Spiced Cranberry Old Fashioned

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This spiced cranberry old fashioned is the perfect fruity and cozy spin on the old fashioned cocktail. It combines fresh cranberry juice, cinnamon simple syrup, orange bitters, and your favorite bourbon for the perfect Christmas or winter cocktail.

This drink is coziness in a glass, and the cranberry and cinnamon are the perfect pairing to the bourbon. If you haven't tried cranberry and cinnamon together, you definitely have too!

Two cranberry old fashioned on a mirrored tray with mini ornaments.

I love the holidays and making holiday drinks is my favorite was to entertain this time of year! This Maple Hot Buttered Bourbon, Easiest Winter Cranberry Aperol Spritz, The Best Pomegranate Aperol Spritz, or this recipe on How to make the perfect old fashioned are also great options for holiday drinks!

Once November hits, I go into Old Fashioned mode, and it is my drink of choice everywhere I go until spring starts to peak out. While I love the traditional version, this cranberry version is my favorite for holiday festivities. I tested several different versions, and this one with fresh, unsweetened cranberry juice and cinnamon syrup was the clear winner!

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🥘 Key Ingredients:
🥃 What's The Best Bourbon For This Cocktail:
📋 Step-By-Step Instructions
Here's A Video Showing How To Make This Recipe:
FAQ
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Spiced Cranberry Old Fashioned

⭐ Why You Will Love This Recipe:

Festive Seasonal Cranberry Flavor. This cocktail is full of fresh cranberry juice, giving it its festive color and flavor!
Easy to Make! Just make the simple syrup and then mix everything together in a glass. *You can also make it even easier with store-bought syrup.
Perfect for Bourbon Lovers. This cocktail is bourbon-forward, so it is perfect for bourbon lovers!

🥘 Key Ingredients:

The ingredients layed out on a green marble table.

Cranberry Juice: Opt for unsweetened cranberry juice so that you can control the sweetness.
Sugar: for the homemade cinnamon simple syrup. You can also use store-bought cinnamon syrup.
Cinnamon Sticks: these will infuse with the sugar and water while making the simple syrup.
Orange Bitters: these infuse citrusy depth and complexity into the cocktail.
Bourbon: Choose a quality bourbon that complements the richness of the drink.

🥃 What's The Best Bourbon For This Cocktail:

I love a classic but sweet bourbon like Old Forester 1910, Angels Eveny, or Four Roses Small Batch for this cocktail, but a spice-forward one like Willet or Blade and Bow would also be delicious.

📋 Step-By-Step Instructions

The water, sugar, and cinnamon in a small white pot.

Step 1: Make the cinnamon syrup by combining the sugar, water, and cinnamon sticks and cooking until all the sugar has melted.

The old fashioned glass on a mirrored tray filled with ice and bourbon.

Step 2: Add a large ice cube to an old fashioned glass and top with the bourbon.

The cranberry juice being poured into the glass.

Step 3: Pour in the cranberry juice and cinnamon syrup.

Orange bitters being added to the cocktail.

Step 4: Add the orange bitters, garnish, and serve.

💭 Expert Tips

Ice choices: I prefer a large melting ice cube so that the drink doesn't get as diluted. This would also be a great time to chill whiskey stones.
Quality Bourbon Matters: Choose a bourbon with nuanced flavors that can stand out amidst the cranberry and other ingredients.
Adjust Sweetness to Taste: Feel free to adjust the simple syrup quantity based on your sweetness preference.
Experiment with Garnishes: Play with garnishes like fresh cranberries, a cinnamon stick, or additional citrus twists to personalize your drink.

Variations

Cranberry Orange Twist: add a little orange zest to the simple syrup to give it more of a citrusy flavor.
Rosemary Infusion: Elevate the flavor profile by infusing rosemary into the simple syrup.

Close up shot of the completed cocktail on the mirrored tray.

Here's A Video Showing How To Make This Recipe:

FAQ

Can I use other fruit juices?

While cranberry juice is traditional, feel free to experiment with pomegranate or cherry juice for a different flavor profile.

Can I make a large batch for a party?

Absolutely! Multiply the ingredients to create a delightful batch, and allow guests to serve themselves over ice. The simple syrup recipe makes about 8 cocktails.

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