A delightful holiday cocktail featuring my signature Roasted Cranberry Sauce as the base, combined with gin (or you can use vodka for a different twist), orange juice, and tonic water, garnished with fresh thyme and frozen cranberries. It’s a simple and refreshing drink that you have to make for your festive celebrations!
It’s December, which means it’s time to kick off the holiday party season! This year, I’ve crafted a brand-new and festive cocktail, perfect for the holidays. The Roasted Cranberry Gin Cocktail embodies all the wonderful flavors of fall and the vibrant, deep red color of the holiday season. This simple and refreshingly delicious cocktail features my signature Roasted Cranberry Sauce as the base, mixed with gin (although you can use vodka for a different twist), freshly squeezed orange juice, and tonic or sparkling water. Shake it up and pour it over ice in a festive glass. With its stunning deep red hue and garnishes of fresh thyme and frozen cranberries, it’s the perfect libation for holiday parties. Don’t you agree?
Roasted Cranberry Sauce Base
I enjoy making multiple batches of my Roasted Cranberry Sauce, first time for Thanksgiving and then again in the following weeks for using in this festive cocktail recipe for holiday entertaining. I especially appreciate using it in cocktails because of its vibrant color and tart flavor, which results in perfectly balanced, not overly sweet drinks – just the way I like them! Of course, you have the flexibility to adjust the sweetness to your taste by using simple syrup or agave nectar. If you prefer a non-alcoholic version, you can skip the gin or vodka and use cranberry juice instead, following the same recipe.
Easy Cocktail Recipe
This cocktail recipe is both simple and straightforward. Whether you’re a newbie like me when it comes to crafting cocktails at home or an experienced mixologist, this easy cocktail is sure to impress your friends and family. I’ve linked a short video below that I put together for you that you can follow and easily whip up this signature concoction in your own kitchen. Now, you can prepare individual servings in a cocktail shaker like I do in the video or scale up the recipe by combining everything in a pitcher, straining it into festive glasses, and garnishing each one before handing out. Don’t forget to give it a good stir to ensure the even distribution of the cranberry base before pouring it into individual glasses!
2 oz. (1/4 cup/59 ml) gin (see Notes and Variations)
2 oz. ((1/4 cup/59 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1/2 a juicy navel or Valencia orange)
agave nectar, honey or simple syrup, to taste
1 cup ice
tonic water or club soda
1–2 sprigs of fresh thyme, for garnish (see Variations)
frozen or fresh cranberries, for garnish
Instructions
Add the roasted cranberry sauce, gin/vodka, orange juice, agave nectar/honey/simple syrup and ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake well. Pour the mixture over ice in cocktail glasses and top with tonic water or club soda (see Notes).
Garnish with a sprig of fresh thyme and a couple of fresh or frozen cranberries. Cheers!
You can make your favorite recipe for cranberry sauce or use store-bought sauce.
My Favorite Gin Bottle
Gin is one of those interesting spirits that varies in taste from brand to brand and even bottle to bottle depending on the botanical blend used to craft it. While I am by no means an expert in the subtleties of gin, The Botanist Gin is what I used for this recipe and would recommend it but you can use any other clear gin from your favorite brand.
Scale it up!
You can scale up the recipe by combining everything in a pitcher, straining it into individual glasses, and garnishing each one. Don’t forget to give it a good stir to ensure the even distribution of the cranberry base before pouring it into individual glasses.
Recipe Variations
Use vodka instead of gin and experience the difference in taste. Although both drinks look similar, they are very different on the palate. Gin has a distinctive herbal taste as it is distilled with juniper berries and botanicals giving it their distinct flavors. Vodka is water-based and generally neutral or tasteless.
You can also use rosemary sprigs instead of thyme for garnishing.
Hi I’m Vasanti
…and I ❤️cooking ‘n clicking!!
I share a modern take on Indian cuisine made using nontraditional techniques and ingredients, while staying true to its authenticity. You’ll also find classic recipes from my beloved Maharashtrian culture and heritage.
Leave a Message