This cranberry infused gin recipe is the perfect way to add cranberry flavor into all of your gin-based cocktails this holiday season. It uses real cranberries and your favorite gin for an easy holiday infusion!
After over a decade of making cocktails, you learn that the beauty of simplicity is hard to beat. This is why I love making liquor infusions. They are such an easy way to level up your at-home cocktail game and you can make simple and delicious cocktails in a matter of minutes once you have your finished infusions.
Berries and gin work very well together (see sloe gin for proof), this is because their floral fruity flavor complements the botanical gin! You can use it in recipes like a cranberry gin smash cocktail, or you can even enjoy it in a simple cranberry gin and tonic! Forget cranberry sauce at the holiday table. This gin is about to be the talk of all your holiday gatherings.
why this cranberry gin recipe works:
🍓 bursting with berry flavor. This cranberry gin recipe is full of cranberry flavor, making it perfect for fall and winter when the berries are at the peak of freshness.
🙌 simple technique. Infusing your own gin is oh-so-simple, and the majority of the time it takes to make the recipe is hands-off! No super fancy equipment needed!
🤩 impressive & inventive. Get ready to impress your friends at your next gathering with your ingenious use of cranberries and gin. You can literally just add ginger beer or ginger ale and you’ve got a delicious cranberry gin cocktail!
🛒 ingredients
See the recipe card for the exact quantities.
🍳 instructions
Step 1: If you are using fresh cranberries, give them a good rinse to clean them.
Step 2: Place your berries in a large glass jar.
Step 3: Muddle the berries to crush about 1/4 – 1/2 of them so they release their juices easier.
Step 4: Pour your gin overtop of the cranberries.
Step 5: Seal the jar and give it a gentle shake.
Step 6: Infuse the liquor for 3-7 days, depending on the flavor you want. Place the jar in a cool dark place, like a kitchen cupboard or in your pantry. You can also place it in the fridge. Just avoid direct sunlight and warm locations.
Step 7: Taste your cranberry gin each day until it reaches the flavor you want. Once it does, strain the cranberries out of the mixture using a fine mesh sieve and glass measuring cup.
Step 8: Store your finished cranberry gin in an airtight storage container for up to 6 months in the fridge.
💡tips & tricks for getting it right
🍽️ serving tips
cocktails
Use this cranberry gin in any cocktail that calls for gin for a burst of cranberry flavor!
- cranberry gin smash – This cranberry smash cocktail puts the flavor of cranberries front and center using this infused gin! Its the perfect Christmas cocktail and also works well at Thanksgiving, too.
- cranberry gin & tonic – a gin and tonic is an easy cocktail to make— you don’t even need to break out a cocktail shaker! It’s a classic gin cocktail using gin, tonic water, and sometimes citrus or simple syrup. Make it your own by using lime juice, lemon juice, or even adding an infused syrup like this cranberry simple syrup or this cardamom simple syrup.
cooking & baking
One of the lesser-known ways to use alcohol is in baking and desserts! Rum cake is one of the more popular liquor-soaked cakes, but you can glaze any cake with this cranberry gin for a seasonal spin on dessert. This would be especially great around the winter holidays!
- cranberry gin “tiramisu” – tiramisu is a trifle-style layered dessert that is traditionally flavored with rum, congnac, or ameretto. This gin would be wonderful to use in a layered trifle of lady-fingers, jam, and pastry cream!
- cupcakes and layer cakes – brush a layer cake or cupcakes with this cranberry gin for a hint of berry-gin flavor!
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- infusion time – Make sure to taste your gin as it ages through the infusion process. For years, I thought longer infusions = better infusions, but that’s not the case. In fact, the longer you let something infuse, the more likely it will be too intensely flavored. When left to infuse for a week or more, the flavor can start to get way too intense and almost perfume-like. Stick to around 3- 5 days for the perfect flavored gin, but you can push it up to a week.
- spoiling – If you aren’t using your cranberry-infused gin right away, store it in the fridge to keep it from spoiling. Yes, the alcohol does preserve it to some degree, but because we are dealing with produce, which can spoil, it’s better for longer-term storage to refrigerate it. It’s okay if you forget it on the counter at room temperature for a couple of days, but keep it out of warm, sunny places.
⚖️ scaling tips
This recipe is perfect for making a little or a lot! You can make as little as 1/2 cup or as much as a whole bottle of gin! Simply adjust the amount of berries and gin you use for the following scenarios:
- for one half cup of infused gin – use 1/2 cup of gin and 40 grams of berries, or about 1/3 cup.
- for one cup of infused gin – use 1 cup of gin and 80 grams of berries, or about 2/3 cup.
🔆 top tip
While logically it seems like infusing the cranberries for longer equals a stronger flavor, avoid letting your infusion steep for longer than 7 days. When infusing liquor with fresh fruit, over extraction is possible, and this usually results in an almost perfume-like quality of liquor.
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♻️ substitutions & variations
Missing an ingredient? No problem. Check out these tried-and-true substitutions, or comment below with your question. I’m here to help you troubleshoot!
- add spices – adding in a sprig of rosemary or mint can amp up the botanical flavor of the gin. Just be sure to taste your infusion as you are making it, because some herbs can become very overpowering in just a short amount of time.
- add orange – pop in a few slices of orange for a pop of citrus flavor, because cranberries and orange play very well together!
- use another liquor – I love infusing other kinds of liquor, like vodka, rum, and tequila! You could even do a bourbon for cranberry old fashioneds!
🧰 equipment needed
💬 q+a
How long does infused gin last?
You finished gin will last for up to 6 months in the fridge before the flavor starts to fade.
Do you need to refrigerate infused liquor?
The general rule of thumb is if you are using ingredients to infuse liquor that are not shelf-stable, you should refrigerate it. This means any liquor infusing fresh ingredients or produce, like cranberries, should be stored in the fridge to keep it from spoiling.
How long should I infuse liquor for?
While you might be tempted to think that longer = better with infusions, that’s really not always the case. Sure, for things like homemade vanilla extract, time can be your friend. But when you are infusing liquor to be used in cocktails, you want to stick to a week maximum before flavors get funky.
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Cranberry Infused Gin (with Real Cranberries)
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Equipment
- 1 large jar 50 ounce capacity or greater
- 1 cocktail muddler
- 1 fine mesh sieve
- 1 cheesecloth optional, for further straining
- 1 glass measuring cup 4 cup capacity
Ingredients
- 240 grams whole cranberries fresh or frozen (2 cups)
- 750 mL gin brand such as Bombay Sapphire or Hendricks
Instructions
- If you are using fresh cranberries, give them a good rinse to clean them.
- Place your berries in a large glass jar.
- Muddle the berries to crush about 1/4 – 1/2 of them so they release their juices easier.
- Pour your gin overtop of the cranberries.
- Seal the jar and give it a gentle shake.
- Infuse the liquor for 3-7 days, depending on the flavor you want. Place the jar in a cool dark place, like a kitchen cupboard or in your pantry. You can also place it in the fridge. Just avoid direct sunlight and warm locations.
- Taste your cranberry gin each day until it reaches the flavor you want. Once it does, strain the cranberries out of the mixture using a fine mesh sieve and glass measuring cup.
- Store your finished cranberry gin in an airtight storage container for up to 6 months in the fridge.
Notes
- for one cup of infused gin – use 1 cup of gin and 80 grams of berries, or about 2/3 cup.
- for one half cup of infused gin – use 1/2 cup of gin and 40 grams of berries, or about 1/3 cup.
Nutrition Information
The information provided is an estimate based on an online nutrition facts calculator and actual nutrition facts may vary.
