Cranberry Apple Bourbon Cocktail

This cranberry apple bourbon cocktail is a cozy big-batch Christmas drink with warm spice, bright fruit, and make-ahead ease for holiday parties.

Course Cocktail

Cuisine American

Keyword Cranberry Apple Bourbon Cocktail

Prep Time 1

Cook Time 1

Total Time 2

Servings Cocktail

Calories 207kcal

Author Kathleen

Mix the base :In a cocktail shaker, combine the cranberry sauce (1 tablespoon) and spiced bourbon (2 ounces). Add a handful of ice and shake until well chilled and the cranberry sauce is mostly dissolved, about 10–15 seconds.
Build the drink: Fill a rocks glass or stemless wine glass with fresh ice. Strain the cranberry–bourbon mixture into the glass.
Top with cider: Pour 4–6 ounces of dry hard apple cider over the top. Start with about 4 ounces, taste, and add up to 2 more ounces if you’d like a lighter, more sippable drink.
Garnish: Garnish with fresh apple slices or chopped apple and a few fresh cranberries. Serve immediately.

Use jellied cranberry for the smoothest finish.
Canned jellied cranberry sauce gives you that silky, bar-style texture. If you only have whole-berry, you can still make the drink—just strain the shaken mixture through a fine-mesh strainer before adding cider to catch most of the bits.
Taste as you pour the cider.
Start with about 4 ounces of cider, taste, and then add up to 2 more ounces if you want something lighter and more bubbly. Less cider = stronger, more bourbon-forward cocktail; more cider = easier sipper.
Chill your cider ahead of time.
Cold cider means you don’t have to rely on tons of extra ice to bring the drink down to temperature, so the flavor stays bold without getting overly diluted.
Make it your signature.
Play with different dry ciders (a little more tart, more apple-y, or even slightly funky) and your favorite bourbon to find the combo you love most—and then that’s your house holiday cocktail.
Garnish generously.
Those apple slices and fresh cranberries aren’t just pretty—they smell amazing as you sip and instantly tell guests what’s in the glass. Don’t be shy with them for parties or holiday photos.