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These cranberry cocktails are perfect for any occasion, from the classic Cosmopolitan to the Sea Breeze. These sweet-tart drinks feature fresh cranberry juice and are ready in minutes!
Looking for crowd-pleasing cocktail recipes? Grab a bottle of cranberry juice! This jewel-toned juice adds a brilliant ruby color and sweet tart flavor to drinks that feels instantly special.
I’ve tested dozens of cranberry drinks over the years, and I love how the tartness of cranberry works with just about any liquor from vodka to Aperol. Here’s my collection of the very best cranberry cocktails: these are the ones I return to again and again and get rave reviews from friends and family!
Best Cranberry Cocktails
The most famous of all cranberry cocktails is the Cosmopolitan! This classic cocktail is ready to spice up your next gathering, starring cranberry, lime and orange liqueur.
Ingredients: Citron vodka, cranberry juice, Cointreau, and lime
This cranberry Aperol spritz recipe is sweet tart, fruity, and even tastier than a standard Aperol spritz, in my opinion! It’s simple to make and has a beautiful bright color, the idea signature drink for parties or cozy evening.
Ingredients: Cranberry juice, Aperol, Prosecco, soda water
Looking for a signature cranberry drink featuring bourbon? This Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail is balanced, sweet tart, and complex, fruity with intriguing notes from sweet vermouth.
Ingredients: Cranberry juice, bourbon, sweet vermouth, orange juice, simple syrup
When it comes to entertaining, the Moscow Mule is pretty ideal. This cranberry spin has loads of sweet tart flavor, balancing crisp cranberry with tangy lime and spicy ginger.
Ingredients: Cranberry juice, lime juice, vodka, ginger beer
Here's a fun cranberry cocktail: the Cranberry Margarita! This bright red drink has a sweet tart flavor that's crisp and refreshing. It’s got all the character of the classic margarita, with a beautiful look and nuance to the flavor.
Here’s a tasty, sweet tart spin on the vodka martini that you’ve got to try: the Cranberry Martini! It’s refreshing, zingy and perfectly balanced, starring orange liqueur and fresh lemon juice.
Ingredients: Cranberry juice, vodka, Cointreau, lemon juice, sugar rim
The Sea Breeze tastes just like its name: light, breezy, and all about no-frills vibes. It’s perfect for happy hour with friends, a light brunch drink, or a little evening nightcap.
Ingredients: Cranberry juice, vodka, and grapefruit juice
Also known as a Cape Codder, this Vodka Cranberry is nicely balanced so that the alcohol is not too strong. This classic drink was invented in the 1940's by Ocean Spray itself, and it's stayed classic for a reason.
Ingredients: Vodka and cranberry juice
Tart cranberry is an ideal pairing for subtly sweet orange juice. Pair the two and the glass is full of fiery red color and crisp flavor. It’s bubbly, it’s refreshing, and it’s downright fun.
Ingredients: Cranberry juice, orange juice, sparkling wine
St Germain elderflower liqueur is a must have in your liquor cabinet. Made with vodka, cranberry and St Germain, this delightful cocktail is sweet tart with a bit of floral elderflower on the finish.
Ingredients: Vodka, cranberry, St Germain, lemon, simple syrup
Another fruity cocktail is the Bay Breeze, also known as the Hawaiian Sea Breeze, Because it features the tropical taste of pineapple, it feels carefree and beachy. It’s perfect as a summer cocktail on the patio, or a winter cocktail when you’re dreaming of the sun’s warmth.
Ingredients: Vodka, cranberry juice, pineapple juice
Looking for a quick and easy drink? Make yourself a Madras cocktail! This vibrant pink vodka drink is zingy and refreshing, featuring cranberry juice for tartness and color. It takes no time at all to make: just mix it right in the glass and serve on ice!
Ingredients: Cranberry juice, vodka, and orange juice
Most cocktails with cranberry feature either vodka or champagne. But here's a fresh and unique spin: meet the Rum and Cranberry Juice cocktail! It’s sweet tart and balanced with simple syrup and tangy lime. This easy cocktail takes just a few minutes to whip up!
Ingredients: Cranberry juice, lime, rum, Cointreau
Want a tropical cranberry cocktail? Try the Malibu Bay Breeze! This tropical drink could not be easier and it looks stunning in the glass. Layer coconut rum, pineapple and cranberry juice and you’ve got a delicious fruity drink: sweet tart with a tropical finish!
Ingredients: Cranberry juice, coconut rum, pineapple juice
This cranberry champagne cocktail has a bright color and cozy vibe makes it perfect for entertaining. It has a tart flavor and bubbly texture, and it uses only a few simple ingredients. Garnish with fresh cranberries for a festive look.
Ingredients: Cranberry juice, Cointreau, and champagne
Cranberry Juice vs Cranberry Juice Cocktail
While most traditional versions of a vodka cranberry use sweetened cranberry juice, all of these cranberry cocktail recipes use 100% cranberry juice! What’s the difference:
- Cranberry juice is unsweetened. It tastes tart and is labeled as “100% juice”.
- Cranberry juice cocktail is sweetened, often with added sugars or high-fructose corn syrup. Most traditional versions of cranberry cocktail recipes use this; even if they specify “cranberry juice” in the recipe, it often means cranberry juice cocktail.
Why 100% Cranberry Juice Works So Well
If most cranberry cocktails use the sweetened version of cranberry juice, why use the tart unsweetened juice here?
- It has less sugar. Use 100% juice and the drink has less sugar overall.
- You can customize the sweetness. To balance the flavor, you can add back sweetness with maple syrup or simple syrup.
- Makes naturally sweet drinks (no refined sugar added). Alex and I like using maple syrup in our cranberry cocktails because it provides a gentler sweetness. We use maple syrup to sweeten lots of our cocktails, from the gin fizz to whiskey sour to our classic daiquiri.
- The color is brighter. The color is bright pink because 100% juice has a deeper color.
More Cocktail Recipes
- French 75 Cocktail Here’s a classic cocktail made with gin and lemon. It’s sophisticated and perfect for celebrations of all kinds!
- Gin Fizz Cocktail This gin fix is sweet, tangy, and has a frothy egg white foam topping.
- St Germain Champagne Cocktail This one mixes elderflower liqueur with champagne, lemon, and gin. A sophisticated bubbly drink perfect for any occasion!
