Chef notes
Searching for a great mocktail recipe? Look no further than this summer stone fruit spritzer, created by Alejandra Ramos. This spritzer is summer in a glass and a celebration of the very best fruits that the season has to offer, including peaches, plums and cherries. Plus, it’s fizzy, which just feels festive, especially when served in a pretty glass and enjoyed al fresco.
First, whip up a purée with water, pitted cherries, ripe peaches or plums, honey, sugar, salt, almond extract and lemon. Good news: You don’t even have to peel the fruit! As long as the pits are removed, the blender will do all of the work for you. Blend until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh sieve to filter the purée from the pulp, ensuring that it’s super smooth.
Chill the purée while you prep the rest of the fruit, including slicing peaches and cherries. Just before you’re ready to serve, top with seltzer (plain or flavored), stir in the remaining sliced peaches, cherries and ice, and garnish with fresh mint leaves.
This is a great big-batch mocktail to enjoy with family and friends, whether you’re toasting to a special occasion or just want something to sip on a random weeknight. You’ll enjoy this sophisticated mocktail alcohol-free, but if you’re looking to add some booze, Ramos suggests rum or sparkling wine as complementary pairings.
Get Ingredients: If you don’t have everything you need on hand, you can easily purchase all of the ingredients (just click the orange button below that says ‘Get Ingredients’). You can pick and choose exactly what ingredients you need based on what’s in your pantry and they’ll be on your doorstep before you know it.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1½ cups cherries, pitted and halved
- 1½ cups sliced ripe peaches or plums, or a mixture of both
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- zest and juice of 2 lemons
- 1 peach, sliced
- 1/2 cup cherries, pitted and halved
- ice, for serving
- 1 liter seltzer water (plain, citrus, cherry or peach)
- fresh mint, for garnish
Preparation
In a blender, combine water, cherries, peaches or plums, honey, sugar, salt, almond extract, lemon juice and zest and purée until very smooth. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve placed over a bowl and use a whisk to push as much of the purée through as possible. Discard the pulp and transfer the fruit purée to a large pitcher. Cover with plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes, or until very cold (up to 2 days).
Add the remaining sliced peaches, cherries and ice to the pitcher. Top with seltzer, stir well to combine and garnish with sprigs of mint. Serve immediately.
