Refreshing Acerola Cherry Citrus Sparkler

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 4 servings
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 0 minutes
• Total Time: 15 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 1 cup frozen unsweetened acerola cherry puree, thawed, or 1 1/2 cups pitted fresh acerola cherries
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, chilled to 40°F
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice, chilled to 40°F
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
• 2 tablespoons honey or agave syrup, plus more to taste
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 cups chilled sparkling water or club soda, chilled to 40°F
• 2 cups ice cubes
• Orange wheels, lime wheels, acerola cherries, and fresh mint sprigs, for serving

Do This

• 1. Chill the sparkling water, citrus juices, and serving glasses before you begin.
• 2. Blend the acerola puree, orange juice, grapefruit juice, lime juice, honey, and sea salt for 20 to 30 seconds.
• 3. Taste the mixture and add 1 to 2 teaspoons more honey if you prefer a sweeter drink.
• 4. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve for a smoother sparkler, if desired.
• 5. Fill 4 glasses with ice, then divide the acerola-citrus base among them.
• 6. Top each glass with 1/2 cup sparkling water and stir gently once or twice.
• 7. Garnish with citrus wheels, acerola cherries, and mint; serve immediately.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Bright and refreshing: Acerola cherries bring a naturally tart, berry-like flavor that pairs beautifully with sweet orange, crisp lime, and slightly bitter grapefruit.
• Vitamin-rich and naturally colorful: Acerola is known for its high vitamin C content, and the drink has a vivid ruby-coral hue without artificial color.
• No cooking required: Everything comes together in a blender in about 15 minutes.
• Easy to customize: Make it sweeter, more tart, extra fizzy, alcohol-free, or party-ready with simple adjustments.

Grocery List

• Produce: fresh oranges, pink grapefruit, limes, fresh mint, fresh acerola cherries if available, extra citrus for garnish
• Dairy: none
• Pantry: frozen unsweetened acerola cherry puree if using instead of fresh fruit, honey or agave syrup, fine sea salt, sparkling water or club soda, ice

Full Ingredients

For the Acerola Citrus Base

• 1 cup frozen unsweetened acerola cherry puree, thawed, or 1 1/2 cups pitted fresh acerola cherries
• 1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, chilled to 40°F, from about 3 medium oranges
• 1/2 cup freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice, chilled to 40°F, from about 1 medium grapefruit
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, from about 2 medium limes
• 2 tablespoons honey or agave syrup, plus 1 to 2 teaspoons more if needed
• 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

For Finishing

• 2 cups chilled sparkling water or club soda, chilled to 40°F
• 2 cups ice cubes
• 4 thin orange wheels, for garnish
• 4 thin lime wheels, for garnish
• 8 fresh or thawed acerola cherries, for garnish, optional
• 4 small fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

Recommended Equipment

• Blender
• Citrus juicer
• Fine-mesh sieve, optional but recommended for a smoother drink
• Liquid measuring cup
• 4 tall glasses, 12-ounce capacity each
• Long spoon or cocktail stirrer

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Chill the ingredients and glasses

For the brightest, fizziest sparkler, start with cold ingredients. Chill the orange juice, grapefruit juice, and sparkling water to 40°F. If you have time, place 4 tall 12-ounce glasses in the refrigerator for 15 minutes or in the freezer for 5 minutes. Cold glasses help the ice melt more slowly and keep the sparkling water lively.

Step 2: Prepare the acerola cherries

If using frozen unsweetened acerola cherry puree, thaw it in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours or at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes, just until pourable. If using fresh acerola cherries, rinse them well, remove the stems, and pit them carefully. Measure 1 1/2 cups pitted cherries for the blender.

Step 3: Juice the citrus

Squeeze enough oranges to make 1 cup of juice, enough pink grapefruit to make 1/2 cup of juice, and enough limes to make 1/4 cup of juice. Strain out large seeds as you go. Fresh juice is strongly recommended because it gives this drink a clean, bright flavor that bottled juice usually cannot match.

Step 4: Blend the acerola citrus base

Add the acerola puree or pitted fresh acerola cherries to a blender along with the orange juice, grapefruit juice, lime juice, 2 tablespoons honey or agave syrup, and 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt. Blend on high speed for 20 to 30 seconds, until the mixture is smooth and vivid red-orange. The sea salt will not make the drink salty; it simply sharpens the fruit flavors.

Step 5: Taste and adjust

Taste the blended base before adding sparkling water. Acerola cherries can vary from pleasantly tart to very tangy. If the base tastes too sharp, blend in 1 to 2 teaspoons additional honey or agave syrup. If it tastes too sweet, add 1 teaspoon more lime juice. The base should taste slightly more intense than you want the finished drink because the sparkling water and ice will soften it.

Step 6: Strain for a smoother finish

For a silky sparkler, pour the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup or pitcher, pressing gently with a spoon to extract as much liquid as possible. This step removes tiny fruit skins, pulp, and any remaining acerola fibers. If you enjoy a more rustic, smoothie-like texture, you can skip straining.

Step 7: Build the drinks

Fill each chilled glass with about 1/2 cup ice cubes. Divide the acerola citrus base evenly among the glasses, using about 1/2 cup base per serving. Slowly pour 1/2 cup chilled sparkling water or club soda into each glass. Pour down the side of the glass if you want to preserve more bubbles.

Step 8: Stir, garnish, and serve

Stir each drink gently once or twice with a long spoon. Avoid vigorous stirring, which can flatten the sparkle. Garnish each glass with 1 orange wheel, 1 lime wheel, 2 acerola cherries if using, and 1 fresh mint sprig. Serve immediately while the drink is cold, bright, and bubbly.

Pro Tips

• Use unsweetened acerola puree: Sweetened puree can make the drink too sugary and may hide acerola’s naturally tangy flavor.
• Add bubbles last: Sparkling water should always be added right before serving so the drink stays crisp and lively.
• Balance before diluting: Taste the fruit base before adding ice and sparkling water. It should be bold, tart, and slightly sweet.
• Choose pink grapefruit for color: Pink grapefruit enhances the coral-red tone of the acerola and gives a softer citrus flavor than white grapefruit.
• Make it extra cold without watering it down: Freeze a little orange juice or acerola base in an ice cube tray and use those cubes in place of regular ice.

Variations

• Ginger Acerola Citrus Sparkler: Replace 1/2 cup of the sparkling water with 1/2 cup chilled ginger beer or ginger sparkling water for a spicy, warming finish.
• Herbal Mint-Basil Sparkler: Muddle 2 mint leaves and 1 small basil leaf in each glass before adding ice for a garden-fresh aroma.
• Party Pitcher Version: Blend and strain the acerola citrus base up to 24 hours ahead. Just before serving, combine the chilled base with 2 cups sparkling water in a pitcher, add 2 cups ice, and garnish generously.

Storage & Make-Ahead

The acerola citrus base can be made up to 24 hours ahead and stored in an airtight jar or pitcher in the refrigerator at 40°F or below. Stir well before using, as natural pulp may settle. Do not add sparkling water until just before serving, or the drink will lose its fizz. Once mixed with sparkling water and ice, the sparkler is best enjoyed within 10 minutes. Leftover mixed sparkler can be refrigerated for up to 1 day, but it will become less bubbly and slightly diluted.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 86 kcal | Carbs: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 18g | Sodium: 77mg | Cholesterol: 0mg