Cranberry Orange Whiskey co*cktail (2024)

Published: Nov 10, 2018 · Modified: Oct 2, 2020 by Lexi

This Cranberry Orange Whiskey co*cktail is the perfect boozy complement to your holiday menu. It's easy to make and the perfect balance of tart, sweet and spice.

The holiday season is obviously one of the best times of year when it comes to food.

We've already been taking full advantage of our favorite fall produce. (See wild rice stuffed acorn squash, maple mustard brussels sprouts and butternut squash lasagna!)

The most fun part about all of these new recipes is pairing them with our favorite wintery drinks. This cranberry orange whiskey co*cktail has all of the warming fall flavors to pair perfectly with just about any fall recipe!

Not an avid whiskey drinker? To be honest, same. That being said, I LOVE this co*cktail and it's definitely convincing me to give whiskey another try.

Even if you don't think you like whiskey, give this recipe a try. And if you still really don't like it, you can always sub whiskey with vodka.

Ingredients

• Cranberry juice: we use unsweetened cranberry juice in this recipe. If you use sweetened, you may want to cut back on the simple syrup.
• Orange juice: freshly squeezed always tastes best, but store-bought is perfectly fine, too.
• Whiskey: the better quality, the better this co*cktail will taste!
• Cointreau: or another orange liqueur like Triple Sec.
• Lemon juice: freshly squeezed is definitely best in this recipe.
• Simple syrup: you can use homemade or store-bought. Instructions for homemade simple syrup below.
• Thyme: a few springs of fresh thyme will do. If you don't have any, use one sprig of rosemary or leave out altogether.
• Ginger beer: you can use alcoholic or nonalcoholic ginger beer.

Instructions

The major flavors in this wintery drink are cranberries and orange. They're two of our favorite seasonal flavors between November and January. Together, cranberry and orange is bright, tart and sweet all at the same time.

We added a bit of lemon juice for extra acid and balanced out the drink with a hit of simple syrup. Finally, fresh thyme leaves give a beautiful savory and herbal note to this homemade drink.

To make this simple winter co*cktail, simply combine all of the ingredients except ginger beer in a co*cktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds.

No shaker? No problem. You can use a lidded glass jar, or even a large glass and stir your co*cktail instead of shaking it. (Note: shaking is the best way to evenly distribute flavors.)

Then, serve up your festive co*cktail in small glasses. We like to top each glass with a floater of ginger beer. It cuts through any sweetness from the fruit juices and melds so well with whiskey.

How to make simple syrup

This co*cktail calls for simple syrup, which you can either purchase ahead of time or make homemade.

Luckily, homemade simple syrup is ridiculously easy to make; we always keep a batch on hand.

Simply bring equal parts sugar and water to a simmer in a small saucepan, stir until sugar dissolves, remove from heat and let cool. For a small batch, we suggest ½ cup each of sugar and water. Store in refrigerator.

Make ahead instructions

This co*cktail is perfect for making ahead in a pitcher for a holiday party/gathering.

Start by multiplying the ingredients by the desired amount of servings. Add everything except ginger beer to a large pitcher and store well. Refrigerate until ready to serve, then stir well before pouring into glasses. Top off each individual glass with ginger beer.

You can store the co*cktail (without ginger beer) in the fridge for up to 5 days. However if using freshly squeezed juices, we suggest consuming within 2-3 days.

More Holiday co*cktail Recipes:

Don't stop now! Here are more warming winter drinks to put your bar cart to work this holiday season:

• Hot Apple Cider co*cktail
• Pear Vodka co*cktail
• Fig Moscow Mule
• Apple Pear Martini
• Cranberry Orange Mimosa

If you make this Cranberry Orange Whiskey co*cktail, we’d love for you to leave a comment and rating below! We also love to see your creations onInstagram– tag us at @crowded_kitchen so we can see what you’ve been cooking.

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