A Vodka and Cranberry may just be 2 ingredients but it’s delicious, and one of the easiest vodka recipes you can make!
With a sprig of sugared rosemary, this drink becomes perfectly festive for fall and winter parties, holiday gatherings and beyond!
My cocktail mission statement is to use basic ingredients in delicious ways that don’t require any special skills or tools.
While you can drink a Vodka Cranberry any time of year, it’s especially wonderful around Christmas. With that gorgeous color, this 2-ingredient cocktail is one of my favorites.
Like my Vodka and Coke, this is Vodka Cranberry Recipe is barely a recipe. Just the way I like it.
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Why This Recipe Works
Cranberry juice is a classic cocktail ingredient. And I hear it works wonders for your urinary tract health. Bonus!
Vodka is a bar staple that you probably have hanging around. It’s versatile in flavor and color and pairs well with just about anything you put with it (apple juice, orange juice, tea, etc).
The color of the juice creates a pretty drink that looks extra celebratory. You can easily make the drink suit any occasion depending on when you are serving it.
For the holidays, garnish with fresh herbs (rosemary looks like super tall skinny pine trees) and whole fresh cranberries.
Any other time of year, slap a lime wheel on top and you’re good to go.
While it’s delicious to sip as is, by adding just one more ingredient you can really level up the flavor and create many more cocktails. (More on this later!)
Serve this drink at Friendsgiving, your Holiday Cookie Exchange, or any time you’re having a holiday happy hour.
Ingredients
- vodka
- 100% cranberry juice cocktail
- lime, optional
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
To a short cocktail glass with ice, add vodka.
Next, add the cranberry juice.
A squeeze of fresh lime really does wonders to brighten this Vodka and Cranberry and give it another layer of flavor.
I don’t consider lime another ingredient really. It’s like salt and pepper are in a recipe.
You can skip this if you don’t have it. Or use a splash of Rose’s Lime Juice if you have it.
Give it all a quick stir.
Hint: The perfect holiday garnish for Vodka and Cranberry is sugared rosemary with a few fresh cranberries skewered on the stem.
How to Make Sugared Rosemary
To create the sugared rosemary, simply dip the sprig in a bowl of water. Shake to remove excess water.
Dip the moistened rosemary into sugar poured on a shallow plate. Let sit to dry before adding as a garnish.
Variations
You can take this super simple Vodka and Cranberry and make it into a handful of other delicious drinks.
- Cosmopolitan – add Cointreau and you’ve got the signature drink of Sex and the City.
- Madras – Orange juice gives this cocktail some sweetness and a delicious kick of citrus.
- Sea Breeze – the addition of grapefruit juice makes this vacation worthy.
- Cranberry Mimosa – Make it brunch worthy with the addition of some sparkling wine.
- Bay Breeze – Pineapple juice makes this version sweet and perfect for people who aren’t big drinkers.
- Cranberry Mule – A little ginger beer makes this into one of my favorite Moscow Mule cocktails.
- St. Germain and Cranberry – Skip the lime and use lemon instead. A splash of St. Germain Elderflower Liqueur gives this a delicious floral update.
Top Tips
- If you want this Vodka and Cranberry recipe to be a bit sweeter, you can use a little bit of simple syrup (or a flavored simple syrup like Vanilla Cinnamon Simple Syrup).
- You can play around with the ratio of vodka to juice to suit your taste preferences. Some people just like a splash of juice.
- Want to make this even more holiday friendly? Make my Spiced Cranberry Juice and use that in place of plain juice.
Frequently Asked Questions
YES! Cranberry juice is refreshing but not overly sweet. This is a good drink for people who don’t like sugary cocktails.
Yes. Depending on how many you drink, how quickly you drink them and how much vodka you put in the cocktail you can absolutely get drunk. This is currently my favorite hangover supplement if you need it (not intended as medical advice).
Nope. There’s no such thing as a “girly” drink. Guys and girls can drink whatever they want.
To keep this vodka and cranberry juice cocktail as classic as possible, you should use plain vodka. I prefer Tito’s. It’s reasonably priced and has a nice taste. But you can also swap out for flavored vodka. Something with citrus would be delightful!
This quick and easy Vodka and Cranberry drink makes the perfect simple cocktail for the holidays and beyond.
Related Recipes
- Spiced Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail – This yummy drink uses spiced cranberry juice to make a delicious cocktail perfect for winter.
- This list of Winter Vodka Cocktails is full of seasonal flavors that you’ll love.
- Yummy Apple Spice Sangria is a great cocktail to serve a crowd!
Vodka and Cranberry
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounces vodka
- 3 ounces cranberry juice
- .25 lime
Instructions
- To a short cocktail glass with ice, add vodka.
- Add cranberry juice.
- Add the juice of ¼ of a lime.
- Stir. Garnish and enjoy.
Notes
- If you want this Vodka and Cranberry recipe to be a bit sweeter, you can use a little bit of simple syrup (or a flavored simple syrup like Vanilla Cinnamon Simple Syrup).
- You can play around with the ratio of vodka to juice to suit your taste preferences. Some people just like a splash of juice.
- Want to make this even more holiday-friendly? Make my Spiced Cranberry Juice and use that in place of plain juice.
- See the post for flavor variations by adding one more ingredient.
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