Turnip the Oven

Simple creative food

  • About
    • About Me
    • Contact
  • Books
  • Press
  • Recipes

Cranberry Lime Rickeys

November 21, 2014 Leave a Comment

Cranberry Lime RickeysI have a confession to make: there was a brief period of time in my early 20’s when I lied and told everyone I met that I was from Rhode Island. I had recently quit my job, moved to Brooklyn, dyed my hair just shy of black, and gone back to school to become a Serious Writer. Rhode Island, while not exactly exotic, was at least a little bit quirkier and more interesting then where I am actually from: Massachusetts. The suburb where we grew up was close enough to the Rhode Island boarder that my brother and I went to a private high school in Providence. (To this day, he maintains that the drives back and forth on I-95 in the months after I got my license rank among the most harrowing experiences of his life.) At any rate, I figured that was close enough. It was just a little fib.

But lately I’ve felt bad about it. Not for lying, exactly, but for being embarrassed of my Massachusetts roots. The truth is, though I loathe the term, I’m a card-carrying Masshole. The street I grew up on was just past a rotary, and you could hear the roar of the Patriots’ stadium through the woods in our backyard. I ate Hoodsies and drank frappes, and most of my birthday parties featured Papa Gino’s pizza. I love the Red Sox, those Friendly’s watermelon ice cream cakes, and I will take a Dunkin’ Donuts French Vanilla coffee over an artisanal roast any day of the week. So there you have it.

I also have a special place in my heart for a traditional Massachusetts beverage: the raspberry lime rickey, an exceeding sweet, bright red fountain soda. If I had to choose a last meal on Earth, it just might be a grilled cheese sandwich, a raspberry lime rickey, and a chocolate-vanilla soft serve twist for dessert from the Bubbling Brook in Westwood.

While I would never claim to have bested the classic, I have to say that this recipe for Cranberry Lime Rickeys is wicked pretty damn good. I simmered some fresh cranberries with sugar and water and strained it to make a syrup. Then I added a whole cup of freshly squeezed lime juice, plus some water to mellow it out. To make each drink, you just pour some of the cranberry-lime mixture into a glass and top with club soda.

Dare I say it’s the perfect Thanksgiving drink? You can customize it for everyone. Use club soda or ginger ale for the kiddos and non-drinkers, and sparkling wine (the cheap stuff is totally fine) for the adult imbibers. You could also do a vodka-club soda mix, if you want to hit the hard stuff.

You can make the base for this up to a week in advance. Taste and if it’s too tart for you, add up to 1/4 cup simple syrup (simmer equal parts sugar and water). Store it in a pitcher in the fridge.

Cranberry Lime Rickeys
Makes approximately 7 cups of base, which is about 10-14 servings when mixed

For the cranberry-lime base:
1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup granulated sugar
5 cups water
1 cup freshly squeezed lime juice

For serving (choose any of the following):
Club soda
Ginger ale
Sparkling wine
Vodka

Combine the cranberries, sugar, and 2 cups of water in a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium-high heat until the cranberries are completely soft and beginning to break down, 10 to 15 minutes. Strain the mixture into a pitcher and discard the solids. Add the lime juice and remaining 3 cups of water. Refrigerate until well chilled.

To serve, pour some of the base into a glass with ice and top with club soda, ginger ale, or sparkling wine. Or, add 1 ounce of vodka and top off with club soda.

These simple cranberry lime rickeys are the perfect holiday drink for the whole family!

Filed Under: Drinks, Vegan Tagged With: cranberry, lime, vegan

« Refrigerator Brussels Sprout Pickles
No Bake Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Crumb Bars »

Recipes From Friends

Yummy Recipes by Zeven Up Media

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Welcome!

Hi! I'm Lucy. Turnip the Oven is my vegetable-focused food blog, but sometimes I'm sidetracked by dessert. My recipes are simple and approachable, and I use fresh, seasonal ingredients. I hope I inspire you to eat more plants…and cookies.

Read more...
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Never miss a recipe! Sign up for my newsletter

Connect with me

Hi there! If you have any questions or comments I'd love to hear from you. You can get in touch with me here or via any of the social media options below! Read my Privacy Policy

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS

Still hungry?

Black Sesame Scones
vegan chocolate chip cookies with millet
Toffee White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies (Whole Foods Copycat)
Rosemary popcorn with truffle oil

Copyright © 2023 Turnip The Oven · Implemented by WPopt

Never miss a recipe!
Sign up to my newsletter and get new posts straight to your inbox!
Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party.
MENU
  • About
    • About Me
    • Contact
  • Books
  • Press
  • Recipes