Blueberry Mocktail Extravaganza: Sip, Smile, Repeat

By Natasha LeNeave

Recipe from doublethespoonfuls

Photo courtesy of Jackie Murphy (Their recipe’s final product)

When you are wanting to have a fun drink, I invite you to enter the world of mocktails! What is a mocktail? It is a non-alcoholic cocktail. This creation combines ingredients such as herbs, fruit, juice, and soda all without a drop of alcohol. Here is a blueberry cocktail that will dazzle your tastebuds!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 2

Photo courtesy of Wes LeNeave (My final product)

INGREDIENTS

Blueberry and Thyme Simple Syrup

• ½ cup water
• ½ cup sugar
• 1 large tablespoon thyme removed from stem
• ½ cup blueberries fresh or frozen

Blueberry Mocktail

• sugar for rimming glass
• lemon wedge for rimming glass
• 6 ounces blueberry and thyme simple syrup
• 2 ounces lemon juice
• 1 ounce maple syrup
• 4–8 ounces seltzer water plain
• blueberries for garnish
• thyme fresh, for garnish

Photo courtesy of Natasha LeNeave

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start by making the simple syrup. Add the water, sugar, and thyme to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until sugar has dissolved, 2–3 minutes. Add the blueberries and continue to simmer until they have broken down and the sauce begins to thicken, about 10–15 minutes. Let cool slightly then strain into a jar, pushing down on the blueberries to release as much of the simple syrup as possible. (½ cup water, ½ cup sugar, 1 large tablespoon thyme, ½ cup blueberries)

Photos courtesy of Natasha LeNeave

2. Add sugar to coat the bottom of a small plate, then use a lemon wedge to wet the rim of 2 glasses. Press the rims of the glasses into the sugar to coat (sugar, lemon wedge).

Photos courtesy of Natasha LeNeave

3. Add 3 ounces blueberry and thyme simple syrup to the bottom of each glass, then fill each glass about ⅔ of the way with crushed ice. Add 1 ounce lemon juice and ½ ounce maple syrup to each glass. Top each off with seltzer, then garnish with blueberries and thyme (6 ounces blueberry and thyme simple syrup, 2 ounces lemon juice, 1 ounce maple syrup, 4–8 ounces seltzer water, blueberries, thyme).

Photos courtesy of Natasha LeNeave

Tips and Notes:

• I used honey when I made this instead of maple syrup
• Make sure to stir it all together once assembled
• I used cubed ice instead of crushed, but use whatever you have on hand
• The simple syrup can be made ahead of time and refrigerated
• You can modify the recipe as much as you want to your preferences
• When I made it, I didn’t end up with enough blueberry simple syrup, so next time I think that I would double it
• I also added lemon slices for garnish in addition to blueberries and thyme

Our rating:

• 7/10
• Tasted pretty good, but took a little more effort than I was expecting. It would be more simple if you made the syrup ahead of time.

Go ahead and give this recipe a try and dive into the Mocktail movement! Remember, the beauty of mocktails lie in their versatility. Check The Herald for more food and drink recipes.