This tart cherry juice mocktail is just the right blend of sweet and refreshing and is perfect for sipping just about anytime of the year!

garnished tart cherry juice mocktail demonstrating what the finished drink should look like

Tart Cherry Juice Mocktail Background

We've done a "dry January" for the last couple of years (not to mention I had 3 pregnancies that were all dry too!), and one big takeaway is that mocktails can be truly delicious!

If dry January is a new concept to you, it's all about taking a break from alcohol for the month of January as a reset in the new year. There are all sorts of benefits that people have experienced from mental health to physical health, and I love using this annual reset as a time to experiment with mocktail recipes!

That said, a mocktail is a great treat that I've come to enjoy year round and this tart cherry juice mocktail never disappoints when I want to sip something fancy and skip the alcohol!

Benefits of Tart Cherry Juice

The perfect ratio of tart cherry juice, orange juice, angostura bitters (optional!), a rosemary sprig, and honey all combine in a beautifully rimmed glass to make a mocktail that is simply delightful!

Tart cherry juice is the star flavor of this mocktail recipe, and is an ingredient often cited as one to promote healthy sleep due it being a natural source of melatonin, so sipping it in the evening is a great idea! Additionally, tart cherry juice contains a powerful antioxidant which may support everything from cell health to heart function.

rimmed and garnished tart cherry juice mocktail on display

How to Make a Tart Cherry Juice Mocktail

Rim the glass of your choosing. These are margarita glasses, but they make anything feel fancy so that's why I chose them! You can get similar glasses here, or try a highball, or even these lovely slim and tall glasses - I like to have a glass that feels and looks a little extra special for my mocktails.

You can rim the glass in white sugar, but brown sugar added a nice touch of richness to the tart cherry that we really enjoyed while sipping these beauties.

To rim the glass for this mocktail, start by sprinkling about ¼ cup of brown sugar (or white sugar) on a plate.

demonstration of orange wedge being used to rim a glass

Next, you need to wet the rim. You can either rub the rim with the edge of an orange slice or spread some honey along the rim with your finger. Obviously your hands should be clean, and if you're making this for company, the orange slice is probably your best bet.

While the rim of the glass is damp or sticky, carefully place the cup upside down and dip the rim in the sugar. Give your glass a little twist in the sugar. You can also roll it around gently to make sure it's fully coated. Set the glass aside while you mix your mocktail.

Now it's time to start mixing up your drink!

You can either use a cocktail shaker or stir your tart cherry juice mocktail. I prefer using a shaker because it helps the honey to combine with the other ingredients perfectly.

Right before you start shaking your drink, add a handful of ice to your rimmed glass(es).

Add both of the juices, honey, one dropper of non-alcoholic bitters, and a handful of ice to your shaker. I opted to add a sprig of rosemary to the shaker too, because I wanted an additional aromatic flavor. Totally optional!

Shake it thoroughly for about 10 seconds and then pour it through the strainer of the shaker into the rimmed glass.

Mocktail of juice being poured from shaker into prepared glass.

UPDATE: When I originally published this post, I was unaware that nonalcoholic bitters were in existence. Since then, I've discovered AND tasted them and am impressed! I tried and enjoyed the Bab Louie brand that I found on Amazon!

Traditional angostura bitters are very similar in content (not flavor) to vanilla extract. They are an aromatic steeped in alcohol. A dash of bitters is about 2 drops, not even a ¼ teaspoon, so it is a very tiny amount of alcohol, but still - if you're going dry, nonalcoholic bitters make it easier than ever to do that!

Garnish your drink as you choose, but a sprig of rosemary looks lovely and smells delightful! We dipped ours in a little juice and rubbed it in the leftover brown sugar to make it look a little sparkly. An orange twist garnish wouldn't be out of place either. Enjoy!