Cranberry Simple Syrup Recipe

Cranberry is a quintessential winter flavor that's perfect in seasonal and holiday drinks. If you've ever made cranberry sauce for Thanksgiving, you can make this very easy cranberry simple syrup.

Cranberries have a unique sour flavor that is tangy and refreshing. Their bold tartness is perfectly balanced by the sweetness of sugar or honey in a syrup or sauce.

Although their name would have you think otherwise, cranberries are actually not berries at all. They're known as epigynous fruits or false berries. Cranberries are harvested in the late fall, usually from late September to early November, when they're at their peak freshness and flavor.

Drinks that use cranberry simple syrup

Cranberry syrup can be used in drinks like my Cranberry Campari Spritz, Cranberry Ginger Hot Toddy, or in place of simple syrup in any cocktail recipe to give it a fun seasonal twist.

Cranberry Gimlet

Make a wintery twist on the classic Gimlet by substituting this cranberry syrup for plain simple syrup. Combine 2 oz gin or vodka, ¾ oz lime juice and ¾ oz cranberry simple syrup in a cocktail shaker and fill it ¾ with ice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with lime or cranberries.

Cranberry Margarita

The classic Margarita is an easy three ingredient cocktail. To make a Cranberry Margarita, simply replace the triple sec with cranberry syrup. Combine 2 oz tequila, 1 oz lime juice and 1 oz cranberry simple syrup in a cocktail shaker and fill it ¾ with ice. Shake until chilled, then strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a salted rim (if desired) and a lime wedge.

Cranberry Old Fashioned

The Old Fashioned is one of the easiest cocktails to riff on. You can add your own spin on the classic by replacing the simple syrup or sugar cube with any other syrup. Make a Cranberry Old Fashioned by mixing 2 oz bourbon or rye whiskey with ¼ oz cranberry simple syrup and 2 dashes of bitters (orange is a great choice here) in a mixing glass. Fill the mixing glass with ice and stir for about 30 seconds or until very cold. Strain the liquid into a rocks glass filled with ice (or one large cube) and garnish with an expressed orange peel.

Syrup ingredients

Cranberry simple syrup is made with three ingredients: water, sugar, and cranberries. You'll also need a small saucepan, a spoon, a fine mesh strainer, and a glass bottle or jar to store your syrup in.

Fresh or frozen cranberries

You can use either fresh or frozen cranberries for this recipe, it doesn't make any difference because we will be cooking them.

Sugar

Plain white table sugar or cane sugar is perfect for this syrup recipe. For a deeper flavor, you can substitute turbinado, demerara or brown sugar. These sugars are especially great if you choose to add spices like cinnamon for more holiday flavor. You can also make cranberry syrup with honey. Simply use half sugar, half honey.

Orange zest

I like to add a strip of orange peel to my cranberry syrup. The citrus oils add depth to the overall flavor and are the perfect complement to the bright sweet and sour flavors of the syrup.

How to make the syrup

Just like any simple syrup, we're going to combine equal parts sugar and water. We'll add an equal measure of cranberries, and the orange peel, if using.

1. Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally to help the sugar dissolve.
2. Once bubbling, reduce the heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or until the syrup is bright red and the cranberries have begun to break down. Don't overcook it - the cranberries will disintegrate and make the syrup harder to strain.
3. Next, remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool before straining. You can scoop the cranberries out and then pour the syrup through a fine mesh strainer to catch any small seeds or bits of fruit.
4. Pour your finished syrup into a glass bottle or jar and keep it in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

More cocktail syrup recipes:

• Elderberry Syrup (With or Without Honey)
• Chai Simple Syrup
• Ginger Simple Syrup
• Candy Cane Simple Syrup