If you love cranberries, you owe it to yourself to try this delicious Frosted Cranberry Cocktail for the holidays.
Simple and refreshing, all you need is some cranberries, cranberry juice, and some vodka to put together this festive beverage!
It’s a delightful twist on the Cape Cod to make a fun and festive cranberry Christmas cocktail.
Say that three times fast!
A Christmas Cocktail with Cranberry and Vodka
If you are watching your sugar, this drink is quite tasty just as it is.
But if sugar is no issue for you, be sure to add our Sugared Cranberry Cocktail Garnish to your drink!
In fact, you can even use Sugared Cranberries instead of regular ones in the drink itself, if you’d like!
We all know how busy we get through the holidays.
A simple drink to make
Cooking, visiting with friends and family, and finding time to shop for those perfect presents – it can get a little overwhelming sometimes.
The utter simplicity of the Frosted Cranberry Cocktail is sure to be a welcome addition to your holidays.
And it looks so bright and beautiful when you serve it to others, they’re sure to be impressed!
Just don’t tell them how easy it was to make.
That will be our little secret!
Frosted Cranberry Cocktail
To make this a low-calorie version or our cranberry drink, you can substitute the cranberry juice for Cranberry Frost Sparkling Ice.
Doing so removes 110 calories from the recipe.
Our Frosted Cranberry Cocktail is perfect to serve during the holidays.
Simple and refreshing, this festive beverage is a spirited twist on a Cape Cod, especially when garnished with sugared cranberries.
Ingredients you need to make the Frosted Cranberry Cocktail
- Cranberries (you can use regular or the sugared ones inside the drink, too!)
- Vodka
- Cranberry juice
- Sugared cranberries for garnish, optional, but so tasty!
To make the drink, you will need: your beverage glass, a measuring cup or jigger, and a bar spoon.
You build the drink in the glass, so it’s really that simple.
Can I serve this cranberry cocktail without alcohol?
Sure! And it’s really easy.
It’s easy to enjoy a virgin version of our Frosted Cranberry drink.
Simply replace the vodka with some club soda and enjoy a nice cranberry spritzer.
How to make the Frosted Cranberry Cocktail
It doesn’t get much easier to make a tasty drink than one like this where you make the drink in the glass you plan to serve it in.
We’ve used a glass that you might use for a daiquiri or a hurricane, but you can use whatever glass you like.
We also like to serve it in a highball or even a martini glass.
When we serve it in a martini glass, we do chill the drink in a cocktail shaker and serve it without ice in the glass.
So that is one extra step, but it’s worth it!
We also recommend making the sugared cranberries ahead of time.
To make the drink, start by adding the ice and cranberries to your glass.
You can use fresh or frozen cranberries.
In fact, if you’re using frozen cranberries, they will help to chill the drink without watering it down.
You don’t want to add too much ice to the glass as you want to be able to stir the drink easily.
Measure and pour the vodka and cranberry juice over the ice, and give the drink a gentle stir to combine the mixture.
Put two or three sugared cranberries on a cocktail pick to make the garnish, and enjoy!
Can I make the drink ahead of time?
Yes, you can premix the cranberry juice and vodka ahead of time and chill it in the refrigerator.
Then that all you have to do is pour when it’s time to serve.
You can also make the sugared cranberry garnish ahead of time too.
In fact, if I’m serving the drink with this garnish, I like to make at least a double batch.
One batch for garnish and one batch to eat like candy.
You’ll be amazed how people really love to nibble on them.
More cranberry drinks to try:
Skinny Cranberry Margarita Spritzer
Cranberry Ginger Beer Mocktail
Cranberry and Orange Vodka Fizz
Sparkling Honey Cranberry Ginger Punch
Cran Apple Long Island Iced Tea
Prosecco with Sweetened Cranberries
You can also check out our Festive Cranberry Cocktails roundup for more great drink ideas too!
try it and share!
Please let us know how you enjoy our Frosted Cranberry Cocktail recipe.
If you make it yourself, please let us know on Pinterest that you tried it and tag us with #champagneandcoconuts on your Instagram photo.
If you haven’t had a chance to make it yet, be sure to save the recipe on Pinterest so you’ll remember where you found it.
Frosted Cranberry Cocktail
Equipment
- Measuring cup or jigger
- Bar Spoon
- Beverage Glasses
Ingredients
- handful Ice
- ½ cup Cranberries fresh or Sugared
- 1 ½ oz Vodka
- ¾ cup Cranberry Juice
- Sugared Cranberries for Garnish
Instructions
- Add ice and cranberries to your glass.
- Add vodka and cranberry juice, and give the drink a gentle stir.
- Garnish with sugared cranberries.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in November of 2018. It’s been updated in December 2020 with new information and additional photos.
Hi, I’m Jennifer. I love to cook and entertain. I have a lot of fun sharing traditional food and drink recipes as well as putting a new spin on the classics. I strive to provide easy to make recipes that are perfect for the home cook, bartender and entertainer.
This was such an easy cocktail to make and it looks so festive! Planning to serve this to guests over the holidays, great recipe!