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Bring those early morning vibes to your cup with this Sweet Sunrise Mocktail. The mix of bright colors and punchy citrus makes it a hit at brunch hangouts. Kids and adults both go for seconds when this shows up. I always notice big grins at family parties when the layers catch the light.
This picked up superstar status at my niece’s birthday breakfast. Now people don’t let me forget to make that bright sunburst drink for every holiday get together.
Colorful Ingredients
- Optional Garnishes: Top with mint leaves for fresh scent, add orange slices for a pop, drop in a strawberry or raspberry, go for cherries if you like it sweet, or try pineapple chunks for a tropical mood
- Grenadine syrup: This is what creates those gorgeous streaks at the bottom and tosses in a hint of berry. Look for a deep red syrup with real pomegranate if you can
- Lemon lime soda: The bubbles pickle up the drink and balance out the tartness. Any cold lemon lime style soda works—even off brands
- Orange juice: That’s your sunny base. Grab a good store juice or squeeze your own for wow flavor
- Ice cubes: Load up the glass with ice to get that chill and layer effect. Clear and fresh ice cubes look best
Simple Steps
- Add Your Garnishes:
- Toss in a cherry or lay a bright orange slice up top before serving to jazz it up
- Give It A Swirl:
- Now take a spoon or straw and do one gentle swirl so the colors marble but don't totally mix
- Pour On The Grenadine:
- Drizzle the grenadine right over, and just let it settle to the bottom so you get that sunrise pop
- Top With Lemon Lime Soda:
- Slowly pour in the soda along the inside glass wall—this helps keep the layers from blending too fast
- Add The Orange Juice:
- Carefully pour in orange juice—fill about two-thirds of the way so the layers set up well
- Drop In The Ice:
- Grab a tall glass and pile it full of fresh clear ice to almost the top—this keeps things icy and sets the look
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Orange juice is my top pick here because fresh squeezed takes everything up a notch. Pineapple wedges never last long at my house—my family always tries to snag the glass with one when I decorate on Sunday mornings.
Keep It Fresh
This drink tastes best right after you make it with cold juice and soda. Want to prep ahead? Slice all your fruit and chill your mixers first. Pour everything together right when you’re ready to serve. If you let leftovers sit, they’ll go flat and lose the layers, so just fix a new one if you need more.
Swaps & Twists
No grenadine? Try using pomegranate juice and sweeten it a bit—it’ll look and taste close. Any clear lemon lime soda fits here. You can switch the orange juice for blood orange or grapefruit to shake up the colors. Or, swap in fruit punch if you like it sweeter and brighter.
Fun Ways To Serve
Let guests have fun by setting up a build-your-own mocktail bar. Give everybody a pick and some fresh berries or citrus slices. It goes great with pastries or waffles at brunch. Slip a little umbrella in for birthday fun and you’ll get smiles every time.
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Fun Backstory
This colorful drink is a twist on the old-school Tequila Sunrise from the 1970s, known for its pretty layers at weekend parties and brunches. The non-alcoholic version keeps the sunshine vibes, but now everyone can join in with no worries about booze.
Recipe FAQs
- → How do you make those cool sunrise-style layers?
Start with orange juice and lemon-lime soda, then slowly pour grenadine right on top. It’ll drift down and make that pretty sunrise look all by itself.
- → What kind of toppings make this drink pop?
Try tossing on mint leaves, fresh berries, some orange wedges, or a cherry to make it stand out and add some fresh smell too.
- → Is fresh OJ better than store-bought?
For sure! Using fresh-squeezed orange juice wakes up all the flavors and makes the whole drink taste brighter.
- → What should I pour it into?
Tall, slim glasses are your best friend here. They really show off those awesome layers and let the colors shine through.
- → How do I keep the colors from mixing together?
Pour grenadine gently and slow, and skip stirring or just do a teeny bit. That’s how you get those separate layers sticking around.
- → Am I stuck with lemon-lime soda, or can I swap it?
Totally fine to use bubbly water or club soda plus some lime juice instead if you want it not as sweet.