Cinderella: A Fruity Mocktail Everyone Will Love

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 02/21/24
Tested by
Diana Andrews
Diana Andrews
Tested by Diana Andrews
Diana has served as head recipe developer and editor for the Emmy-nominated PBS series Moveable Feast, food editor and test kitchen manager at Fine Cooking Magazine, and recipe developer and product tester at Food Network. 
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Bright-orange Cinderella mocktail drink back drop with sliced orange garnish against a blue-green

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 drink

The taste of tropical fruit comes to life in the refreshing mocktail known as the Cinderella. This favorite mixed drink has delighted young and old for many years. Versatile and festive, the Cinderella is fantastic on summer afternoons, can be shared at a picnic or birthday party, and makes a fabulous and fruity brunch drink as well.

What's In a Cinderella Mocktail?

The Cinderella is an easy mix of three juices (lemon, orange, and pineapple juice), along with grenadine (which is nonalcoholic) and ginger ale. The fruit juices create a tart base that is mellowed by the sweetness of the grenadine. You can, of course, adjust it to make it as sweet as you like. In the end, you will have a tall, refreshing glass of what is essentially a homemade soda. The best part? It takes just a minute to mix up.

The Best Ginger Ale for this Mocktail

Truthfully, any ginger ale or ginger beer will work as long as it's one you enjoy sipping on its own! If you're making this for kids, try a sweeter ginger ale like Barritt's Original or Royalty. If you like a little kick, go for a spicier ginger beer like Q Mixers Ginger Beer or Reed's Strongest.

Feeling adventurous?! Try making your own homemade ginger ale!

Make One Mocktail... Or Many!

This recipe makes a single-serving cocktail that's all yours to enjoy. If you'd like to make a larger batch to share, just scale up all the ingredients proportionally.

To make the Cinderalla ahead of time for a party, combine everything except for the ginger beer in a pitcher and refrigerate until ready to serve (or up to 24 hours). Pour in the ginger beer just before your party starts. Alternatively, treat the base ingredients (the juices + grenadine) like a syrup and let guests add as much or as little as they like to their glass of ginger beer.

Make It a Cocktail

This mocktail also makes an excellent cocktail, if that's what you're in the mood for. Add an ounce or two of rum, tequila, or vodka to your glass.

What You'll Need to Make This Cinderella Mocktail Recipe
A Nifty Juicer
A Sleek Cocktail Shaker
A Handy Dandy Jigger

"This sparkling fruity and delicious mocktail is so tangy and refreshing that you won't miss the alcohol!" —Diana Andrews

Cinderella mocktail garnished with fruit
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed orange juice

  • 2 tablespoons pineapple juice

  • 1/2 tablespoon grenadine

  • 1/4 cup ginger ale, ginger beer, or club soda

  • Pineapple and orange slices, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients gathered for Cinderella mocktail recipe

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Pour the juices and grenadine into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.

    Juices and grenadine being poured into a metal cobbler-style shaker

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Shake well.

    Cocktail shaker being shaken with Cinderella mocktail ingredients

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Strain into a chilled Collins glass filled with fresh ice.

    Cocktail shaker next to a chilled Collins glass filled with strained Cinderella mocktail ingredients

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Top with the ginger ale.

    Cinderella mocktail in Collins glass topped with ginger ale

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Garnish with the slices of pineapple and/or orange. Serve and enjoy.

    Cinderella mocktail garnished with slices of pineapple and orange

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Recipe Variations

The Cinderella is one of the easiest drinks to adapt. Serve it "up" in a cocktail glass for more elegant affairs, transform it into a pitcher drink, or offer it as a party punch to a large crowd.

  • Adjust the serving size. When increasing the recipe, maintain the ingredient ratios; keep the three juices equal and use twice as much soda as the amount of one of the juices (2 to 1). Sweeten it to taste by adding more or less grenadine.
  • Make it fancy. For a more elegant Cinderella, cut all of the juices and ginger ale in half and serve it in a chilled cocktail glass. It's a classy way to allow all of your guests to feel like they're part of the crowd—even those who aren't drinking alcohol. Or, alternatively, keep the 1- and 2-ounce pours and simply divide the shaker into two or more cocktail glasses.
  • Serve it in a pitcher. The Cinderella is a fabulous pitcher drink, and most of it can be mixed ahead of time; you can even keep a pitcher in the refrigerator. The key to transforming this into a pitcher drink is to add the ginger ale just before serving. Mix the juices and grenadine with ice in your serving pitcher, leaving room for the ginger ale and more ice. Stir and store it in the fridge until needed. Before serving, add fresh ice and top the pitcher with ginger ale.
  • Make it a punch. The Cinderella is a fabulous addition to any party, and it's fun for kids and adults alike. To create the punch, simply follow the suggestions for a pitcher and increase the volume to fit the size of your gathering.
  • Dress it up. The Cinderella is nice with a variety of seasonal fruits floating in the drink and an ice ring adds to the presentation. You might even consider freezing fruit or herbs inside the ice.
  • Add some bitters. If you want to add some depth of flavor, include about 2 dashes Angostura bitters. This does add a tiny amount of alcohol, so the drink is no longer a true mocktail.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
124 Calories
0g Fat
32g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 124
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 16mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 32g 12%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 24g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 73mg 365%
Calcium 24mg 2%
Iron 1mg 3%
Potassium 229mg 5%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)