Raspberry Cranberry Thyme Water Recipe

Raspberry cranberry thyme water is a chilled fruit-and-herb infusion that takes 2 hours and 10 minutes, including steeping, and yields about 1,000 ml (4¼ cups).

What is raspberry cranberry thyme water?

Raspberry cranberry thyme water is plain water flavored with raspberries, cranberries and fresh thyme. The raspberries add a soft berry flavor, the cranberries bring tartness, and the thyme gives the drink a subtle herbal aroma.

Unlike a blended drink, the fruit is steeped and then strained or left in the pitcher for serving. It’s one of many berry infused water recipes you can make without added sweetener. Serve it chilled on its own or with a meal when you want an alternative to plain water.

What ingredients and ratio do you need?

For about 1,000 ml (4¼ cups), use:

Cold water: 1,000 ml (4¼ cups)
Fresh raspberries: 75 g (about ⅔ cup)
Fresh cranberries: 75 g (about ¾ cup)
Fresh thyme: 2 sprigs, about 5 g (roughly 1 tablespoon or 1/16 cup of loosely packed leaves and tender stems)

The recipe uses about 150 g of fruit per 1,000 ml of water, with two thyme sprigs. Berry and herb sizes vary, so the cup measurements are approximate; weigh the ingredients if you want a more consistent ratio.

You’ll also need a clean, covered pitcher, a knife and a strainer if you prefer to remove the ingredients before serving. Choose a pitcher large enough to hold the water and fruit comfortably.

How do you make raspberry cranberry thyme water?

Wash the raspberries, cranberries and thyme under cool running water.
Cut the cranberries in half to expose their interiors. Leave the raspberries whole or gently halve them.
Add the fruit and thyme to a clean pitcher, then pour in the cold water.
Cover the pitcher and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Steep for up to 4 hours for a fuller flavor.
Strain if desired, then pour into glasses. Serve chilled, with ice if you like.

For a different combination after trying the method, use the ai infused water generator.

Taste the water after 2 hours. If you want a stronger berry or herb flavor, return it to the refrigerator for the rest of the steep. The longer steep makes the total time about 4 hours and 10 minutes.

Straining gives the drink a cleaner appearance; leaving the fruit in makes it more colorful. Handle the raspberries gently if you want them to stay intact in the pitcher.

Why do raspberries, cranberries and thyme pair well?

Raspberries

Raspberries soften the cranberry’s sharpness with their fragrant, mellow berry flavor. For a simpler version centered on that flavor, see raspberry infused water.

Cranberries

Cranberries add a crisp, tart note without needing juice. Cutting them helps expose the fruit to the water; for a cranberry-focused variation, see cranberry infused water.

Thyme

Thyme adds an earthy aroma that balances the fruit. Two sprigs keep the herb in the background rather than making it the dominant flavor. For a herb-led drink, see thyme water.

The main benefit of this infusion is that it provides water for hydration with no added sugar. Whole raspberries and cranberries contain fiber and vitamin C, but the amounts that transfer into the water are uncertain. Don’t count the nutrients or calories in all the fruit as those of the strained drink.

Steeped water is generally very low in calories. Squeezing or eating the fruit adds more of the fruit’s calories than drinking the strained water alone.

How should you store raspberry cranberry thyme water?

Keep the pitcher covered and refrigerated. For the best flavor, drink the water within 24 hours. Discard any remaining infusion after 2 days, or sooner if it becomes unusually cloudy, slimy or sour-smelling.

Don’t leave the pitcher at room temperature for more than a few hours. Use clean glasses and utensils when serving, and keep any strained fruit refrigerated if you plan to eat it. Straining the fruit does not remove the need to refrigerate the water.

How can you vary the recipe?

Make it more tart

Use more cranberries and fewer raspberries, keeping the total fruit at about 150 g. Halve the cranberries as in the original method so their flavor can infuse. The result will have a sharper berry taste.

Make it more berry-forward

Use more raspberries and fewer cranberries while keeping the same total amount of fruit. Leave the thyme at two sprigs, or use less if you want a softer herbal note. Taste before adding more thyme so it doesn’t overpower the berries.

Add bubbles when serving

Steep the fruit and thyme in still water first. After straining, top each glass with chilled sparkling water; this will dilute the flavor slightly, so taste and adjust the amount you add.