Enjoy your summer night with this sweet yet tart mocktail recipe made with melatonin-rich cherries and peaches for peaceful dreams and good night’s sleep.
Welcome to our Bedtime Mocktail Series. We’ve partnered with mixologist and mocktail recipe creator, Natalie Battaglia, to bring you simple and nourishing non-alcoholic recipes that will help you sleep better.
Flavorful cherries, sweet peach, and fresh mint combine to make this simple mocktail the perfect evening treat. Designed to help you relax and unwind, this recipe has a deliciously fruity cherry and peach base that’s perfectly balanced with honey, lemon, and mint, and your choice to make it still or sparkling water.
It might surprise you to learn that cherries are one of the only natural food sources of melatonin, a hormone in your body that plays a role in sleep. Cherries are packed with antioxidants including anthocyanins and quercetin, which can help reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. The tart cherry juice offers an additional burst of melatonin and tryptophan, which can also help to regulate sleep.
Read more: I Tried The Sleepy Girl Mocktail. I’ve Never Slept Better.
Peaches on the other hand, are rich in vitamins A and C, which support your immune system and skin health. Peaches also contain magnesium which may help to improve the quality of sleep and just happen to pair perfectly with the humble cherry. Together, these two juicy fruits will give you nutritious boost and satisfy that nighttime sweet tooth.
While the recipe is usually made in a shaker, you can use a mason jar or something similar, if you don’t have one — anything with a tight lid will work.
We highly recommend garnishing your mocktail with a few extra cherries. Not only do they taste delicious, but you’ll also be sneaking in some extra melatonin.
Follow our Peaceful Peach Cherry Dreams recipe below and cheers to a good night’s sleep.
Read more: Bedtime Mocktail Series: Lavender Strawberry Sweet Slumber
Ingredients
- 5 pitted cherries, fresh or thawed
- 4 peach slices from a tin
- 1 teaspoon honey
- 1.5 oz (45 ml) tart cherry juice
- 1 oz (30 ml) lemon juice
- 6-8 mint leaves
- Top with soda water or coconut water
- Optional: extra cherries, lemon and/or mint to garnish
Instructions
- Using a small blender (or a handheld/immersion blender) blend the cherries, peach, and honey together with 1 tablespoon of water to create a puree. If the mixture is too thick, add another tablespoon of water to help facilitate blending.
- Add 3oz (90 ml) of the puree, tart cherry juice and lemon juice to a shaker. Smack the mint together in your hands to release the scent, then add the mint to your shaker. Add some ice, replace the lid, and shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds.
- Fill your glass with ice and strain the mixture in. If you’d like a sparkling mocktail, top with soda water. If you’d prefer still, top with coconut water.
- Garnish with your choice of cherries, lemon and/or mint, and serve.
Read more: Bedtime Mocktail Series: Sleep Tight Kiwi Chamomile
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