Does your afternoon ever call for something a little bit special, without the fuss? This strawberry basil mocktail, a fizzy strawberry, lime and basil spritz, is simple enough for the whole family to make together.

We muddle fresh strawberries, lime juice and torn basil leaves right in the glass, then top with sparkling water. That’s it. No stove, no blender, no long ingredient list to work through. Everyone gets to build their own glass, which makes it a lovely one to hand over to little helpers on a warm afternoon.

Each serve starts with a quarter cup of chopped fresh strawberries, two tablespoons of lime juice and a few torn basil leaves, crushed together with a muddler until the berries release their juices. Fill the glass with ice, top with sparkling water, then stir and taste. A touch of natural sweetener is optional if you like it a little sweeter.

It works best served straight away, while the fizz is still lively, with a straw and a long spoon so nobody misses the good bits sitting at the bottom of the glass. It’s a good one for a birthday table or a quiet Sunday afternoon.

Recipe Notes and Tips

• It works best to really crush the strawberries and basil together until you can smell the basil release its oils. That’s the flavour doing its job.
• For me, the lime slices and extra basil leaves are what make this feel like something special rather than just fizzy water, so I rarely skip the garnish.
• I love setting this one up as a little station on the bench: bowls of strawberries, basil and lime slices, and everyone builds their own glass. It turns a simple drink into a shared moment.
• Perhaps use the long spoon to stir before your first sip. All that good, crushed fruit settles at the bottom, and it’s worth scooping up.