Cranberry-Infused Holiday Cocktails

White Cosmopolitan

White cranberry juice is a little sweeter than its more popular red counterpart. This drink is balanced with a little lime juice and orange bitters.

Serves | 1 |

• 2 oz vodka
• ½ oz lime juice
• 1 oz white cranberry juice
• ¾ oz Grand Marnier
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• orange twist (for garnish)
• fresh cranberries (for garnish)

| Preparation | In a shaker with ice, combine vodka, lime juice, white cranberry juice and bitters. Shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled and mixed. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with an orange twist and/or fresh cranberries.

Cranberry Moscow Mule

Moscow Mules were one of the first classic cocktails to gain mainstream popularity over the last few years. This version adds cranberry juice, which pairs well with the ginger beer. It has all the flavors of a Moscow Mule with a little added sweetness.

Serves | 1 |

• 2 oz vodka
• ½ oz fresh lime juice
• 1 oz cranberry juice
• 4 oz ginger beer
• lime wedges (for garnish)
• fresh cranberries (for garnish)

| Preparation | In a copper mug filled with ice, combine vodka, lime juice and cranberry juice. Top off with ginger beer and garnish with limes and/or fresh cranberries.

Spiced Cranberry Blood & Sand

Homemade cranberry sauce is so complex thanks to tart fruit and fall spices; it's a perfect match with the traditional Blood & Sand cocktail.

Cranberry Sauce

• 1 lb fresh cranberries
• 2 cups sugar
• ⅓ cup water
• 1 stick cinnamon
• ½ tsp allspice
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• juice of 1 orange
• zest of ½ orange

Blood & Sand

• ¾ oz scotch
• ¾ oz Cherry Heering
• ¾  oz orange juice
• ¾ oz sweet vermouth
• 1 tsp cranberry sauce (recipe below)
• orange twist (for garnish
• cinnamon stick (for garnish)

| Preparation - Cranberry Sauce | In a medium pot, combine cranberries, sugar and water. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat. Reduce to a simmer and add cinnamon stick, allspice and nutmeg. Stir to combine and simmer for an additional 5 to 7 minutes; some cranberries will burst and some will remain whole. Add orange juice and zest, stir and remove from heat and let cool. 

| Preparation - Blood & Sand | In a shaker with ice, combine all ingredients except garnishes; shake vigorously until thoroughly chilled and mixed. Strain into a lowball glass and garnish with orange twist and cinnamon stick.

Cranberry Old Fashioned

This play on the Old Fashioned uses the syrup from the above cranberry sauce recipe in place of simple syrup. The drink is still bourbon forward but with a tart twist.

• 3 oz bourbon
• ½ oz cranberry sauce (recipe above)
• 2 dashes orange bitters

| Preparation | In a shaker filled with ice, combine all ingredients. Stir for 30 seconds and strain into a lowball glass with an oversized ice cube.