My second Dimpled Date cocktail/mocktail recipe! And this one is for a very special occasion: graduating Summa Cum Laude with my bachelor's degree several weeks ago!! This cocktail is in my school's colors: gold and dark blue. You are going to love this refreshing, pleasantly sweet, fruity, bubbly drink that's ideal for summer. This cocktail/mocktail is sweetened mostly with fruit (+ a lil maple syrup) and is full of superfoods and hydrating, electrolyte-rich ingredients like blue spirulina, lemon, freshly juiced berries, and cactus water! PLUS there's a lil kombucha in this drink because honestly I couldn't resist and I wanted sparkling effervescence in my mixed drink. So that's added probiotics too! And the colors are incredibly fun, in part thanks to the layering effect. Plus this drink is way easier than you think to make and takes just minutes. So let's get shaking! Congrats class of 2024! 🥳 Cheers!
So I was trying to think of a really cool, complex, show-stopping recipe for the 100th Dimpled Date recipe post and couldn't come up with anything that seemed special enough to celebrate... then I remembered I have this recipe. As a cocktail/mocktail, I think it's the perfect "cheers" off to 100 Dimpled Date posts and my graduation from college! (This is the 100th post because I have 2 non-recipe posts on The Dimpled Date- an "About Me" post and one update on how photos on some of my old recipe posts got randomly deleted).
This bright & fruity cocktail/mocktail features hydrating & nourishing ingredients, superfoods, and it is ultra-energizing and refreshing on a hot summer day. It is entirely vegan, refined sugar free (mostly fruit-sweetened), and naturally colored. Plus, it is not your average cocktail/mocktail- it's healthier and lighter.
This drink features two layers: a spiked & sparkling lemonade layer (top yellow) and a blue raspberry lemon bottom layer (bottom blue layer). The pairing of blue raz + lemon is irresistible!!
Btw.. have you tried my other cocktails/mocktails on The Dimpled Date?? So far the only other one I have is my Barbie Cocktail/Mocktail (this one is my fave!)! But another super summery one is coming soon... stay tuned! And ofc if you count it, there's my Healthy "Coffee and Cookies" Affogato with a boozy option and other healthy dessert recipes with boozy options on The Dimpled Date, like my Baileys Almande Matcha White Chocolate Cookie Dough Truffles (booze is optional).
The blue raspberry simple syrup in the bottom layer of this Healthy Blue Raspberry Lemonade Cocktail/Mocktail is SUPER delicious and is made from scratch using freshly juiced mixed berries, maple syrup, blue spirulina for color and it's infused with lemon. It composes the bottom blue layer and lends a burst of berry-licious sweetness and pairs perfectly with the top spiked lemonade layer. The top spiked lemonade layer packs a fruity punch (in fact, a fruit-sweetened punch), and is made with lemon juice, fresh water, cactus water/prickly pear juice, mango kombucha or fruit juice-sweetened kombucha of choice, and optional vodka/white rum/clear booze of choice. Plus you can add additional sweetener to make it sweeter if you wish, such as date sugar, freeze-dried banana powder, maple syrup, agave, honey, etc.
You're probably all wondering what I got my bachelor's in... Follow my @kellymeganorlando Insta handle to find out or even see me cross-promoting my other career/passion on my official @thedimpleddate Instagram!! ;)
Check out The Dimpled Date website, too, for some updates/renovations, in particular on my "Gallery" page to see what cakes I'm currently making/selling and the "About" page for new paw-esome changes! :)
Honestly, I don't think I need to have a "Substitutions" section for the ingredients in this drink because almost all the ingredients are literally fruits, superfood powders, optional booze, and optional natural sweeteners, so it's already a very allergy-friendly and dietary-accommodating recipe. So let's skip to the good stuff and get that drink mixing!
Future Recipes Sneak Peek!
The "Future Recipes Sneak Peek" is back again! In it, I reveal 3 new recipes coming to The Dimpled Date soon. 3 new recipes that will be posted next are:
Healthy Barbie Boba (DIY Dragon Fruit Prickly Pear Tapioca Pearls) (for the Barbie-versary!)
Pistachio Rose Cardamom Snickerdoodles
Mixed Berry Granola
AND MORE!!! Keep posted for the latest & greatest!
Congrats Class of 2024! Cheers!!
As always,
Enjoy <3
-K.
Healthy Blue Raspberry Lemonade Cocktail/Mocktail (Refined Sugar Free, Vegan, Naturally Colored)
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes (for simple syrup)
Chill Time (optional): at least 1 hour (for simple syrup)
Total Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 1-2+ drinks
Ingredients (blue raspberry simple syrup):
-1 cup 100% pure maple syrup (can sub agave nectar OR honey)
-1 cup fresh mixed berry juice (freshly juiced/pressed/blended berries // store-bought works too, but make sure there's no added sugar // ideally w/ a mix of strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries)
-1 tsp blue spirulina powder (can sub natural/vegan blue food coloring)
-1 Tbsp lemon juice
-1 tsp lemon zest
Ingredients (refined sugar free lemonade):
-1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
-1 1/2 cups filtered water
-(technically optional, but highly recommended): 1 to 2 Tbsp 100% pure maple syrup OR honey (if not strictly vegan) OR date sugar (dissolve in lemon juice first)
Ingredients (spiked blue raz bottom layer ~ blue layer):
-1 to 2 oz Blue Raspberry Simple Syrup (above) (depending on desired sweetness)
-1 oz lemon juice
-(optional): 1 oz vodka OR white/light rum OR gin (OR add an extra 1 oz cactus water OR coconut water)
-2 oz spiked & sparkling lemonade (below)
-additional 1/8 tsp blue spirulina (if needed/desired for a bluer color)
Ingredients (spiked & sparkling lemonade top layer ~ yellow layer):
-2 oz refined sugar free lemonade (above)
-(optional): 1 oz vodka OR white/light rum OR gin (OR add an extra 1 oz cactus water OR coconut water)
-1 oz unsweetened prickly pear juice/cactus water OR unsweetened coconut water
-1 oz fruit-juice-based mango kombucha OR yellow/orange colored fruit-juice-based kombucha of choice (no added sugar & naturally colored // or any color of fruit-juice-based kombucha if the top color doesn't have to be yellow // add after shaking)
For serving:
-ice
For garnish:
-fresh blackberries/blueberries
-a slice/wedge of lemon or lime
-a lemon balm leaf
-fresh edible flowers
-non-toxic/safe edible glitter (make sure it's vegan/refined sugar free/naturally colored)
-any other garnish(es) of choice
Directions:
1. Prep ingredients: juice the fresh berries using a juicer/juice press (or you can blend the berries in a blender using a little water if needed to help them blend) OR purchase fresh mixed berry juice from your local health food store/supermarket. Technically shelved mixed berry juice from concentrate from the store works too, just make sure it has no added sugar. Juice and zest the lemons and get 1 or 2 drinking glasses of choice ready.
2. For the blue raspberry simple syrup: add all syrup ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring until the spirulina is dissolved. Remove from heat, strain, pour into a bottle, cool to room temp, and optionally chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour until ready to use.
3. For the refined sugar free lemonade: mix the freshly squeezed lemon juice, filtered water, and the optional but highly recommended sweetener of choice together in a small pitcher or large bowl. If using date sugar, add it to the lemon juice first and stir until it dissolves as best as it can before adding to the filtered water and stirring. You'll only need 2 oz of this lemonade for 1 batch of this drink.
4. For the spiked & sparkling lemonade top layer: add the refined sugar free lemonade (that you made in Step 3), optional vodka/rum/gin, and cactus water/coconut water to a shaker filled halfway with ice. Don't add the kombucha yet (the shaker would burst from the carbonation). Shake well, then strain into a small pitcher, large bowl, or a measuring cup. Set aside.
5. For the spiked blue raz bottom layer: Add the blue raspberry simple syrup, booze, lemon juice, 2oz of the spiked & sparkling lemonade (that you made in Step 4), and optional additional blue spirulina to the shaker (add additional ice to fill halfway again if needed). Shake very well and strain into two glasses of choice (no ice yet), dividing the mix evenly between the two glasses. Try to fill both about halfway. You might have a little bit of leftovers.
6. Layer the drink: add a little ice (cubed) to each glass, just enough to cover the bottom blue layer. Pour the kombucha into the pitcher of the spiked and sparkling lemonade top layer (that you made in Step 4) and stir with a bar spoon or tea spoon. Divide the spiked & sparkling lemonade top layer evenly between the two glasses, pouring it directly onto the ice in the glasses to help it layer. Pour slowly, and watch as the top yellow layer forms on top of the bottom blue layer. Also, make sure the blue layer and the yellow layer are approximately equal ratio in the glasses. You may have some leftovers of the spiked & sparkling lemonade top layer- perfect for more drinks!!
7. Add garnishes of choice (I used fresh blackberries, a slice of lime, and a lemon balm leaf), and serve! Enjoy! Cheers!! Congrats grads of 2024!
Drink the assembled cocktails/mocktails immediately. The blue raspberry simple syrup can be stored in the fridge in a sealed bottle/airtight container for up to a month. The refined sugar free lemonade (the lemon juice + water + sweetener) can be stored in the fridge in a sealed bottle/covered pitcher/airtight container for several days and can be enjoyed as a healthier lemonade or additional mixer for other drinks.
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