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Christmas Cocktail in a glass garnished with an orange slice, cranberries, and a rosemary spig
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Christmas Cocktail

Sweet, tart, and perfectly spiced with fresh ginger and rosemary, this Christmas Cocktail will steal the show.
Course Cocktail
Cuisine American
Keyword christmas drinks
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Chill Time 30 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes
Servings 1 drink
Calories 664kcal
Author Kathleen

Ingredients

For the ginger rosemary simple syrup

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 large sprigs rosemary
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, very thinnly sliced
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

To assemble:

  • 3 dashes orange bitters
  • 2 ounces vodka
  • 1 ounce triple sec
  • 1 ounce rosemary syrup
  • 2 1/2 ounces cranberry juice
  • Garnish: cranberries orange wheels, and rosemary
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • In a small pot over medium heat, combine the sugar, water, rosemary, and sliced ginger. Stir occasionally for about 5 minutes or until all the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is slightly reduced.
  • Remove from the heat, stir in the vanilla. Transfer to a small bowl, and place in the refrigerator to chill.
  • Once the syrup has chilled (about 20-30 minutes), discard the rosemary and sliced ginger. Fill a rocks glass with ice.
  • To the glass, add the bitters, vodka, triple sec, rosemary syrup, and cranberry juice and stir.
  • Garnish with cranberries, an orange wheel, and a rosemary sprig and serve immediately.

Notes

  1. Make the syrup ahead for easy entertaining:
    The rosemary-ginger syrup is where all the magic happens, and it actually tastes even better after it’s had time to rest in the fridge. Make a batch a day or two before your party, tuck it into a jar, and you’ll be just a quick shake away from beautiful holiday cocktails all night long.
  2. Adjust the sweetness to your crowd:
    Using unsweetened cranberry juice keeps this cocktail nicely balanced, but everyone’s sweet tooth is a little different. If you’re serving guests who like things on the sweeter side, add an extra splash of syrup or use a mix of unsweetened and sweetened cranberry juice until it tastes just right.
  3. Let the garnish do some of the work:
    Don’t skip the rosemary sprig, cranberries, and orange slice—they add aroma, color, and a little “wow” factor with almost no effort. Frozen cranberries are especially handy here; they look gorgeous, help keep the drink chilled, and don’t water it down like extra ice.

Nutrition

Serving: 1drink | Calories: 664kcal | Carbohydrates: 120g | Sodium: 12mg | Potassium: 85mg | Sugar: 118g | Vitamin A: 90IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 17mg