syrup, and for some fun bubbles to make it a mocktail. I suggest using a plain sparkling water rather than a highly mineralised water as the latter will have a stronger taste that could overpower the fruit.
📖 Variations to the recipe
Swap basil for thyme or mint leaves. All three of these herbs will give a lovely fragrant flavor, and a blackberry mint mocktail is very delicious!
Swap honey for simple syrup. To add sweetness, and as a vegan option, you can use simple syrup, which is a mixture of sugar and water. This guide to making simple syrup is easy to follow.
🔪 Step by step instructions
This blackberry mocktail comes together in minutes, and is easy to make with a cocktail shaker and muddler. If you don't have this equipment see below for some alternatives with common kitchen utensils.
Step 1: Make the blackberry syrup
Add the fresh blackberries, basil leaves and honey to a cocktail shaker (image 1). Use a muddler to press the berries, so they release their juices and mash together with the basil leaves and honey.
Step 2: Shake the mocktail!
Tip a couple of ice cubes into the cocktail shaker, and shake (with the lid on!) to combine with the blackberry syrup (image 2).
Step 3: Pour the syrup into your glasses
Remove the lid from the cocktail shaker and pour 1-2 tablespoon of the blackberry syrup into a glass with ice (image 3).
Step 4: Top with sparkling water
Pour in sparkling water and top with more ice cubes to preference (image 4). Garnish with a few blackberries and mint leaves to make it extra pretty!
⏲️ How to make a mocktail with kitchen utensils
If you don't have a cocktail shaker or muddler, then it's super easy to make this blackberry mocktail recipe with common kitchen utensils!
- Add the blackberries, basil leaves and honey to a jar that can be sealed.
- Use the end of a wooden spoon, small spoon or fork to mash the berries so they release their juices. Add a couple of ice cubes.
- Seal the jar - important step - make sure it is tightly closed! Then shake the jar well.
- Place a small sieve over your glasses, then pour the blackberry mixture through.
- Top with sparkling water and ice cubes.
💭 Recipe tips and notes
- Use ripe blackberries. Make sure to use juicy fresh blackberries that are perfectly ripe so they are sweet and soft enough to muddle.
- Thaw frozen blackberries. If using frozen blackberries, then you will need to let them thaw first so you can muddle and break them down.
- Don't use too much ice. Personally I don't like to overfill my cocktail shaker with ice cubes and use just a few. I've tried to use more but they make it more difficult for the blackberry juices to run through the strainer.
- Adjust the ratio of syrup and water to taste preference. Some people like a lot of syrup for the sweetness, other just a hint of flavour. It's up to you how fruity you like it!
- Serve immediately. It's best to serve a mocktail straight away so the ice doesn't melt too much!
📋 Frequently asked questions
Yes, definitely use ripe blackberries for that combination of sweet and tart flavor. If you use under-ripe berries they won't break down as well, and you will get less juice when you muddle them.
Yes, you can easily use frozen fruit. Make sure to let the frozen blackberries thaw before use.
If it works for you, then you can add a little squeeze of citrus!
🍸 More fun non-alcoholic drinks
Enjoy picking from so many fresh and flavorful drinks on my mocktails page, including my easy yet delicious blackcurrant mocktail and my sparkling cherry mocktail. Some recent recipes to enjoy:
I’m always in the kitchen, so come join me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest to be the first to hear of new recipes! And please do leave a star rating ⭐ and review if you've tried the recipe!
📖 Recipe
Sparkling Blackberry Mocktail
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Muddler
Ingredients
- 12 blackberries
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 4 small basil leaves
- sparkling water
- ice
Instructions
- Add the blackberries, basil leaves and honey to a cocktail shaker. Use a muddler to press and mash the berries, so they release their juices and make a pulpy blackberry syrup.
- Tip a couple of ice cubes into the cocktail shaker and give it a good shake - make sure the lid is on!
- Pour 1-2 tablespoon of the blackberry syrup into your glasses. Top with more ice to preference and sparkling water. Garnish with a few blackberries and basil leaves and serve immediately.
Notes
- Make sure to use fresh ripe blackberries so they are sweet and soft enough to break down and release their juices.
- I suggest not to overfill the cocktail shaker with ice as it can make it more difficult to pour the syrup into the glasses.
- You can use a jam jar in place of a cocktail shaker, a wooden spoon in place of a muddler and pour the mixture through a strainer into your glasses if you do not have the equipment mentioned.
- Adjust the ratio of syrup and sparkling water to taste preference. Some people like a sweet drink with a lot of syrup, others just a hint of flavor.
- Please note that nutritional information is offered as a courtesy. It is auto-generated and should be understood to be an estimate.
- sparkling water isn't rated on the SIGHI list.
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