8 Zingy Cranberry Cocktails to Mix Up This Thanksgiving

Give your Turkey Day a dose of tang with one of these tipples. 

Whether you serve jellied slices with the indentations from the can still visible or cook up a whole-berry version with baking spices and red wine, cranberry sauce is one of those accompaniments that has to be on the seasonal table. But why stop there? Begin your immediate-family, socially-distanced or virtual Thanksgiving gathering with one of these sweet-tart libations that will really make your holiday pop.

Cranberry and Potatoes

Recipe courtesy of Andy Bixby, Creative Director of Cocktails, Jack Rose Dining Saloon, Washington, D.C.

Drink Your Thanksgiving, courtesy of Jack Rose Dining Saloon

Drink Your Thanksgiving, courtesy of Jack Rose Dining Saloon

Since 2015, the whiskey mecca has been serving a five-course Thanksgiving dinner in liquid form using house made ingredients like sweet potato-infused Bourbon, savory stuffed rum and jet puffed marshmallow syrup. Among this year’s creations is a Yam Casserole Old Fashioned, Stuffing Daiquiri and this drink, which mixes a potato vodka from Pennsylvania with ginger liqueur, cranberry sauce and lemon; baked apple bitters lend a touch of seasonal spice.

Add all ingredients except nutmeg to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice and garnish with grated nutmeg, if desired. 

For the cranberry syrup:

Bring an ounce of water to a boil, add 2 oz. sugar and stir to dissolve. Lower heat to a simmer and add 1 oz. canned jellied cranberry sauce. Stir until fully-incorporated, remove from heat, let cool and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Cranberry Cooler

Recipe courtesy of Ben Rojo, Mixologist at Angel’s Share and Black Emperor, New York, NY

Rojo says this drink is inspired by a beloved must-have family recipe for cranberry sauce that he has made since he was twelve using just a cinnamon stick, honey bear and Tropicana pasteurized cranberry juice--albeit tweaked a bit. Don Papa rum gives lush body and aromatics, cranberry and pomegranate ends structure via tannin and acidity, citrus gives it a backbone and baking spices are warming. It accomplishes just what its namesake side dish does, he says. “Amid all the rich, roasted, and savory, a touch of sweet, sour, and bitter enlivens the palate and makes the whole meal a bit lighter and brighter.”

Cranberry Cooler, courtesy of Angel’s Share

Cranberry Cooler, courtesy of Angel’s Share

Add all ingredients except garnish to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice and garnish with the pomegranate arils and mint sprig.

For the spiced cranberry-pomegranate-honey syrup:

Combine ¼ cup cranberry juice, ¼ cup pomegranate juice, 1/2 cup honey, ½ cinnamon stick, ¼ tsp. ginger powder, and ¼ tsp. cloves in a saucepan.  Bring to a simmer and stir to combine. Remove from the heat, allow to cool, strain and store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

The Family Dinner, courtesy of Artingstall’s Brilliant London Dry Gin

The Family Dinner, courtesy of Artingstall’s Brilliant London Dry Gin

The Family Dinner

Recipe courtesy of Paul Feig, founder of Artingstall’s Brilliant London Dry Gin

Feig, the director behind films including Bridesmaids and Ghostbusters, created this take on classic cranberry sauce with a twist for those who look at the glass half full--and as a perfect antidote to this crazy year. “It's a seasonal sipper that’s so tasty, you’ll forget all about the score of the football game, the overpowering scent of pumpkin spice candles and Uncle Ray’s political opinions.”

Add all the ingredients except garnish to a cocktail shake and stir without ice to dissolve the maple syrup. Add ice and shake until well-chilled. Empty contents of shake into a Collins or highball glass, add extra ice to fill and garnish with frozen cranberries.

Spiced Cranberry Margarita, courtesy of Margaritaville Resort Orlando

Spiced Cranberry Margarita, courtesy of Margaritaville Resort Orlando

Spiced Cranberry Margarita

Recipe courtesy of Ryan McCurdy, Director of Food & Beverage, Margaritaville Resort Orlando, Orlando, FL

“Cranberry is a large part of a Thanksgiving Dinner and we wanted to incorporate the specialty cocktail to blend in with all the spices and flavors with all of our offerings,” McCurdy points out. “To mix Tequila, Grand Marnier and our specially-made cinnamon infused simple syrup will explode a special tingling on the palate!”

  • 1 ½ oz. reposado Tequila (like Cabo Wabo Reposado Tequila, which won a Silver medal at the 2020 NYISC)

  • ½ oz. Grand Marnier

  • ½-¾ oz. cinnamon-infused simple syrup (see Note)

  • ½ oz. lime sour mix (see Note)

  • Cranberry juice, to top

  • Cinnamon stick and orange slice, for garnish

Add the first four ingredients to a cocktail shake, add ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain the contents into a rocks glass over fresh ice, top with cranberry juice and garnish with the cinnamon stick and orange slice.

For the cinnamon-infused simple syrup:

Add 2 ½ oz sugar, 2 ½ oz. water and 5 cinnamon sticks to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Reduce heat and let simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from heat and let cool. After 8 hours remove cinnamon sticks and store syrup in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. 

For the lime sour mix:

Combine equal parts lime juice, cold-pressed orange juice, Agave in the Raw Agave Nectar and water. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

Time For Cheer, courtesy of Tussock Jumper Wines

Time For Cheer, courtesy of Tussock Jumper Wines

Time for Cheer

Recipe courtesy of Cassandra Rosen, Wine Educator, Tussock Jumper Wines

This wine-tail is low abv and full of zesty flavor, making it a great choice for a Turkey Day aperitif. “Homemade cranberry syrup balances the...cranberry and adds a festive rosy hue to the cocktail,” Rosen says. “It's the perfect drink for pairing with an eclectic holiday menu, with sweet citrus flower aromas from the Moscato, the tart flavors of the cranberries, and the juicy, green fruit flavors of the pear nectar."  

  • 4 oz. chilled Tussock Jumper Moscato

  • 1 oz. pear nectar

  • ½ oz. cranberry simple syrup (see Note)

  • Fresh mint sprig and lemon wheel, for garnish 

Add the pear nectar and cranberry simple syrup to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake for one minute. Strain into a coupe glass, gently top with Moscato and garnish with the mint and lemon. 

For the cranberry simple syrup:

Put ½ cup cranberries into a small saucepan, add 1 tablespoon sugar and 2 tablespoon warm water. Cook over low heat until syrupy and thickened, about 10 minutes. Strain and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Count Your Blessings, courtesy of Hotel Hassler Roma

Count Your Blessings, courtesy of Hotel Hassler Roma

Count Your Blessings

Recipe courtesy of Stefano Santucci, Head Barman, Hotel Hassler Roma, Rome, Italy

“Designed and created during the COVID-19 pandemic period, Count Your Blessings is an antivirus antidote cocktail rich in vitamin C, D, B1, B2 and B3, thanks to red and tropical fruits’ extracts,” Santucci says. Thanksgiving may look different this year, and we may be toasting our loved ones on Zoom rather than across the table, but we still have a lot for which to be thankful. 

  • 1 oz. Knob Creek Rye Whiskey (or Rittenhouse Rye Whiskey, which won a Gold medal at the 2020 NYISC)

  • 2 tbsp. cranberry sauce

  • 1 tbsp. maple syrup

  • 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

  • Cranberries and/or lemon peel, for garnish

Add all ingredients except garnish to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with the cranberries and/or lemon peel. 

Cranberry

Recipe courtesy of Khora, Cincinnati, OH

Cranberry, courtesy of Khora

Cranberry, courtesy of Khora

A nod to some people’s favorite Thanksgiving side dish, this refreshing vodka cocktail captures the spirit of autumn. The Cranberry is rounded out with the nuttiness of Amontillado Sherry and the complexity of Cocchi Vermouth di Torino.

Add the first six ingredients to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake until well-chilled. Double-strain into a Collins glass over crushed ice, garnish with mint and spritz with the Laphroaig.

For the cranberry syrup:

Bring an ounce of water to a boil, add 2 oz. sugar and stir to dissolve. Lower heat to a simmer and add 1 oz. canned jellied cranberry sauce. Stir until fully-incorporated, remove from heat, let cool and store in the refrigerator for up to a week. 

Cran-Raspberry Negroni

Recipe courtesy of Will Gilson, Chef, Ocean Spray’s Cranberry Chef Collective

The viral TikTok video where Idaho dad Nathan Apodaca skateboards to work while singing Fleetwood Mac’s “Dreams” and drinking Ocean Spray Cran-Raspberry was everywhere this fall. If you haven’t yet recorded your own parody, mix up this homage from Gilson before uploading it to fellow TikTokers.

Cran-Raspberry Negroni, courtesy of Ocean Spray

Cran-Raspberry Negroni, courtesy of Ocean Spray

4 servings 

Add all ingredients except garnish to a cocktail shaker, add ice and shake until well-chilled. Strain into rocks glasses over fresh ice and garnish with the fresh cranberries and orange twists.

Cocktails, RecipesKelly Magyaricsthanksgiving, recipesComment