Cranberry Xmas Cocktail
E
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Simmer cranberries with cinnamon and sugar, strain to make syrup. Rim glass with sugared lime. Ice-filled glass awaits cranberry juice, syrup, vodka. Stir then top with lemon-lime soda. Garnish with cranberries and lime. Watch for simmering sugar dissolving, bubbling small but steady. Rim moisture key for sugar grip. Adjust sugar or swap vodka with gin or white rum for twist. Carbonation adds sparkle; soda choice affects sweetness and bite. Feel texture shift in syrup thickness, listen for simmer sound change and aroma fullness. Avoid overcooking syrup or syrup will get bitter, sugar graininess means undercooked. Keep vodka chilled to prevent dilution. Use frozen cranberries if fresh unavailable, they slow melting, keep drink colder longer.
Prep:
12 min
Cook:
6 min
Total:
18 min
Servings:
1 serving
#holiday drink
#cocktail
#cranberry
#vodka
#winter
#christmas
#cinnamon
#syrup
#frozen fruit
That feeling when holiday cocktails hit just right. Cranberry, cinnamon, that sugar snap on rim. I’ve tried this with plain cranberry syrup — bland. Adding simmered cinnamon and fresh cranberries changes everything. Watch syrup bubble; smells earthy, sweet, a little spice. Rim sugar not just garnish — it’s crunch, texture shifts, sharp contrast to smooth vodka bite. Tried vodka swaps; gin echoes citrus, rum softens edges. Carbonation’s tricky — fizz too wild, drink flattens fast. Layer flavors carefully, stir to blend without dulling sparkle. Frozen berries look festive, keep things chill, less water slowing your punch. The timing of simmer? Get cozy, small bubbles, syrup thickens, sweetens but no bitterness. I keep this simple, no fuss. The details make or break punchy nostalgia in a glass.
Ingredients
- 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 ounces cranberry juice
- 1 ounce homemade cranberry cinnamon syrup
- 1 1/4 ounces vodka (substitute white rum or gin)
- lemon-lime soda to top
- 1 lime wedge
- sugar for rimming
- fresh or frozen whole cranberries for garnish
About the ingredients
Use fresh cranberries if you can. Frozen works fine, slows melt, gives a nice chill hold to garnish. Cinnamon stick best whole to infuse without overpowering; ground cinnamon hits bitter quicker. Sugar type adjusts sweetness—white sugar dissolves clean; brown sugar adds molasses depth but clouds syrup. Water quantity controls thickness; less water equals syrupier more intense mix, more water lighter syrup. Vodka is base; gin or white rum swap if you want floral or tropical twist. Lemon-lime soda adds effervescence but varies widely—choose fruity versions for sweeter, or plain to avoid masking cranberry tartness. Rimming the glass needs sticky liquid; lime juice calls up brightness, syrup adds sweetness. If none, water will do as last resort but rim sugar won’t stick as well. Always taste syrup for sweet-tart balance before mixing.
Method
- Put cranberries water cinnamon stick sugar in small pan. Bring to low simmer, stirring gently until sugar disappears and cranberries start to burst. Listen for small bubbles rising steadily; syrup thickens slightly when ready. Around 5-6 minutes, not longer or syrup turns bitter.
- Strain syrup through fine mesh or cheesecloth into container. Press gently on cranberries to extract flavor without clouding syrup with pulp or seeds. Cool before use.
- Prep glass by moistening rim with lime wedge juice or a dab of syrup; water works in pinch but sticky liquids stick better. Dip rim onto shallow plate of sugar until evenly coated; uneven sugar ruins look and taste. Pat excess gently if clumps form.
- Fill glass with ice chunks, preferably large pieces or cracked ice to slow dilution. Pour cranberry juice in first; layering maintains fresh tartness.
- Add 1 ounce cranberry cinnamon syrup, then vodka or chosen spirit. Stir briskly to combine flavors, not too hard to avoid bruising spirit but enough to chill uniformly.
- Top carefully with lemon-lime soda to avoid fizz overflow. Optionally, stir lightly once more to meld carbonation without losing sparkle.
- Garnish with few cranberries, fresh or frozen, plus lime slice for sharp aroma. Frozen berries slow melt rate; they rattle delightfully on glass rim as you sip.
- Adjust sweetness by modifying syrup quantity, or swap vodka for gin’s botanical notes or white rum’s tropical hint to shift character.
Cooking tips
Watch the syrup, not the clock. Small steady bubbles, loud crackle fading to soft pop means almost done. Stir gently slow dissolving sugar; avoid boiling hard or you burn sugar, bitterness kicks in fast. Strain to keep syrup smooth—no pulp or grainy bits. Rim the glass well; uneven sugar clumps look cheap and ruin mouthfeel. Ice choice matters; big cubes melt slower, cracked ice chills fast but dilutes quicker. Layer liquids so tart cranberry juice hits ice first, then syrup, then spirit. Stir quickly but gently—not to flatten soda’s sparkle. Pour soda slowly over back of spoon if you want less fizz aggression, or top direct for wild fizz. Garnish chill helps hold cold. Frozen cranberries keep cold longer, add bite sounds that make sipping fun. Adjust sweetness post-mix as you like.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Watch syrup not clock. Small steady bubbles mean almost done. Big boil ruins sugar, bitterness kicks quick. Stir gently slow sugar dissolving, no crystals left. Press cranberries in strainer lightly, no pulp or seeds. Cool syrup before mixing; hot syrup messes ice, water dilution.
- 💡 Rim glass needs sticky liquid. Lime juice bright and sharp, syrup sweeter option. Water last resort but sugar won't stick strong. Dip rim into sugar evenly, uneven sugar clumps ruin mouthfeel and look cheap. Pat excess sugar gently or fall off later when drinking.
- 💡 Ice choice changes dilution speed. Big chunks melt slow, preserve flavor. Cracked ice chills fast but waters down quicker. Frozen berries in glass add chill, slow melt more than fresh. Also rattle on glass rim, small sound while sipping, texture contrast.
- 💡 Layer liquids for fresh tartness. Pour cranberry juice first to hit ice. Syrup next, syrup thickness shifts mouthfeel noticeably. Add vodka or rum gently. Stir briskly but not so hard spirit bruised, sparkle lost. Soda last, top slow back spoon pour reduces fizz burst.
- 💡 Adjust sweetness after stirring, syrup quantity flexible. Swap vodka with gin for botanical notes, white rum for tropical fruit edge. Carbonation levels vary widely; fruity soda sweeter, plain soda keeps tartness raw. Simmer cinnamon stick whole; ground bitter fast. Frozen cranberries slow melt, keep drink colder.
Common questions
Why syrup turns bitter?
Boil hot too long. Sugar burns. Bitter taste jumps fast. Slow simmer small bubble steady. Watch color change lightly. Stop at 5-6 minutes max. Longer ruins syrup.
Can I use ground cinnamon?
Not best. Ground cinnamon bitter cooks fast, ruins balance. Stick whole cinnamon. Infuse flavor without harshness. Want spice punch stir later fresh ground ginger instead.
How to keep drink cold without dilution?
Use large ice cubes or cracked ice layered. Frozen cranberries help slow temp rise. Avoid crushed ice, melts quick, waters down fast. Freeze citrus wedges too for slow melt aroma release.
What if no fresh cranberries?
Frozen work fine. Slower melting keeps drink chill longer. Adds subtle texture crunch garnish. Fresh bursts flavor early but melts faster causing faster dilution. Both okay just adjust melt time.
