This Cranberry Aperol Spritz is the winter version of the always delicious Aperol Spritz! A little cranberry juice turns this summer staple into the perfect cocktail to celebrate with during the Holidays!

This cocktail is so easy to make, has just three ingredients, and embodies the flavors of the Holidays!

Overhead shot of a cranberry aperol sprtiz with old glitter ice, cranberries and cinnamon sticks.

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Why you will love this recipe:
About this recipe:
What is Aperol?
Key Ingredients:
How to make this recipe:
Tips for success:
Looking for more Holiday recipes? Check these out!
Cranberry Aperol Spritz

Why you will love this recipe:

This is the perfect December and Christmas cocktail! Orange and cranberry are some of my favorite holiday flavors and the cinnamon garnish really takes this cocktail to another level!

I love celebrating the holiday season with cocktails, and this Bourbon Apple Cider Old Fashioned, Bourbon Spiked Apple Cider Mimosa, or this Kentucky Mule with Ginger Maple Syrup are other perfect cocktails for the season.

About this recipe:

Taste - The slightly bitter orange-flavored Aperol is mellowed by the sparkling wine and enhanced by the tart cranberry, making this cocktail taste of sparkling orange and cranberry.
Effort - Easy! This cocktail is just three store-bought ingredients!
Notes: you do need a jiggler or cocktail measurer because the balance between the Aperol and cranberry is delicate.

What is Aperol?

Aperol is a bitter-sweet Italian apéritif made from oranges, rhubarb, and other herbs and spices. It is the star ingredient in the Aperol Spritz and is the sweetest of the Italian bitters. It is still slightly bitter and best when mellowed with water or wine.

Ingredients for the cranberry aperol spritz against a marble wall.

Key Ingredients:

Aperol: it wouldn't be a spritz without Aperol! There is only one brand, and it is very easy to find in all liquor stores.

Processo or sparkling wine: the Aperol is mellowed by the chilled wine, making it a really refreshing cocktail. Use any sparkling wine you like, but I always use prosecco to keep with this spritz Italian roots.

Cranberry Juice: use fresh, no-sugar-added cranberry juice, and do not sub for cranberry cocktail.

Garnishes: the key garnish is a couple of cinnamon sticks; as the drink melts, the cinnamon adds a wonderful flavor!

See recipe card for quantities.

How to make this recipe:

Gold glitter ice sitting in a large wine glass on a red table and surrounded by ornaments.

Add ice to a large wine glass. (Optional make glitter ice by freezing a dash of gold cocktail glitter with water in an ice cube tray.)

Processo being poured on top of the ice.

Pour in the Prosecco.

The aperol being poured on top of the processo and ice.

Add in the Aperol.

The cranberry juice being added to the cocktail.

Followed by cranberry juice.

Tips for success:

Use fresh no sugar-added cranberry juice, not cranberry cocktail.
To create a sparkly festive version, make sparkly ice by freezing a dash of cocktail glitter with water in an ice cube tray.
Garnish with cinnamon sticks to really bring out the Holiday flavors!