The Jolly Ole Christmas Cocktail is light and fruity with just the right amount of red and green holiday cheer!
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Cranberry cocktail recipe
This combination of fresh cranberry juice, mint, a fruit and herb infused simple syrup, chilled vodka and sparkling water is so light and refreshing. It’s a perfect red and green cocktail for Christmas and holiday parties.
It’s a mix between a mojito (without all the muddling), a vodka cranberry and a vodka soda.
And such a nice alternative to rich holiday cocktails made from eggnog and hot buttered rum.
Save the cookies and milk and instead set out a Christmas cocktail like this for Santa and he will be a Jolly Ole Man, for sure!
Ingredients
- Cranberry juice
- Vodka – or feel free to substitute gin, rum, whiskey or tequila
- Fresh lime
- Fresh mint
- Club soda or sparkling water
- Cranberry mint simple syrup – made from sugar, water, fresh cranberries and fresh mint
Step by step instructions
- Make cranberry mint simple syrup – simmer sugar, water, fresh cranberries and mint until the cranberries pop and the flavors meld, strain and store refrigerated until ready to use
- In a tall shaker add vodka, lime juice, cranberry juice and bar syrup over ice.
- Shake to chill.
- Pour into tall glass.
- Top with soda water and garnish as desired with mint leave, fresh lime wheels or wedges and cranberries.
- Enjoy!
How to make ahead of time
This is a single serving cocktail recipe but you can easily make a cranberry punch by increasing the serving size in the recipe below. Combine all ingredients except ice and sparkling water in a large punch bowl and top with sparkling water and ice before serving.
📖 Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ounces cranberry juice
- 1 ounce vodka
- 2 tablespoons lime juice from ½ a lime
- 1 ounce cranberry simple syrup
- fresh lime and mint for garnish
Cranberry Simple Syrup
- ¼ cup cranberries
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves packed
Instructions
- Make simple syrup. In a small saucepan combine sugar, water, cranberries and mint and simmer, uncovered, until cranberries pop and release their color and flavor, about 5 minutes. Strain into a glass jar and cool to room temperature then refrigerate until ready to use up to 7 days.¼ cup cranberries, ½ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup water, 2 tablespoons fresh mint leaves
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice add vodka, cranberry juice, lime juice and cranberry simple syrup. Shake to chill.2 ounces cranberry juice, 1 ounce vodka, 2 tablespoons lime juice, 1 ounce cranberry simple syrup
- Pour into a tall glass filled with ice. Or serve as a martini in a coupe glass.
- Top with soda and garnish with mint leaves and a lime wheels or wedge.fresh lime and mint
Nutrition
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