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!

Yield: serves 2

Christmas Cranberry Cocktail

Print

A sweet and tart cranberry cocktail made with vodka and orange liqueur.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Ingredients

For the cranberry simple syrup:

• 1 c. fresh cranberries
• 1 c. water
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 t. vanilla (optional)

For the cocktail:

• 2 oz. vodka
• 2 oz. orange liqueur
• 4 oz. cranberry simple syrup
• sparkling water
• fresh cranberries for garnish

Instructions

1. To make the simple syrup place the cranberries, sugar, and water in a medium saucepan over medium high heat.
2. Bring the mixture to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer for 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently, or until most of the cranberries have broken open.
3. Strain the liquid through a fine mesh strainer reserving the clear liquid. Discard the solids.
4. Add the vanilla to the clear liquid mixture if desired.
5. To make the cocktail fill two glasses with ice.
6. In a shaker combine the vodka, orange liqeuer, and cranberry syrup with ice. Shake for 30 seconds.
7. Strain equal parts of the mixture between the 2 prepared glasses. Top each glass with sparkling water and give it a stir.
8. Top each cocktail with fresh cranberries if desired.

Notes

A Hezzi-D Original recipe

Welcome to #ChristmasSweetsWeek 2019 co-hosted by Terri from Love and Confections and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures! What better way to celebrate the holidays than with food and drinks? 25 bloggers from around the country have come together to share some of their favorite sweet Christmas recipes!! Get ready for very merry sweet treats, like fudge, cookies, Christmas morning breakfasts, layer cakes, cocoa, and more! Follow along on social media with our #ChristmasSweetsWeek hashtag. Happy Holidays!

 

Enjoy these #ChristmasSweetsWeek recipes from our bloggers:

Christmas Beverages:
Christmas Cranberry Cocktail from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
Eggnog White Russian from Cheese Curd In Paradise
Hot Apple Cider Buttered Rum from Love and Confections
Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate from Palatable Pastime

Christmas Breakfasts:
Easy Cinnamon Roll Bake from Family Around the Table

Christmas Pastries and Desserts:
Candy Cane Blossoms from Blogghetti
Cherry Pie Bars from YumGoggle
Chocolate Peppermint Swirl Pound Cake from Karen's Kitchen Stories
Eggnog Pound Cake from For the Love of Food

Christmas Candies:
Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Reindeer Pops from Sweet Beginnings
Festive Pretzel Rods from Shockingly Delicious