I’ve always been a huge fan of cranberries. From cranberry sauce to juice, I love it all. It’s likely the tartness, but I also find cranberries interesting. They are one of the only fruits native to North America. Harvesting cranberries in a bog is high on my bucket list. I realize this may be due to the fact that I grew up in New England, but how fun do these experiences sound? Couple cranberries with one of my favorite spirits, and you have cranberry gin cocktails! These drinks are light and bright and flavorful. You can make them with fresh berries, cranberry soda, or store-bought juice. I will use all three in my recipes below.

I highly recommend using a London Dry Gin, like Beefeater, in your cranberry gin cocktails. Not only is it an affordable option, it also has a clean, bright flavor that doesn’t over power with too many botanicals. I also love that I can buy it in a huge 1.75L size. I also use whatever 100% cranberry juice I can find since it should just be the juice, without sugar or anything else added. Finally, Trader Joe’s currently has a seasonal cranberry ginger soda that works well with gin. If you can’t find that, this Ocean Spray Sparkling works well.

1. Cranberry Gin-ger Fizz

To me, there’s nothing better than an easy drink when you’re busy. This one is not only easy, it also looks festival and tastes great. I used small, clear ice from my counter-top ice maker which also adds to the look of the cocktail. (For tips on how to keep the ice maker clean, check out this post.)

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Cranberry Gin-ger Fizz

Keyword: cranberry, gin

Ingredients

• 1.5 oz gin
• 5 oz cranberry ginger soda (or just cranberry soda)
• 1 wedge lime

Instructions

• Add ice to a fizz or highball glass.
• Add gin and pour soda down a cocktail spoon to retain the fizz.
• Stir the drink gently and squeeze the lime on top of the drink before serving.

2. Cranberry French 75

I love a classic French 75 cocktail. But, I also LOVE a good riff, like this cranberry version. Perhaps it’s because of the gin + prosecco combination, which makes it feel like two drinks in one, but the flavors are always so good. The bubbles make it feel festive and the color of this one is beautiful in a festive glass. Whether you serve it for brunch or as a welcome cocktail, I have never had someone turn one down.

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Cranberry French 75

Keyword: cranberry, gin, prosecco

Ingredients

• 2 oz gin
• 1.5 oz 100% cranberry juice
• 0.5 oz simple syrup
• 0.5 oz lemon juice
• 2 oz prosecco

Instructions

• Add the gin, simple syrup, and juices to a shaker with ice.
• Shake for 20-30 seconds until the tin is cold.
• Strain into a champagne flute and top with the prosecco. Stir once or twice to blend and serve.

3. Cranberry Gin Gimlet

A gimlet was my first “real” cocktail that I ever enjoyed. (It was then I learned that some people swap out the gin for vodka. So, I always order it with gin to avoid any confusion.) This version is straight-forward and delicious. I also think it adds just the right amount of class to a table with the art deco cocktail pick in place. Make one for you and a batch for serving later. You can just substitute cups for ounces and then you’ll have 8 cocktails to serve!

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Cranberry Gin Gimlet

Keyword: cranberry, gin

Ingredients

• 2 oz gin
• 1 oz 100% cranberry juice
• 0.75 oz simple syrup
• 0.25 oz lime juice

Instructions

• Add all ingredients to a shaker with ice.
• Shake 20-30 seconds until shaker tins are cold.
• Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a single cranberry on a cocktail pick.

4. Cranberry Gin & Tonic

Full disclosure, I included this cocktail because I love the glasses (they’re also in my gift guide). And, who doesn’t enjoy a gin and tonic? This one is lighter on the cranberry flavor but still is a great sip. It’s also easy to customize to your palate. If you have a bolder gin you want to use, swap it out for the London Dry. For those who want a bit more cranberry flavor, just add in some juice. You really can’t go wrong. I also played with the ice. If you don’t want to sip through cranberries, just add a large clear ice cube to hold them back

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Cranberry Gin & Tonic

Keyword: cranberry, gin, tonic

Ingredients

• 2 oz gin
• 4 oz tonic water (I used Fever Tree Indian)
• 0.25 cup fresh cranberries

Instructions

• Add cranberries to half of a shaker tin. Muddle well with a muddler.
• Add the gin and ice to the tin and shake for 20-30 seconds.
• Add ice to a highball glass and double strain the mixture in the tin into the glass.
• Add more fresh cranberries and the tonic water to the glass and lightly stir before serving.

5. Cranberry Negroni

For the last drink, I couldn’t decide which one to make, so I am going to link to two of my friend’s recipes. Both of these creators were featured in my female cocktail influencers post earlier this year. If you don’t follow them, you should. They both create delicious drinks, including these two cranberry negronis.

• Beautiful Booze’s Cranberry Negroni (which uses Monin Cranberry; if you have this you can substitute out the juice and simple syrup in the recipes above)
• Gastronom’s Cranberry Negroni (which uses cranberry-infused Campari and gin, whoa!)

And there you have five of my favorite cranberry gin cocktails. If you want an even simpler way to add these flavors to your cocktails, this cranberry gin liqueur from KOVAL is divine. A list of the best tools to use for making your drinks can be found in this guide. Finally, if you’re looking for more great gin drinks, try these Aperol gin cocktails or these spicy gin cocktails. Cheers!

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