Nothing better than a fun, refreshing mocktail! This smashed blackberry mocktail with thyme and lemon is fruity, herbaceous, citrusy and perfectly balanced. It’s light and hits the spot when you’re craving a switch up from plain water.
My gosh do I love a good mocktail. Of course we all know to prioritize water throughout the day but sometimes it’s fun to make that water a little more special. Which is exactly what we’re going to do with this blackberry mocktail. It’s non-alcoholic drink made with smashed blackberries, fresh lemon juice, thyme simple syrup and sparkling water. It’s the perfect drink for late spring and summer but I even make it with frozen blackberries for dry January!
The simple ingredients you’ll need to make this blackberry mocktail:
Blackberries: sweet blackberries offer incredible flavor and has me channeling all the summer vibes! This drink will be best if you can snag fresh blackberries from a farmers market during blackberry season of June-September but you can find blackberries all year round at any grocery store.
Lemon juice: you can use fresh lemon juice squeezed straight from a lemon or I love to buy the 100% fresh lemon juice from the grocery store (this not the citric acid in the little lemon bottle, it’s real lemon juice! It’s usually with the other 100% juices aisle)
Thyme simple syrup: you can also use regular simple syrup, but this thyme-infused syrup is the absolute PERFECT complement to blackberries!
Sparkling water: I love to use Topo Chico sparkling mineral water, but you could also use club soda, soda water, kombucha or even ginger beer. (note that the sugar and calorie nutrition facts will change if you use kombucha or ginger beer)
How to make this easy mocktail recipe:
Combine the blackberries, thyme simple syrup and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker or mason jar and use a toddy stick (muddler) to smash the blackberries into a homemade blackberry syrup of sorts.
Fill a glass with crushed ice or cubed ice. Strain the mixture through the cocktail shaker, or if you don’t have a cocktail shaker use a small strainer over a glass. For the most no-fuss option simply don’t strain. I’ve had it both ways and it is delicious either way. Without straining it, you might get little pieces of blackberry if you drink it with a straw.
Add sparkling water to the top. Place a lemon wedge and skewer of blackberries on the rim of the glass and garnish with a few sprigs of thyme.
Expert tips and variation ideas:
- Replace the sparkling water with kombucha or ginger beer.
- Use fresh lime juice and lime wedge to make a blackberry lime mocktail.
- Try this mocktail with any type of berry! Strawberries, raspberries and blueberries would all be delicious.
- Add an ounce of vodka to make a blackberry smash, an ounce of tequila to make a blackberry margarita, ginger beer and an ounce of vodka to make blackberry moscow mules or some fresh mint and bourbon to make a blackberry mint julep!
- Give it a creamy Italian soda vibe by adding a splash of half and half or full-fat coconut milk!
FAQs
Yes, just let them thaw a bit so you can smash them.
I love being a little fancy and garnish with a lemon slice, a toothpick with 3-4 blackberries and a couple sprigs of fresh thyme.
The sweetness comes from the thyme simple syrup. So if you like a sweeter drink simply add more simple syrup and if you like minimal sweetness reduce or eliminate the simple syrup.
You can use raw honey, maple syrup, or a plain simple syrup made with equal parts cane sugar (or coconut sugar) and water. Another idea is to double down on blackberry flavor and use thinned blackberry jam or blackberry jelly to sweeten this drink.
Well, of course 😉 This makes a delicious cocktail as well! Simply add 1-1 ½ oz of your favorite spirit- vodka, tequila, gin and white rum all work well.
If you love this blackberry mocktail recipe you’ll love these other non-alcoholic beverages!
If you try and like this recipe please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! If you love more lifestyle, behind the scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content come find me over on Instagram, @itsaflavorfullife, I love connecting with you all there!
PrintRefreshing Smashed Blackberry Mocktail
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 mocktail 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This blackberry mocktail is an amazing non-alcoholic option for a dinner party or if you’re craving a refreshing drink. It has a gorgeous color, fabulous flavor and is a delicious way to drink more water!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup fresh blackberries
- 3/4 oz thyme simple syrup
- 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice
- 8oz sparkling water, club soda or kombucha
Instructions
Combine the blackberries, thyme simple syrup and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker or mason jar and use a muddler to smash the mixture together.
Fill a glass with ice. Strain the mixture through the cocktail shaker into the glass, or if you don’t have a cocktail shaker use a small strainer over the glass. For the most no-fuss option simply don’t strain. I’ve had it both ways and it is delicious either way. Without straining it, you might get little pieces of blackberry if you drink it with a straw.
Add sparkling water to the top of the glass and garnish with a lemon wedge, skewer of blackberries and fresh thyme sprigs. MUAH!
Notes
Refer to above blog post for answers to frequently asked questions and variation ideas.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: N/A
- Category: Beverage
- Method: Mix
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: mocktail, blackberry, thyme, easy, sparkling water, dinner party, hydration
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