Christmas Cranberry Cocktail

I don't know about you but I find the holidays to be a little stressful.  Don't get me wrong, they can also be super fun and magical but that time period in between Thanksgiving and Christmas tends to get a little hectic which in turn can cause some major stress.   I find that when I'm doing my holiday baking or wrapping gifts or having people over it's a great idea to have a signature cocktail that you can whip out in just a few minutes.

My Christmas Cranberry Cocktail is one of those recipes.  You can make the cranberry simple syrup up to 2 weeks in advance and keep it in your refrigerator.  Then as long as you have the rest of the ingredients on hand you can make a batch of these cocktails in under five minutes.

If you want to get super fancy you can make sugared cranberries and spear them on fresh rosemary as a garnish but I find that regular old cranberries on some type of cocktail pick work just as well.  If I were hosting a holiday party I might get fancy but for everyday use or when my husband and I are enjoying a cocktail at home the cranberries on a pick work just fine.

In order to make the cranberry simple syrup all you need are fresh cranberries, sugar, and water.   It's that combination boiled down to a thick syrup that gives the Christmas Cranberry Cocktail a sweet and tart flavor.  I personally love that it's a little bit tart because over the holidays everything is so darn sweet!

To the simple syrup you add vodka, orange liqueur, and sparkling water.   That's it!  It's a super simple recipes but it looks really festive and it tastes great as well.  I've given you the measurements I use in my cocktails but feel free to play around with them to give you the taste you are looking for.

If you want to do a twist on this cocktail you can add orange juice instead of the liqueur.   Another great twist is to add a teaspoon of cinnamon to the cranberry simple syrup.  It makes the drink a little spicy which is perfect at the holidays.

However you choose to serve it up, this is the perfect holiday cocktail for parties, gatherings, or a simple night at home!

More Christmas Sweets Recipes:

Eggnog White Russian from Cheese Curd In Paradise
Hot Apple Cider Buttered Rum from Love and Confections
Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate from Palatable Pastime

Easy Cinnamon Roll Bake from Family Around the Table

Candy Cane Blossoms from Blogghetti
Chocolate Peppermint Swirl Pound Cake from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Reindeer Pops from Sweet Beginnings
Festive Pretzel Rods from Shockingly Delicious