Sparkling Cranberry Cocktail

This Cranberry Cocktail recipe is the toast of the holiday season! Made with vodka, hard cider, and cranberry juice, this elegant cocktail is so easy to make. Garnish it with sugar covered rosemary and cranberries for a festive look.

It's important to have a good Christmas Cocktail recipe in your back pocket. Just like our Festive Empress Gin Fizz and Spiked Egg Nog Cocktail, this recipe screams holiday, and it doesn't take much time to make. Whip up a batch in minutes to serve to your guests at holiday cocktail parties, cookie swaps, or as a before dinner drink. They will definitely be asking you for the recipe!

Jump to:

• Ingredients
• How to make this recipe
• Substitutions
• Top tip
• Serving suggestions
• More Christmas cocktails
• Sparkling Cranberry Cocktail recipe
• Related recipes

Ingredients

• VODKA: we like flavored vodka for this recipe, like Absolut Juice Apple
• HARD CIDER: we like Angry Orchard Rosé for its color & sweetness
• CRANBERRY JUICE: just a splash
• FRESH CRANBERRIES: for garnish
• SUGAR: to coat cranberries and rosemary for a holiday look
• FRESH ROSEMARY: several rosemary sprigs for garnish

How to make this recipe

1. Fill 12 oz glass with crushed ice. Pour vodka into a glass. Then top with hard cider and cranberry juice.
2. Place sugar on a small plate and rinse cranberries off. Roll them in the sugar to coat, then add them to drink along with a sprig of fresh rosemary.
3. Serve.

HINT: No need for a cocktail shaker. Layering the ingredients of this cocktail tastes great!

Substitutions

• VODKA: If you don't have Apple Juice Vodka, you can use regular vodka and add more cranberry juice (or a splash of apple juice) instead.
• HARD CIDER: We really like the taste of hard cider in this recipe, but you can always substitute Champagne, Prosecco, or sparkling wine for extra sparkle.
• MOCKTAIL: club soda, cranberry juice, and apple juice will do the trick.

Top tip

For a Christmas Cocktail look: roll both the cranberries and rosemary sprigs in sugar.

Serving suggestions

• Elevate your holiday brunch! Sip on these cranberry cocktails as you nibble on mini quiches and a cheese plate.
• A pitcher of Sparkling Cranberry Cocktails will be the hit of your holiday cocktail parties! Serve them with a cheese board and Artichoke Tapenade.
• Surprise your friends at the cookie exchange! These holiday vodka cocktails taste great with Teekuchen Cut-Out Cookies, Cinnamon Rugelach, and Cocoa Drop cookies.
• Serve your guests a cranberry cocktail when they arrive for Christmas dinner. It's a great way to start a meal.

More Christmas cocktails

Festive Empress Gin Fizz: a sweet and pretty drink with a "punch", this holiday cocktail combines gin with ginger beer and fresh cranberries.

Violet Femme Sparkling Purple Gin Cocktail: this elegant cocktail with a stunning violet hue is flavored with Empress Gin, grapefruit juice, and elderflower liqueur.

Spiked Eggnog Cocktail: Rum Chata, Eggnog, and a shot of cinnamon whiskey make this gorgeous wintery white drink a Christmas favorite.

Clementine Champagne Cocktail: A drink worthy of celebration, this sweet & bubbly champagne cocktail is an elegant sip to get the party started.

Red Russian with Rosemary Simple Syrup: this sweet vodka cocktail is the perfect shade of holiday red.

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