This Blackberry Mocktail combines homemade blackberry syrup and fresh thyme for a delicious drink that's perfect for any occasion at any time of the year! It's great for parties, get togethers, BBQs or just to cool down on a hot summer afternoon. Great for kids and adults alike!
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Why This Recipe Works
Full of flavor - Mocktails can sometimes be a little boring but not this one! The blackberry syrup with lemon juice and thyme all give the drink so much flavor on their own that there's no need for alcohol!
Easy to make - This mocktail comes together really quickly once you have the syrup. All you need for the syrup are blackberries, water, and cane sugar. It takes less than 30 minutes to make and you can store it for 2 weeks in the fridge.
Great in a pitcher - You can easily double the recipe or make enough for a pitcher for a party or a bbq. See the recipe card notes for the pitcher measurements.
Ingredients
- Blackberries - You can use either fresh or frozen blackberries to make the syrup, both work great! No need to defrost them ahead of time.
- Cane sugar - Any sweetener works here but I recommend cane sugar because it has the most neutral taste that won't overpower the blackberries. Maple syrup also works great.
- Fresh thyme - Dried thyme won't work as well here, it wouldn't give the drink the same amount of flavor. You'll want to use fresh thyme if possible.
- Lemon juice - Freshly squeezed lemon juice is the preferred option whenever possible.
- Seltzer - You can top the drink with plain sparkling water, tonic water, or flavored seltzer. I like using unsweetened ones, ideally a blackberry flavor.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Blackberry Syrup
- Add blackberries, cane sugar, and water to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir often to make sure the sugar melts properly.
- Lower the heat and simmer the syrup for 15 minutes.
- Take the saucepan off the heat and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
- Strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer into a large measuring cup or a bowl.
- Pour it into a glass jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Wait until the syrup is completely cool before closing the jar.
If you want, you can keep the discarded jammy blackberry to add to oatmeal or use as jam on toast. I usually just discard them because the seeds aren't too pleasant to eat.
Blackberry Mocktail
- Add blackberry syrup, lemon juice, and fresh thyme into a cocktail shaker.
- Use a cocktail muddler to muddle the fresh thyme together with the other ingredients to release its flavor and aroma.
- Add ice and shake the drink vigorously for a few seconds until very cool.
- Fill a double old-fashioned glass with ice and strain the drink over the ice.
- Top up the drink with seltzer and garnish with a slice of lemon, thyme, and blackberries. Enjoy!
Serving and Storing
You can store the blackberry syrup in an airtight jar in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
You can use the leftover syrup it in more mocktails, lemonades, iced teas, cocktails, or lattes. You could even drizzle it over pancakes or waffles! Try it in this Blackberry Margarita or this Iced Blackberry Matcha Latte.
FAQs
Yes, you can add 2-3 fresh blackberries to the cocktail shaker along with lemon juice, cane sugar, and fresh thyme and muddle everything together. It might not give the cocktail the same amount of flavor and color but it works if you're short on time!
I highly recommend you use fresh thyme. Dried thyme won't provide the same amount of flavor as fresh.
Yes, the syrup can be made with both fresh and frozen blacberries.
Yes, the syrup can be made with blueberries or raspberries. Both would go great with the fresh thyme.
Similar Mocktails
If you like this blackberry mocktail, you should definitely try these 5 drinks! They're all made in a pitcher so they're great for a party or any time you're craving a fun drink! To see all the latest ones, check out the non-alcoholic drinks category.
📖 Recipe
Blackberry Mocktail
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Mocktail
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Blackberry Mocktail combines homemade blackberry syrup and fresh thyme for a delicious drink that's perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients
Blackberry Syrup
- 2 cups blackberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 cup cane sugar (or maple syrup)
- 1 cup water
Blackberry Mocktail
- 2 tbsp blackberry syrup
- 1 oz freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2-3 strings of fresh thyme
- Ice
- 4 oz Seltzer (I used unsweetened blackberry flavor)
- Garnish: lemon slices, fresh thyme, blackberries (optional)
Instructions
Blackberry Syrup
- Add blackberries, cane sugar, and water to a saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir often, in the beginning, to make sure the sugar melts properly.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Take the syrup off the heat and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a large measuring cup or a bowl.
- Pour into a glass jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Wait until the syrup is completely cool before closing the jar.
Blackberry Mocktail
- Add blackberry syrup, lemon juice, and fresh thyme into a cocktail shaker.
- Add a handful of ice and shake the shaker vigorously for a few seconds until very cool.
- Fill a double old-fashioned glass with ice and strain the drink over the ice.
- Top up the drink with seltzer and garnish with a slice of lemon, thyme, and blackberries. Enjoy!
Notes
Store syrup in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
You can keep the strained blackberries to use as jam but I usually toss them because the seeds aren’t too pleasant to eat.
Elaine says
I had a party this past weekend and I made a blackberry cocktail for the grownups and this mocktail for the teenagers! They loved it.
Marta says
I made this blackberry mocktail for a friend's baby shower brunch and more people drank it than they did the cocktails! It is such a refreshing and easy to make recipe.
Veronika says
This mocktail was a hit at out family dinner! Everyone loved it and asked for more ;)
Bernice says
That blackberry syrup is such a pretty colour, I couldn't wait to make cocktails with it. Luckily I had all of the ingredients and a porch to enjoy them on.
Tammy says
Blackberry recipes are rare to see so it's nice to find something refreshing like this drink. Perfect end of season recipe to try :)
Amanda Dixon says
This was so refreshing! The blackberry and thyme were lovely together, and it was so full of fresh fruit flavor.
Jessica says
My taste buds had a dance party with this drink recipe. The blend of ingredients was sheer perfection for a refreshing summer beverage. Thanks!
Dennis says
I made your mocktails and they were perfectly delicious! A few of my friends opted to add vodka and they loved them!
Claire says
My partner and I love making our own cocktail/mocktail syrups and were so excited to find a recipe for those in-season blackberries. Everything turned out deliciously and we'll definitely be making this again!
Hayley Dhanecha says
This recipe is perfect for the heatwave in the UK this week! I love the flavour of blackberries and your mocktail tastes increidble!