Cranberry Cherry Ginger Water: Recipe and Guide

Cranberry cherry ginger water is a chilled infusion of cranberries, cherries and fresh ginger that takes 2 hours 10 minutes to make and yields about 1 liter (4 1/4 cups).

What is cranberry cherry ginger water?

Cranberry cherry ginger water combines fruit and sliced ginger with plain water, then rests in the refrigerator so their flavors can infuse. It is one of many berry infused water recipes, with a tart-fruity taste and a gentle ginger bite.

This recipe uses steeped fruit rather than juice or blended fruit, so the flavor is subtle. The water may take on a light pink color, depending on the cherries and how much the fruit is pressed.

What ingredients and ratio do you need?

For about 1 liter (4 1/4 cups), use:

1,000 ml (4 1/4 cups) cold drinking water
75 g (about 3/4 cup) fresh cranberries, measured whole
75 g (about 1/2 cup) pitted sour cherries, measured before halving
10 g (about 2 tablespoons) thinly sliced fresh ginger

The fruit amounts together are about 150 g per liter of water. Use a pitcher with enough room for the water and fruit, plus a lid or cover. Sweet cherries can replace sour cherries if that is what you have; the flavor will be less tart.

How do you make cranberry cherry ginger water?

Allow about 10 minutes for preparation and at least 2 hours for refrigerated steeping.

Rinse the cranberries, cherries and ginger under cool running water.
Halve the cranberries and cherries, removing and discarding all cherry pits.
Slice the ginger thinly; peel it first if you prefer.
Add the fruit and ginger to a clean pitcher, then pour in the cold water.
Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours. Taste after 2 hours and leave it longer if you want a stronger infusion.
Strain if desired, then serve chilled. Keep any remaining water refrigerated.

For another combination using the same method, try the ai infused water generator.

Why do cranberry, cherry and ginger pair well?

Cranberries add tartness

Cranberries give cranberry cherry ginger water a crisp, tart edge that balances the fruitier cherry flavor. Halving them exposes more of their flesh to the water; for a closer look at the single-fruit infusion, see cranberry infused water.

Cherries soften the flavor

Sour cherries add a rounded fruit flavor alongside the sharper cranberries. Their color can also tint the water, especially when cut. Learn more about the fruit on its own in cherry infused water.

Ginger adds warmth

Fresh ginger contributes a mild spicy note without overpowering the fruit when thinly sliced. For a stronger ginger taste, lightly press the slices before adding them; see ginger water for more about that ingredient.

The main benefit of cranberry cherry ginger water is hydration. Whole fruit contains nutrients, but the amounts that transfer into steeped water are uncertain, so whole-fruit nutrition figures should not be treated as the drink's nutrition values. There is no direct evidence that this particular infusion treats a health condition.

How should you store cranberry cherry ginger water?

Keep the covered pitcher refrigerated from the start of steeping. Drink the water within 24 hours for the best flavor, and discard it after 2 to 3 days or sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy or sour-smelling.

Do not leave the pitcher at room temperature for more than a few hours. Use clean utensils when serving, and avoid putting a used drinking glass back into the pitcher.

How can you vary cranberry cherry ginger water?

Make it stronger or lighter

For a stronger fruit flavor, gently press the cut cranberries and cherries against the side of the pitcher before adding the water. For a lighter drink, strain it after the shorter steep and dilute a serving with cold water.

Use frozen fruit

Frozen cranberries and pitted cherries can stand in for fresh fruit. If they need to soften before cutting, thaw them in the refrigerator first; allow extra time for that step. Add them to the pitcher with the ginger and water, then steep as directed.

Adjust the sweetness

Choose sweet cherries for a naturally less tart infusion, or add a little sweetener to an individual glass if you prefer. Sweetener changes the drink's calorie content; the steeped, unsweetened version remains lightly flavored.