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Home » Recipes » Beverages

Published: Nov 28, 2021 · Modified: Sep 16, 2022 by Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Spiced Cranberry Old Fashioned

Jump to Recipe

Put an extra festive touch to your holiday cocktail menu with this spiced cranberry old fashioned! Prepared with a fresh cranberry-spice simple syrup and citrusy orange bitters, this holiday old fashioned is filled with the season’s best flavors, and it couldn’t be easier to make. This is one cocktail you’ll want to make all holiday season long.

Two spiced cranberry old fashioned cocktails with lights and sugared cranberries to the side.
Jump to:
  • Why You’ll Love This Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Step-by-Step Instructions
  • Recipe FAQs
  • Expert Tips
  • Perfect Pairing
  • Looking for More Cranberry Cocktails?
  • 📖 Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

The most cozy, festive holiday old fashioned: With the spiced cranberry simple syrup and warming bourbon, this is the perfect cocktail for snuggling up by the fire during the chilly fall nights and even through Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s.

Easy for home bartenders of all skill levels: An old fashioned is a sophisticated and elegant classic cocktail, so it might seem intimidating to make. But you’ll see the process couldn’t be easier, and this spiced cranberry old fashioned will make you look like an expert mixologist to all your friends and family.

Make-ahead and bulk mixing options: If you’re hosting a holiday party, you want to sit back and relax, not play bartender all night. I included a make-ahead option as well as a method for batching several cocktails at a time to ensure easy entertaining.

Bonus: If you love this Christmas old fashioned, make sure you also try my spiced cranberry bourbon sour! My gingerbread old fashioned and peanut butter old fashioned are also wonderful options.

Ingredients

The cranberry old fashioned ingredients on a wooden board with labels.

Bourbon: There’s no need to grab the most expensive bottle here. A good-quality, mid-range bourbon is perfect, such as Bulleit Bourbon, Maker’s Mark, Elijah Craig, Four Roses or Buffalo Trace.

Spiced cranberry simple syrup: Rather than the traditional sugar cube, we sweeten our drink with a spiced cranberry syrup. To make this syrup, you’ll need fresh cranberries, white sugar, cinnamon sticks, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves and fresh orange zest.

Orange bitters: I’m a sucker for the classic cranberry-orange flavor combination, so I couldn’t resist adding more bright citrus. That said, you could substitute the orange for spiced bitters, like a ginger or cardamom variety, or you could go with the classic angostura bitters.

Optional garnishes: I love to give this drink a pretty touch with candied rosemary and cranberries. To make these, simply brush the cranberries and a sprig of rosemary with plain simple syrup, generously sprinkle with sugar and allow to fully dry on a wire rack. An orange twist is also a nice touch.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup

Step 1: We begin by adding a cup of sugar and water to a small saucepan over medium-high heat with fresh cranberries, orange zest and the spices (photo 1).

The cranberries, orange zest and spices in a small saucepan on the stove-top before it comes to a boil.

Step 2: When the mixture comes to a boil, we reduce the heat and allow it to simmer. After 10 minutes, we turn off the heat and let the spices steep (photo 2).

The cranberries and spices in a stainless steel saucepan on the stove-top as it steeps.

Step 3: Now we place a bowl under a fine-mesh sieve in the sink and strain the mixture (photo 3). What's left in the bowl is our syrup. As long as we store it in a sterile, airtight container in the refrigerator, it should last for several weeks. And just like that, we're ready to start on our cranberry old fashioned cocktail.

The cranberries and cinnamon sticks in a fine-mesh sieve over a sink after straining.

Cranberry Old Fashioned

Step 1: We grab an old fashioned glass and add the bourbon, homemade cranberry simple syrup and a few dashes of bitters (photos 4-6).

A collage showing the process of add the ingredients to a cocktail glass.

Step 2: For a perfectly chilled old fashioned, we drop in our ice, preferably one large ice cube, and give the bourbon mixture a good stir with a bar spoon to add a little dilution (photo 7). About 15-20 stirs does the trick.

Stirring the ice cube with a copper bar spoon on a wooden surface in the cocktail glass to chill.

Step 3: All that’s left is to garnish! I like to twist an orange peel over the glass to catch those fragrant oils and then add sugared cranberries and candied rosemary for a pretty wintry touch.

Now sit back, enjoy this festive time of year and sip away on this delicious holiday bourbon cocktail.

Looking down at the cocktail with the sugared cranberry and candied rosemary garnish.

Recipe FAQs

What’s the best whiskey for an old fashioned?

Bourbon and rye are the traditional whiskeys used in an old fashioned. My favorite is bourbon. Thanks to its majority corn makeup, bourbon is sweeter with caramel and vanilla notes. Rye, however, has a spicier finish, so it can certainly work here if you prefer to use that.

What are bitters?

Bitters are a botanical-infused liquor. These botanicals include everything from spices and fruits to herbs, roots, leaves, seeds and even bark. Bitters add a complexity to a cocktail and balance out the flavors. Keep in mind, bitters are strong, so two to three dashes are all you need.

You can generally find bitters near the mixers in the store, and all sorts of varieties are available online from retailers, such as Fee Brothers.

Can you make an old fashioned ahead of time?

You sure can. Simply stir together the bourbon, simple syrup, bitters and a little water to act as the dilution and store covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve. You can find the exact proportions in the notes section of the recipe card.

Expert Tips

Adjust to suit your taste: An old fashioned isn't overly sweet, so we don't use very much cranberry simple syrup. That said, if you'd like more spiced-cranberry flavor, you can always add a smidge more syrup.

Get the right supplies: When making one old fashioned at a time, prepare it directly in the rocks glass. If you’d like to prepare multiple old fashioned cocktails at a time, however, a mixing glass is traditional, or you could even use a pitcher if you’re serving a large crowd.

Use one big ice cube: You can use regular ice cubes if you don’t have a large-ice mold, but you’ll get a bit more dilution. If you love making an old fashioned at home, I think it’s well worth the small investment, and you can get them on Amazon.

Plan ahead for preparing garnishes: If you plan to garnish with the sugared cranberries and fresh rosemary, prepare them at least an hour ahead of time to give them time to dry.

Perfect Pairing

If you're enjoying this spiced cranberry cocktail as a before-dinner drink, you'll love it with my holiday pretzel bites stuffed with Brie and cranberry sauce. Brie and bourbon pair beautifully as the cheese's big, creamy body stands up well to the bold liquor, and its mild flavor complements the bourbon's sweet notes perfectly.

That said, if you'd like to drink this cranberry bourbon cocktail with dinner, you can't go wrong with my Christmas roast duck. This holiday duck is served with a cranberry-orange glaze to mimic our signature fruit's flavor, and that rich, bold duck meat can match the intensity of the bourbon.

For a festive holiday whiskey cocktail, I hope you try this spiced cranberry old fashioned. You will love every delicious sip.

Cheers!

A close-up of the spiced cranberry old fashioned with sugared cranberries and a candied rosemary sprig around it.

Looking for More Cranberry Cocktails?

  • Sparkling Cranberry-Ginger Margarita
  • Spiced Cranberry Mimosa for Christmas Morning
  • Cranberry-Apple Cider Holiday Sangria
  • Chai-Cranberry Bourbon Smash

If you love this recipe, please leave a comment with a five-star rating — or simply hit the five-star button in the recipe card. Don't forget to sign up for my newsletter, and you can follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and TikTok.

📖 Recipe

Two spiced cranberry old fashioned cocktails with lights and sugared cranberries to the side.

Spiced Cranberry Old Fashioned

Put an extra festive touch to your holiday cocktail menu with this spiced cranberry old fashioned! Prepared with a fresh cranberry-spice simple syrup and citrusy orange bitters, this holiday old fashioned is filled with the season’s best flavors, and it couldn’t be easier to make. This is one cocktail you’ll want to make all holiday season long.
5 from 110 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Beverages
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Steeping Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Servings: 1 drink
Calories: 201kcal
Author: Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Equipment

  • Old fashioned glass
  • Bar spoon

Ingredients

Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup

  • 2 cups fresh cranberries
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg preferably freshly grated
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger
  • Pinch of ground cloves

Spiced Cranberry Old Fashioned

  • 2 ounces bourbon
  • ¼ ounce spiced cranberry simple syrup about 1 teaspoon
  • 2-3 dashes of orange bitters
  • 1 large ice cube
  • Orange twist for garnish, optional
  • Sugared cranberries for garnish, optional
  • Candied rosemary for garnish, optional

Instructions

Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup

  • In a small saucepan, add the cranberries, water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, orange zest, ground ginger, nutmeg and cloves over medium-high heat.
  • Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Turn off heat and allow the mixture to steep for another 10 minutes.
  • Place a bowl under a fine-mesh sieve. Strain the syrup in the fine-mesh sieve. Store the cranberry simple syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several weeks.

Spiced Cranberry Old Fashioned

  • Pour the bourbon and spiced cranberry simple syrup into an old fashioned glass. Add orange bitters. Stir to combine.
  • Add a large ice cube to the glass. Stir about 15-20 times to chill and just slightly dilute the mixture.
  • If desired, garnish with an orange twist, sugared cranberries and candied rosemary. Enjoy!

Notes

When making one cranberry old fashioned at a time, prepare it directly in the rocks glass. If you’d like to prepare multiple old fashioned cocktails at a time, however, a mixing glass is traditional, or you could even use a pitcher if you’re serving a large crowd. To make a 12-serving batch, use 3 cups bourbon, ¼ cup spiced cranberry simple syrup, ⅓ cup water (to account for dilution) and ¾ ounce bitters. Stir together and store covered in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
  • An old fashioned isn't overly sweet, so we don't use very much cranberry simple syrup. That said, you're more than welcome to add more to suit your taste and add more cranberry-spice flavor.
  • You can use regular ice cubes if you don’t have a large-ice mold, but you’ll get a bit more dilution. If you love making an old fashioned at home, I think it’s well worth the small investment, and you can get them on Amazon.
  • If you plan to garnish with the sugared cranberries and rosemary, prepare them at least an hour ahead of time to give them time to dry.
  • Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Nutrition

Serving: 1drink | Calories: 201kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 13mg | Potassium: 93mg | Sugar: 18g | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @BurrataandBubbles or tag #burratandbubbles!

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Sara Welch says

    January 07, 2022 at 10:49 am

    5 stars
    Love a good cocktail with a kick! Easily, the best way to wind down at the end of the day!

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      January 11, 2022 at 3:38 pm

      No argument here!

      Reply
  2. Kristen Wood says

    January 06, 2022 at 11:26 pm

    5 stars
    This was so amazing! It will definitely be on regular rotation from here on out. Thank you for the wonderful recipe! 🙂

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      January 11, 2022 at 3:36 pm

      You are so welcome!

      Reply
  3. Andrea says

    January 06, 2022 at 6:35 pm

    5 stars
    I love this recipe idea so much. Any suggestions on how to make this into a mocktail?

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      January 06, 2022 at 6:40 pm

      Hey, Andrea! For a mocktail, your best bet is to use a non-alcoholic bourbon. Here's a list of some non-alcoholic whiskey options!

      Reply
  4. Kathryn says

    January 06, 2022 at 6:10 pm

    5 stars
    I had leftover cranberries from the holidays and I'm so glad I made this. It gave the old fashioned great flavor and I want to make this again for Valentine's Day 🙂 thanks for another great cocktail recipe!

    Reply
    • Amanda McGrory-Dixon says

      January 06, 2022 at 6:41 pm

      This would be wonderful for Valentine's Day! So glad you loved it.

      Reply
  5. Holley says

    January 06, 2022 at 6:04 pm

    5 stars
    This was so delightful over the holidays! I just loved that spiced cranberry simple syrup -- really made for a delicious drink. Yum!

    Reply
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A headshot of Amanda, the owner of Burrata and Bubbles, holding a beer.

Hi, I'm Amanda, a Denver-based lady who believes life is best spent with comforting meals, tasty beverages and good company. When I'm not playing in the kitchen, I'm probably exploring new breweries with my husband, Matt, or obsessing over my adorable dog, Baylor.

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