• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Mitten Girl
  • Cocktails
  • Mocktails
  • Recipes
  • Book/Classes
  • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Cocktails
  • Mocktails
  • Recipes
  • Book/Classes
  • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Cocktails
    • Mocktails
    • Recipes
    • Book/Classes
    • Work with Me
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Cocktail Recipes

    Simple Cranberry Gin Christmas Cocktail

    Published: Nov 23, 2020 · Updated: Aug 30, 2023 by Katy McAvoy

    I love when you share my recipes!

    • 300
    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·★★★★★5 from 2 reviews

    This post contains affiliate links.

    The perfect Christmas cocktail for the holiday season, this 4 ingredient cranberry gin cocktail is an easy recipe for entertaining or simply for creating your own holiday cheer.

    Cranberry Gin Cocktail
    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • How to Make a Cranberry Gin Cocktail
    • Make Your Own Rosemary Simple Syrup
    • Recipe Tips
    • Looking for more Christmas Cocktail Recipes?
    • FAQs and Substitutions
    • What to serve with Cranberry Gin Cocktails
    • More Delicious Recipes You'll Love
    • Print the Recipe Card
    • Cranberry Gin Christmas Cocktail

    Festive cocktails for holiday parties and Christmas dinner can be over the top. Many include rich liqueurs, egg yolks, egg white, heavy cream, or festive spices.

    This drink has none of those ingredients. Simple and delicious, this cranberry gin cocktail is a great choice for the holidays but with only 4 ingredients, it's also an easy choice.

    Orange bitters impart citrus flavor while taking the place of more tart mixers like lime juice, fresh lemon juice, or other citrus juices. The rosemary simple syrup gives this refreshing drink an unexpected twist and pairs perfectly with herbaceous gin.

    The flavor of juniper berries in the gin pairs well with rosemary and pure cranberry juice to create a drink that's not too sweet. Serve this Christmas gin cocktail at your next holiday party!

    Ingredients like cinnamon stick, star anise, and even ginger beer are common in festive gin cocktails, but they tend to overwhelm the other ingredients in your drink.

    By leaving out those spicy ingredients this delicious cocktail is a great sip for the gin lover in your life because you can actually taste the gin!

    Ingredients

    Ingredients for a Christmas Gin Cocktail - Gin, cranberry juice, rosemary syrup, orange bitters.
    • Cranberry juice - Use your favorite 100% cranberry juice brand. Skip the cranberry juice cocktail that's mostly sugar or the cranberry blends with other flavors in them.
    • Gin - I love New Holland Knickerbocker in this cocktail because it's flavors blend well with the rosemary. Choose your favorite gin for this cocktail.
    • Rosemary simple syrup - This syrup takes only three ingredients and five minutes to make. It's a quick syrup to make at home, just be sure to give it time to cool completely before using.
    • Orange bitters - Orange bitters help keep the sweetness in check and add a little orange flavor to this cocktail.

    How to Make a Cranberry Gin Cocktail

    Put all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. 

    Cranberry juice being poured into a cocktail shaker.

    Shake it up and strain into a glass filled with fresh ice. 

    Cranberry Gin Cocktail being poured from a cocktail shaker into a glass filled with ice.

    Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and/or some frozen cranberries

    Enjoy! 

    A glass of cranberry Christmas Cocktail garnished with rosemary.

    Make Your Own Rosemary Simple Syrup

    Homemade rosemary simple syrup is quick (5 minutes!) and easy to make using fresh rosemary and pantry ingredients. Just follow my recipe for easy rosemary syrup.

    A bottle of rosemary syrup.

    Recipe Tips

    • Make your rosemary syrup in advance. When you’re making homemade simple syrup, it needs time to cool. Using warm syrup will cause the ice to melt too fast when you shake up your drink, leading to a watered down cocktail. 
    • Use 100% juice! Be sure to choose pure cranberry juice instead of cranberry juice cocktail, which is mostly sugar. Using anything besides 100% cranberry juice will change the flavor of your drink and make it overly sweet. 
    • Since you’re pouring it over ice, choose a rocks glass or brandy snifter for serving this drink. 

    Looking for more Christmas Cocktail Recipes?

    Holiday entertaining can be stressful! Make it easier on yourself with some quick and delicious holiday drink recipes! Cranberry Mimosas are easy to make for a crowd and perfect for a holiday brunch or luncheon.

    Looking for a sweet cocktail for after dinner? Shake up some Candy Cane Martinis or Peppermint Mocha Martinis.

    Want to serve something non-alcoholic? Try my Pomegranate Christmas Punch!

    Cranberries being dropped into a glass of cranberry mimosa.
    Cranberry Mimosas

    FAQs and Substitutions

    What can I substitute for the rosemary syrup?

    If you don't have rosemary on hand, you can substitute simple syrup or honey syrup.

    What kind of gin should I use?

    Choose a gin with lots of herb flavor in it. I love Knickerbocker Gin by New Holland Distillery here in West Michigan. Tanqueray or Bombay Gin are also juniper-forward and would be delicious in this cocktail. If you're new to gin, try Beefeater gin or Aviation gin.

    How should I garnish this cocktail?

    Frozen cranberries, fresh cranberries, a big sprig of rosemary, and/or a twist of orange peel are all fun garnishes to give this drink a festive finish. (And even though they're green and festive, skip the slice of lime or mint leaves. The flavors will clash with the rosemary and overwhelm the drink.)

    Fresh cranberries and rosemary in a glass of cranberry gin Christmas cocktail.

    What to serve with Cranberry Gin Cocktails

    A bright cranberry cocktail needs a savory snack. For the holidays, I love serving snack and appetizers that I can make well ahead of time. These Savory Spiced Nuts are made in the slow cooker giving you time to do other things. Or try my BBQ Oyster Crackers which are a little sweet, a little spicy, and highly addictive.

    Savory Spiced Nuts
    Savory Spiced Nuts
    BBQ Oyster crackers in a bowl
    BBQ Oyster Crackers

    More Delicious Recipes You'll Love

    • Orange Ginger Gin Cocktail
    • Apple Cinnamon Gin - DIY Liquor Infusions
    • Apple Old Fashioned is the Perfect Fall Cocktail
    • Bee's Knees Gin Cocktail (Video)
    • Cranberry Shortbread Cookies

    Print the Recipe Card

    Print

    Cranberry Gin Christmas Cocktail

    Cranberry Gin Cocktail
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    ★★★★★

    5 from 2 reviews

    Simple, delicious, and festive, this cranberry gin cocktail is perfect for the holidays. The rosemary syrup gives it an unexpected twist.

    • Author: Katy McAvoy
    • Prep Time: 5 min
    • Cook Time: 0 min
    • Total Time: 5 min
    • Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
    • Category: Cocktails
    • Method: Cocktail Shaker
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Units Scale
    • 2 oz cranberry juice
    • 2 oz gin
    • 1 oz rosemary simple syrup
    • 3 dashes orange bitters

    Instructions

    Put all ingredients into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. 

    Shake it up and strain into a glass filled with fresh ice. 

    Garnish with a sprig of rosemary and/or some frozen cranberries. 

    Enjoy! 

    Equipment

    Image of Brandy Snifter

    Brandy Snifter

    Buy Now →
    Image of Cocktail Shaker

    Cocktail Shaker

    Buy Now →
    Image of Jigger

    Jigger

    Buy Now →
    Image of Rocks Glass

    Rocks Glass

    Buy Now →
    Image of Orange Bitters

    Orange Bitters

    Buy Now →

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 cocktail
    • Calories: 216
    • Sugar: 19.6 g
    • Sodium: 4 mg
    • Fat: 0.1 g
    • Carbohydrates: 20.2 g
    • Fiber: 0.1 g
    • Protein: 0.2 g
    • Cholesterol: 0 mg

    Keywords: cranberry, gin, gin cocktail, rosemary simple syrup, holiday drinks, Christmas drinks

    Did you make this recipe?

    Share a photo and tag me @katymcavoy on Instagram! I can’t wait to see what you made!

    Cocktail Recipes

    • A glass of strawberry basil cocktail garnished with a basil leaf.
      Sparkling Strawberry Basil Cocktail with Prosecco
    • A pair of strawberry lemon drop martinis.
      Strawberry Lemon Drop Martini Cocktail
    • A glass of peach old fashioned cocktail.
      Peach Old Fashioned Bourbon Cocktail Recipe for Summer
    • A copper cup of Peach Moscow Mule.
      Easy Ginger Peach Moscow Mule Recipe

    I love when you share my recipes!

    • 300

    About Katy McAvoy

    Katy is the author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, and Michigander behind MittenGirl.com. Since 2017, she's been crafting easy-to-make cocktails and delicious meals, along with sharing her love of all things Michigan (a.k.a. The Mitten)!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Leave a Reply Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe rating ★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

    1. Trish

      January 21, 2021 at 4:12 pm

      I have to admit, I was skeptical of this one, since I’m not a big cranberry fan. My husband is, so we gave it a shot. It’s wonderful! The orange bitters make all the difference I think.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • MittenGirl

        January 22, 2021 at 9:53 am

        I'm so glad you liked it!! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Betsey Ingraham

      January 22, 2021 at 9:19 am

      Making the rosemary syrup was super easy. We didn't have fresh rosemary, but the dried worked well as a substitute.
      We enjoyed cranberry gin cocktails as part of our New Year celebration. They are almost too good!! Not too much cranberry or gin. Just the right balance.

      ★★★★★

      Reply
      • MittenGirl

        January 22, 2021 at 9:54 am

        Good to know that dried rosemary worked great for the syrup! So glad you liked the cocktail. 🙂

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    Katy McAvoy

    Hi! I’m Katy (she/her). I’m an author, photographer, home cook, mixologist, Michigander, and lover of all things food and drink. I never turn down a good happy hour and believe that a couple hours of meal prep pays off for days. Follow me on Instagram to check out what I’m working on next!

    More about me →

    Search

    Buy Homemade Happy Hour, a Cocktail Book

    Weekly Newsletter

    Join my email list and get my 5 CLASSIC COCKTAILS EBOOK sent to you immediately!

    Sign Up Now

    Subscribers receive delicious recipes in their inbox each week.

    Halloween Recipes

    • A glass of non-alcoholic Halloween drink.
      Brain Freeze! A Non-Alcoholic Halloween Drink
    • Bloody Ghost Halloween Vodka Cocktail.
      Bloody Ghost Halloween Vodka Cocktail
    • Two glasses filled with Halloween mocktails for kids.
      Quick and Easy Halloween Mocktail (Non Alcoholic) 
    • A tray of candy corn shortbread cookies.
      Slice and Bake Candy Corn Halloween Cookie Recipe

    Most Searched Recipes

    • Pumpkin Spice Syrup
      Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup for Coffee and Lattes 
    • Caramel Apple Cocktail
      Caramel Apple Vodka Cocktail with Apple Cider
    • Lavender Lemon Drop Martini
      Easy Lavender Lemon Drop Martini with Vodka
    • BBQ Meatballs in a bowl, garnished with parsley.
      Easy 15 Minute Stove Top BBQ Meatballs
    • Tomato Rice and Beans
      Easy Tomato Rice and Beans on the Stove Top
    • Non Alcoholic Piña Colada Mocktails
      Piña Colada Mocktail Recipe (Without a Blender)
    • Cranberry Mocktail
      Easy Mocktail Recipes for Non-Alcoholic Drinks
    • Homemade Peach Syrup in a bottle.
      Easy Homemade Peach Syrup for Cocktails and Mocktails
    • Glass filled with mocktail drink and garnished with a cherry and orange slice.
      Easy and Delicious Mocktail for Kids (Without Sugary Soda)
    • A Pineapple Mai Tai in a pineapple shaped glass.
      The Best Pineapple Mai Tai Rum Cocktail

    Footer

    Website

    Privacy Policy

    Disclaimer

    Terms & Conditions

    Newsletter

    Sign Up! for weekly emails

    Contact

    Work with Me

    Contact Me

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Mitten Girl LLC

    773 shares
    • 300