Something Special 🥃 For Santa This Year!🎄🎁
Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, except for me. I was stirring this Christmas Cranberry Old Fashioned Cocktail to leave on the mantle place for Santa’s surprise. I figured, he’s been working very hard and deserves a little extra special surprise tonight.
Instead of the usual cookies and milk, I’m leaving something that’s bound to get a little extra something left in my stocking overnight! Who says Christmas is just for kids?
This is the kind of cocktail to sit a bit and sip a bit. Enjoy this one by the fire, with your favorite elf reindeer friend.
If you’re familiar with my penchant for bourbon, it will come as no surprise that I would find a rift on the old fashioned cocktail that’s perfect for the holidays. A heavenly combination of the flavor of bourbon with cranberry and orange. Who ever you’re spending your evening with, why not try a Christmas Cranberry Old Fashioned Cocktail. Oh, I promise you, if you like bourbon, this is going to be a new holiday favorite!
There’s a little extra effort into this cocktail, but the end result is well worth it. Just take time a little time out a few days ahead to make your ice cubes and prepare your cranberry simple syrup. The addition of the garnish and beautiful ice makes this cocktail so special. Maybe even special and festive enough for your most eagerly anticipated guest of the year (whoever that may be).
For another fabulous classic holiday cocktail, here’s my recipe for spiked, homemade eggnog! It’s beyond delicious and can’t ever be compared to store bought. Here’s a link: https://wp.me/p9KEfL-1xG
Christmas Cranberry Old Fashioned Cocktail
First, make a cranberry simple syrup. Into a small sauce pan, add 1 cup sugar with 1 cup fresh cranberries and 1 cup water. Heat on high until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the cranberries have popped and continue to cook, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Using either a blender, immersion blender or even just a potato masher, mix until fairly smooth. Strain through a fine sieve. Chill the syrup in a covered container or glass jar with a fitted top.
This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 30 days.
Rosemary and Cranberry giant Ice Cubes
Using a large square ice cube tray, drop about 3 fresh cranberries into each square along with one 1 to 2 inch long fresh rosemary sprig. Fill each with water half way and freeze. After about 1 hour, add a few more cranberries to each cube and fill the remainder of the cubes to full with water. Freeze until set. This usually takes about 24 hours.
Prepare Your Garnish
Use fresh rosemary spears, about 4 inches long. Remove any of the leaves from the last 2 inches. Add fresh cranberries and refrigerate until you are ready to make your cocktails.
For the Cocktail
Add a prepared large square cube of ice to a rocks glass. Add 2 ounces of your favorite bourbon with 1/2 ounce of cranberry simple syrup. Top with 6 dashes of orange or Angostura bitters. Top with a rosemary and cranberry skewer for stirring.
Enjoy!
Christmas Cranberry Old Fashioned Cocktail
Ingredients
For the Ice Cubes
- 1 large square ice cube tray/mold
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
- 8-16 very small sprigs of rosemary
For The Cranberry Simple Syrup
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1 cup water
For the Cocktail
- 2 ounces best bourbon
- 1/2 ounce cranberry simple syrup
- 6 dashes orange bitters or Angostura bitters
- 1 prepared ice cube
Garnish
- Rosemary Sprig
- 2-3 fresh cranberries
Instructions
Rosemary and Cranberry Ice Cubes
- Using a large square ice cube tray, drop about 3 fresh cranberries into each square along with one 1 to 2 inch long fresh rosemary sprig. Fill each with water half way and freeze. After about 1 hour, add a few more cranberries and fill the remainder of the cubes to full with water. Freeze until set. This usually takes about 24 hours.
For the Cranberry simple syrup
- Into a small sauce pan, add 1 cup sugar with 1 cup fresh cranberries and 1 cup water. Heat on high until the mixture comes to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the cranberries have popped and continue to cook, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Using either a blender, emerssion blender or even just a potato masher, mix until fairly smooth. Strain through a fine sieve. Chill the syrup in a covered container or glass jar with a fitted top.
- This will keep in the refrigerator for up to 30 days.
Rosemary and Cranberry Swizzle Stick Garnish
- Use fresh rosemary spears, about 4 inches long. Remove any of the leaves from the last 2 inches. Add fresh cranberries and refrigerate until you are ready to make your cocktails.
For the Cocktail
- Add a prepared large square cube of ice to a rocks glass.
- Add 2 ounces of your favorite bourbon with 1/2 ounce of cranberry simple syrup. Top with 6 dashes of orange or Angostura bitters.
Garnish with a rosemary and cranberry skewer for stirring.
- Cheers and Merry Christmas!
Karen Harris https://www.bittersaltysoursweet.com
