This Cranberry Gin Cocktail is a wonderfully tart blend of cranberry, lime, and smooth botanical gin, perfectly balanced and brightly colored for a festive and elegant drink.
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Holiday Cranberry Gin Cocktail Recipe
If you like your drinks a little tart this holiday season and love all things cranberry this is the perfect cocktail for you. Tart cranberries pair perfectly with the botanics of gin and the zest of lime making it a great option for sipping your way through this time of year. This is an easy cocktail that combines three simple ingredients along with bitters (if you have it) making it easy to whip together for holiday parties or happy hour at your own house.
You also can't ignore the beautiful color this drink is, the cranberry makes a beautiful bright red almost pink color that is irresistible. Between the perfect balance of flavors, ease to make, and color this is the perfect holiday cocktail.
Equipment Needed
- Cocktail shaker: For blending and chilling the ingredients.
- Measuring jigger or shot glass: To ensure precise measurements.
- Strainer: To remove ice and create a smooth pour.
- Coupe glass: The perfect choice for serving this chic cocktail.
- Skewer or cocktail pick: For garnishing with cranberries and lime slices.
Ingredients
- Orange Bitters (optional): Enhances the complexity of the drink with subtle citrus notes, if you don't have bitters you can leave them out. Orange bitters are a pretty solid investment since they will really enhance most cocktails, better yet find a sample pack of bitters for a delicious cocktail, I used the brand StrongWater for this new recipe.
- Cranberry Simple Syrup: Adds sweetness and that signature cranberry tartness. You can get the recipe to make Cranberry Syrup Here or it can be found in the notes section of the recipe card. Some substitutes you could use are a bit of cranberry sauce (for real just grab it right off the holiday table), cranberry cocktail juice, or unsweetened cranberry juice just keep in mind these subs might result in a slightly different texture.
- Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed for the best flavor. Plus you will want an extra like for a lime slice or lime wedge garnish.
- Empress 1908 Indigo Gin: Known for its unique blue color color and smooth botanical profile this brings a vibrancy to the drink making the cocktail a shade between red and pink. While Empress 1908 Gin adds a stunning hue, other gins work well too—just note the flavor might differ slightly depending on what kind of gin you use. What matters most is using a good quality gin but it is up to you whether you want to use a London dry gin, or a new world gin like Empress.
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Instructions
Combine Ingredients: In a cocktail shaker, add 1 ounce of cranberry simple syrup, 1 ounce of lime juice, 2 ounces of gin, and 2-3 dashes of orange bitters (if using).
Add Ice: Toss in a generous handful of ice cubes to chill and dilute the drink slightly.
Shake It Up: Cover the shaker and shake vigorously for 10 to 20 seconds. You’ll know it’s ready when the outside of the shaker feels icy cold.
Strain and Serve: Use a strainer to pour the drink into a coupe glass, leaving the ice behind.
Garnish and Enjoy: Thread a few cranberries and a lime slice onto a skewer and place it on the rim of the glass. Cheers!
Pairings
This cocktail pairs beautifully with hors d'oeuvres like creamy brie, smoked salmon, or a charcuterie board.
Tips, Tricks and Questions
If you like this Christmas Cranberry Gin Cocktail Recipe you might also like:
Cranberry Apple Shrub
Cranberry Margarita
Cranberry Bourbon Smash
Gin Gimlet Recipe
Cranberry Gin Cocktail
All the cranberry flavor you need for your next holiday party, this festive drink features tart cranberry, botanical gin, and zesty lime.
Ingredients
- 1 ounce cranberry simple syrup
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 2 ounces Empress 1908 Indigo Gin
- 2-3 dashes orange bitters (optional)
Instructions
- Add all of the ingredients to a cocktail shaker along with a large handful of ice. Cover and shake vigorously for 10 to 20 seconds until the drink is well chilled and diluted.
- Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with cranberries and/or a lime slice on a skewer. Cheers!
Notes
Cranberry Simple Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup fresh cranberries (or frozen)
- Add the water, sugar, and cranberries to a saucepan. Bring to medium heat on the stovetop.
- Once the saucepan is at a light boil reduce to medium-low heat and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The cranberries should break down during this cooking time.
- Move the saucepan off the heat and let it cool to room temperature.
- Using a fine mesh strainer strain all the cooked cranberries out from the syrup, use a rubber spatula to squeeze all the liquid out. Transfer the Cranberry Simple Syrup to an airtight glass jar for storage. Do to the nature of cranberries this syrup might be thick and almost jelly like as it cools down, this is normal.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
1Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 301Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 802mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 0g
Nutritional data is automated and might not be 100% accurate, final nutritional information will depend on ingredients used and any changes made.
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