Cranberries add stunning color and a bite of flavor to classic recipes! This Cranberry Martini is perfect for the holiday season (but don’t let that stop you from enjoying it anytime).
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About this Cranberry Martini recipe
Cranberries are a perfect blend of sweet and tart that is perfect for warming the winter months. The color is especially welcome if you live somewhere chilly; it’s a surefire way to brighten a dreary gray day!
It can seem a bit daunting to use cranberries. After all, they aren’t your typical berry where you can slice them and have an ingredient (and garnish) ready-to-go. That shouldn’t stop you though! Cranberry juice can be found at any grocery store and infuses the iconic ruby color and effortlessly tart flavor with ease. I’ve also found cranberry syrup to be a way to transform these delights at home. And sugared cranberries are my holiday helpers, making any drink dressed to impress.
Now that I’m done waxing poetic about these winter berries, let’s get to the booze. Martinis are notoriously savory, but this falls more into the dessert martini category thanks to the cranberries and syrup to sweeten the sipper. I’d place it in a similar category to the pomegranate or strawberry martini, with fruity flavor enhancing the vodka cocktail.
Since vodka doesn’t bring a distinct taste, it blends right into the mix for a cocktail that’s ready for the holiday table or simply enjoying at home by the fire.
More cranberry recipes: Cranberry Mule • Cape Codder • Cranberry Lime Mocktail
Why you’ll love this recipe
- It’s a festive version of the classic cocktail. Serve it for the holidays or at a happy hour during the winter months for a spot of color.
- Anyone can make it. This recipe isn’t complicated, and doesn’t require special bar tools.
- Dress it for the occasion. You can make this drink as fancy as you want by adding garnishes that fit the bill.
Tools & equipment
There’s not much you’ll need to track down before you’re ready to shake up your own Cranberry Martini.
For the syrup, you’ll want a saucepan, spoon, strainer and airtight container (I prefer glass). Other than that, your normal bar tools and cocktail shaker * will do the job!
essential bar tools
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Serve this stunning sipper in your preferred glass. It works well in a martini glass *, of course, but a coupe glass or even rocks glass * does the job too. No need to overthink it!
favorite martini glasses
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Ingredients
Make your grocery list (and check your bar cart *) for these ingredients:
- Vodka: Use your favorite bottle or keep reading for my recommendations.
- Cranberry juice: 100% cranberry juice is my preference — cranberry juice cocktail will have more sugar and I find the pure juice is sweet enough on its own.
- Thyme syrup: This savory syrup is the perfect compliment to the cranberry juice and simple to make at home!
- Triple sec: This orange liqueur offers nice citrus notes to the drink.
- Lemon juice: Fresh is best when it comes to flavor, but if you don’t have time to squeeze your own store-bought will work.
- Fresh cranberries: For this garnish, use a cocktail pick to stop them from sinking to the bottom of your drink.
- Sprig of thyme: Add additional flavor with a thyme garnish to accompany the cranberry.
👇 For full measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to the printable recipe card. It’s all there waiting for you!
Best vodka for cocktails
Vodka is like a blank canvas with lots of room for creativity. It’s also a safe bet when you are serving cocktails to people whose preferences you aren’t familiar with. It is clean, smooth and flavorless, so it supports just about anything you could pair it with, making it a definite crowd-pleaser.
Since vodka crisp and clean it compliments the flavors of the drink where other spirits can overtake them. If you already have a favorite brand or a bottle on your bar cart *, then use that in your cocktail.
If you need help picking out a bottle of vodka, look no further than my vodka guide that lists all my favorite brands. My go-to brands are Tito’s, Reyka and Absolut.
Substitutions & variations
When you make cocktails at home, part of the allure is the flexibility to make the drink truly your own! Experiment with the ratios of the drink to discover what tastes best to you, or try one of these twists:
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- Plain simple syrup instead of thyme (but you’ll miss out on the added herb notes)
- Use a zero-proof vodka and skip the triple sec to make it a mocktail
- Try a different kind of booze, but know that the flavors will change!
- Add thyme to a sugar-free simple syrup base and be sure your cranberry juice has no sugar added as well for a sugar-free sipper.
Instructions
Ready to get shaking on a Cranberry Martini?
First, ensure your cocktail shaker * is filled with ice, then add the vodka, thyme syrup and cranberry juice
Follow that with triple sec and lemon juice. Use fresh lemon juice if possible!
Then, shake well to combine ingredients and chill them thoroughly, until the shaker is cold in your hand. Strain your cocktail into your preferred glass (I used a coupe glass *). Add a garnish of thyme and cranberries and you’re ready to enjoy!
Tips & tricks
- Garnish trick: Cranberries tend to sink to the bottom of a drink. Place them on a cocktail pick to keep them right where you want them.
- For a more balanced cocktail: Use 100% pure cranberry juice. For a sweeter cocktail, use cranberry juice cocktail, but keep in mind that it may make the drink too sweet when paired with the thyme syrup.
- Play with the ratios to find a sweetness level that you like best.
Food pairings
If you’ll be serving Cranberry Martinis at a festive get-together, tried-and-true holiday recipes like cranberry brie bites or charcuterie cups are certain crowd-pleasers.
For a quieter happy hour at home, make a prosciutto burrata pizza to enjoy as you sip. Don’t forget dessert! White chocolate cranberry oatmeal cookies will play up the cranberry flavor.
FAQ
Yes! Make the drink in advance by combining the ingredients in a pitcher. Stash it in the fridge until the party starts. To serve, pour into ice-filled glasses. Put thyme and cranberries in a bowl for guests to garnish their drinks, if they desire.
I use 100% pure cranberry juice because I find it results in a more balanced cocktail. For a sweeter cocktail, you can use cranberry juice cocktail, but keep in mind that it may make the drink too sweet when paired with the thyme syrup.
More holiday recipes
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Cranberry Martini
ingredients
Thyme Syrup
- 10 sprigs fresh thyme
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
Cranberry Martini
- 1½ ounce vodka
- 1 ounce cranberry juice
- ¼-½ ounce thyme syrup
- ½ ounce triple sec
- ½ ounce lemon juice
- 3 whole fresh cranberries for garnish
- 5 sprigs thyme for garnish
instructions
Thyme Syrup
- In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine thyme, sugar, water. Stir until sugar has dissolved, about 5 minutes. Do not let boil.10 sprigs fresh thyme, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1 cup water
- Remove from heat. Let rest for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Discard the thyme, or leave in longer for a stronger flavor.
- Let cool completely. Store in a mason jar for up to 2 weeks.
Cranberry Martini
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add vodka, cranberry juice, thyme syrup, triple sec and lemon juice. Shake well.1½ ounce vodka, 1 ounce cranberry juice, ¼-½ ounce thyme syrup, ½ ounce triple sec, ½ ounce lemon juice
- Strain into a chilled coupe glass *. Garnish with fresh cranberries and a few sprigs of thyme.5 sprigs thyme, 3 whole fresh cranberries
notes
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