This cranberry gin smash cocktail recipe takes the seasonal flavors of cranberry and rosemary and mixes them with the botanical flavors of gin, to create a truly special cranberry infused cocktail!
In over a decade of creating cocktails, I’ve come across certain flavor combinations that just work. One of those flavor combinations is cranberry and rosemary. The mix of tart berry and herbaceous, slightly woody rosemary works so well together and channels feelings of crisp holiday nights.
This cranberry gin smash is an updated take on a classic bar staple: the smash cocktail. It uses this recipe for rosemary simple syrup and this recipe for cranberry infused gin to create a fun and festive cocktail that is perfect for celebrating with during the holiday season. Whether you are having a cozy night in, or gathering around the table with family and friends, this cocktail is sure to make every hour a little happier.
why this cranberry gin cocktail recipe works:
🎊 festive & fun. Cranberries are most famous for their role on the Thanksgiving table, but this cocktail is perfect throughout your fall and winter holidays! The flavors of cranberry, lime, and rosemary mingle together to make a super festive drink.
💥 flavor-packed. Muddled cocktails are flavor powerhouses for a reason! Smashing the ingredients together in a process called maceration is a bold and powerful way to impart lots of flavor, fast! Plus, it’s fun to smash things around the holidays when nerves can ride a little higher. 😜
⚖️ well-balanced. While some holiday cocktails can be heavy on the sweet side, this Christmas gin cocktail is well-balanced in flavor thanks to the rosemary simple syrup and gin.
🛒 ingredients
See the recipe card for the exact quantities.
👊 what is a smash cocktail?
A smash cocktail is one that has ingredients muddled together. Smash cocktails have been documented for decades, probably most famously in one of the first cocktail books ever, Jerry Thomas’s 1880’s book “The Bar-Tenders Guide” (also called “How to Mix Drinks”). Traditionally, smash cocktails are made by combining liquor, sugar, and other ingredients like herbs or fruits.
- type of liquor – Historically, you may have seen a whiskey smash or a bourbon smash on cocktail menus, but you can make a smash using any kind of liquor. A mojito is a version of a smash using rum. A mint julep is a version using whiskey.
- muddle – you’ll need a muddler for making smashes, or at least something you can use to smoosh the ingredients together to blend their flavors. You can use the end of a kitchen tool, like a large spoon or spatula, but using a muddler is the best way to macerate the flavors together. A muddler provides an even, flat surface for smashing ingredients together.
- strain – smash cocktails are often strained, because the ingredients can clog straws, and it can be unappealing to get a chunk of something in your cocktail if you aren’t expecting it. However, you can leave the ingredients in for a show-stopping presentation.
🍳 instructions
Make your garnishes first, so they’re ready to go when your drink is mixed. To do this, take a fresh sprig of rosemary that is about 3 inches long, and remove the leaves from the bottom 3/4 of the rosemary by pulling them down the stem of the sprig.
Step 1: Remove the leaves of rosemary from a sprig, and cut the bottom of the sprig of rosemary at an angle with a sharp pairing knife to make a pointed end, like a toothpick.
Step 2: Spear 3 cranberries onto the rosemary, and set it off to the side to make the rest of the drink.
Step 3: In a cocktail shaker or mixing glass, add the rosemary simple syrup.
Step 4: Add in fresh cranberries that have been rinsed clean.
Step 5: Slice a lime into four wedges, and add in two of the wedges per cocktail.
Step 6: Add the cranberry gin to the mixing glass, then top with ice cubes.
Step 7: Shake or stir the mixture to chill your cocktail.
Step 8: Strain your cocktail through a cocktail strainer. Garnish with your rosemary sprig and cranberries, then serve it immediately.
Hint: It is easier to muddle a lime wedge than a half of a whole lime. Cut your lime into four wedges to make it easier to smash your ingredients together. 👊
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💡tips & tricks for getting it right
🍽️ serving tips
- Serve these festive cranberry cocktails at any fall or winter holiday gathering. They make the perfect Thanksgiving or Christmas cranberry cocktail.
- You can even make a large batch of these drinks by muddling a few at a time in advance, then straining and storing them in a pitcher until you are ready to serve them.
Choose your glass
- Smashes are traditionally served in a rocks glass with a single large ice cube, or with crushed ice. I also love serving this cocktail over cranberry ice cubes for even more wow-factor!
- You can also choose a small glass like a martini glass or coupe glass with shaved ice, or no ice, for a more elevated presentation.
Garnish
- A garnish is a great way to give flavor clues to your guests. The rosemary and cranberry garnish is a wonderful hint for your guests at the flavor of this cocktail.
- Use a sharp pairing knife to cut a sprig of fresh rosemary at an angle to create a pointed end. This will help you to skewer cranberries onto the rosemary sprig.
- For an even fancier twist, you can roll your cranberry garnishes in sugar to make them sparkle!
ℹ️ troubleshooting tips
- not enough cranberry flavor – if you are not using cranberry infused gin, you may want to use more fresh cranberries to muddle into your cocktails to maximize the cranberry flavor.
- too tart – cranberries and cranberry juice is very tart. Additionally, limes can vary greatly in flavor, so it’s possible that your limes can bring a lot of acidity to the mix. If your cocktail is too tart, you can add in more rosemary simple syrup to balance things out.
- not enough rosemary flavor – you can add in more sprigs of rosemary to amp up the rosemary flavor if you don’t have a strong enough flavor of the herb.
⚖️ scaling tips
This cocktail can be scaled up for a crowd. If you are making a large batch, I recommend using a cocktail mixing glass instead of a shaker to muddle your cocktails. You can fit 3-4 servings in a cocktail mixing glass to muddle at once.
Then, you can strain the mix into a pitcher.
Store the pitcher in the fridge to chill it, then serve as your guests arrive in your preferred glass.
🔆 top tip
Make sure to really squish the ingredients together with the muddler— that’s where the smash comes from in this recipe!
♻️ 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!
- use another simple syrup – you can use plain simple syrup or even cranberry simple syrup for an extra boost of berry flavor. If you use regular simple syrup, you may want to add in a few sprigs of fresh rosemary to add more rosemary flavor.
- use a different liquor – this cranberry cocktail can be made using vodka, tequila, or even rum! You can also try it with dark liquors like brandy, whiskey, or cognac. Want ANOTHER boost of cranberry? Try adding in a half ounce of this homemade cranberry cordial!
- make it a mocktail – omit the gin and use an alcohol-free spirit like Seedlip or Ritual Zero Proof for a non-alcoholic cranberry smash. You can also just use water in place of gin if you don’t have any alcohol-free spirits on hand.
- sparkling – you can add sparkling wine, champagne, or even your favorite sparkling water to this cocktail to give it some bubbly fizz!
🧰 equipment needed & storage tips
🫙 storage tips
It is best to serve this drink immediately after making it since it contains so many fresh ingredients. If you are making them in advance, you can prepare this cocktail a few hours before your event and store it in the fridge.
💬 q+a
What does gin taste like?
Gin has a prominent flavor of botanicals, similar to how a Christmas tree smells. It is pine line, woodsy, and can sometimes be almost floral in flavor. The taste of gin varies from brand to brand, because each distiller has a different recipe. The similarity among gin brands is that they contain juniper, which is a member of the cypress family of trees.
What if I can’t find fresh cranberries?
You can use frozen cranberries! Be sure to allow them to thaw first before trying to muddle them or skewer them onto a rosemary sprig.
How can I get cranberries onto a sprig of rosemary?
Use a sharp pairing knife to cut a sprig of rosemary at an angle. This creates a pointed end, like a toothpick. You can also pierce cranberries with a toothpick or cocktail pick, then thread them onto the sprig of rosemary. Be sure to remove the bottom leaves of rosemary and only leave a little tuft at the top.
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Cranberry Gin Smash (Cranberry Gin Cocktail)
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Equipment
- 1 cocktail shaker or cocktail mixing glass
- 1 cocktail muddler
- 1 cocktail strainer
- 1 cocktail glass of choice such as a rocks glass or coupe glass
Ingredients
- 2 ounces cranberry infused gin see substitutions & variations section for alternatives
- ½ whole lime fresh
- .5 ounce rosemary simple syrup see substitutions & variations section for alternatives
- 6 whole cranberries
Instructions
To make the garnish
- Take a fresh sprig of rosemary that is about 3 inches long, and remove the leaves from the bottom 3/4 of the rosemary by pulling them down the stem of the sprig.
- Cut the bottom of the sprig of rosemary at an angle with a sharp pairing knife to make a pointed end, like a toothpick.
- Spear 3 cranberries onto the rosemary, and set it off to the side to make the rest of the drink.
To make the cocktail
- Combine the lime wedges, cranberry simple syrup, and whole cranberries in a cocktail shaker.
- Muddle with a cocktail muddler, making sure to really squish things down and combine them.
- Add the gin into the shaker.
- Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for 15-30 seconds.
- Strain through a cocktail strainer into a glass of your choice. You can either use a large ice cube, crushed ice, or no ice.
- Garnish with a sprig of rosemary that has been skewered with three cranberries.
- Serve immediately.
