Nancy Lopez-McHugh tends the bar today, and mixes us a non-alcoholic Orange Spritzer.
Text And Photos By Nancy Lopez-McHugh
Spritzer (Spritzen) is a German word that means a spray or a splash. The word is better know as a reference to a drink, usually consisting of wine and carbonated (sparkling) water. The carbonated water is mixed with the wine to make a light, fizzy and refreshing drink that is very popular on hot summer days. I have heard of and have actually seen people mixing cola with their red wines (blagh!). I love wine, specially red wine. I’m not passing judgement but I just can’t bring myself to “ruin” a good wine by adding carbonated water. Thankfully Spritzers also come in non-alcoholic versions using fruit and/or vegetable juices. 
If you are like me and choose not to drink soda, you will really enjoy drinking fruit and vegetable Spritzer versions. I hate the taste of soda because it is way to sugary for my taste and not to mention very caloric. Instead I prefer to drink water, unsweetened tea, and 100% fruit juices. Since I’m not a fan of overly sugary drinks I always mix my juices with sparkling water. The recipe I’m sharing with you today is for my favorite way of drinking orange juice, an orange spritzer!
When you are selecting orange juice or any other juice it’s very important to read the labels. You need to make sure that it’s 100% orange juice without any added sugar. There are many juice brands out there that though say they are 100% juice, have a lot of sugar or fructose or sucrose added to them, avoid those. Of course you could also use fresh squeezed orange juice, which will yield a slightly different taste. If you have kids this is a great drink to give them as an alternative to soda. They’ll like the fizziness like a soda and it is still sweet, but not too sweet. Moms will love the fact that the drink is still very nutritious. Orange juice is very high in Vitamin C, which our bodies need to help heal wounds faster, for strong bones and teeth and to help fight off infections. Vitamin C is also great for our immune system, helping to make it strong. See orange juice is much healthier than soda. Though I’m showing you my favorite juice spritzer it can really be made with any of your favorite juice flavors. Have fun and experiment.
PrintOrange Spritzer
- Total Time: 5 minutes
Description
A non-alcoholic drink to refresh you and quench your thirst.
Ingredients
- 100 % Orange juice
- sparkling (carbonated) water
- 1 orange, for decoration -optional
- ice cubes, optional
Instructions
- Take the orange and either slice it thinly or cut it into wedges, set aside. In a large pitcher mix equal parts orange juice and sparkling water, if you are using ice cubes you may want to add those first. OR You can also mix 2 parts orange juice to 1 parts carbonated drink. It’s really about finding the right mix and taste for yourself.
- Serve with a fresh slice or orange wedge. Serve right away,to keep the drink fizzy.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
If mom and dad need a little kick to go with their orange spritzer why not add some vodka? Think of it like a fizzy vodka screwdriver. Again the amounts are really up to the individual’s taste but, I mixed 2 parts orange juice, 1 part sparkling water and 1 shot/part vodka. Cheers!
This is great
Thanks Tamara!
Looks delicious! Perfect for a summer afternoon!
Lovely, my kind of drink!
Thank you Sandra, me too!
delicious looking drink wonderful
Thank you !
I love fruit spritzers. This is wonderfully refreshing and have high hopes of enjoying it … when the warm weather finally comes.
Hi Claudia, They do make the perfect hot weather thirst quenchers. But I like to enjoy them year round.
Oddly Coke & red wine is pretty good, but not common unless you are in Uraguay or some other South American countries. Spritzers are a fun way to dress up a drink, whether you have alcohol or not. Springtime seems to be as good a time as any for them!
Jason
Hi Jason, I saw that combo here in Prague. I was also told they do it in Germany too? Yes it is a fun way of “dressing” them up.
Great feature, Nancy…and so beautiful with the sliced orange garnishes~
Hi Liz, Thank you :)
Red wine and cola? Really? I agree… blagh!
On the other hand I am happy to spike a fresh orange juice with some prosecco or soda water, depending on whether the sun is over the yard arm or not :D
Yay, I’m not alone, hehe!
Ha! I always need a little kick to go with a spritzer!
Yes sometimes it makes it even better.
Hooray for the Mom and Dad version!!
Hehe, yes !
This does sound refreshing, wish for a nice hot day to enjoy this spritzer.
-Gina-
Perfect on those days Gina!
Cola with wine? I am with you, no way am I going to disrupt my wine this way. However I do love spritzers and this juice spritzer is lovely…a wee bit of vodka would make a wonderful “adult type addition”. Amazing photos as always!
Spoken like a true French :) The vodka is a special occasional treat. Thank you sweetie !
The most killer Honey Lemonade Recipe: 1/2 gallon warm water, 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice. Just mix it all with your hands (their warmth will disolve the honey and sugar) and pour mixture into a gallon container filled 3/4 with ice. You can even experiment with different tpes of honey to get different flavors.
Hi!
Juice with carbonated water, is very common here in Germany.
You can get it in every Restaurant, Pub and Bar.
Also very common trinks for the children in Restaurants and at home.
the 2 two usual versions are the Spritzers with Applejuice or Orangejuice.
Here in Germany it is called ‘Orangensaftschorle’ (OJ Spritzer) or ‘Apfelsaftschorle’ (AJ Spritzer)
Enjoy pronouncing it ;-)
Greetings from Germany!
–Sven
If I may recommend for a superlative summmer orange spritzer, mix 2 parts vodka, 1 part orange juice, and 3 parts sparkling water (I use La Croix). The orange flavor is intriguingly subtle without too much sweetness , the vodka’s bite is lost, and you stay hydrated whilst accruing a serious buzz.
Going to give this a try. Thank you for the recipe.
Red wine mixed with Coke and lemon is called a Kalimotxo in Spain. It’s not bad at all and you can use inexpensive wine for it.
the club soda makes it a little bitter but other than that it is good
I love your recipes just I wish you had the igsact measurements
Wine with cola is Kalimotxo/Calimocho depending on where in Spain you’re from. Trust me it’s not made with a wine you’d want to drink on its own, only in desperate times. Nowt wrong with it either. Its quite refreshing and quite the gateway drink for most Spaniards.