An Easy Cocktail Recipe for Holiday Parties

This easy cocktail recipe is perfect for your holiday parties. It’s not only beautiful to look at, but it tastes like Christmas in a cup. Bourbon based, this festive cocktail gets punchy flavor from a splash of cranberry juice and charred orange. It’s sweetened only with a touch of cranberry infused honey, and is a gorgeous addition to your next gathering.

This post was created in partnership with Naturacentric Apothecary. While I received product and/or compensation for this post, my opinions and recommendations are my own. I only share products with you that I love.

Ready or not the holidays are upon us. This year, I’m optimistic that we will once again gather with friends and family from near and far. I’m an unapologetic planner. From the food and the tablescape, to the appetizers and the cocktails, holiday gatherings should be fun, comfortable, and most importantly, delicious.

A good holiday cocktail should look festive and be scalable. That way, you can mix up a big batch and put it in a pitcher so your guests can help themselves. This frees up some of your time to socialize (or baste the turkey). I like to set aside a “beverage station” on a smaller table in the gathering area. I equip the station with glassware, a bucket of ice, chilled white wine, red wine, a pitcher with a mixed cocktail, garnishes, and some nice sparkling and still bottled water.

An Easy Cocktail Recipe for the Holidays with Bourbon, Cranberry Honey and Charred Orange

This easy cocktail recipe is basically a riff on an Old Fashioned which is bourbon, sugar or simple syrup, orange zest, and bitters. Cranberry Infused Honey from Naturacentric Apothecary sweetens this holiday-inspired version. Side note about the honey – this summer I met Natalie Meneses, the lovely owner of this Central California business at a craft fair. Her product line is impressive – don’t even get me started on the labels and packaging! Naturacentric is a zero waste company. Plus, Natalie is passionate about the medicinal properties of herbs which she thoughtfully infuses into her products. I’m especially fond if her infused honeys, and her Elderberry Wellness Elixir. Also, if you’re into supporting small businesses during the holidays (you should be), her products make an awesome holiday gift!

Now back to the cocktail….

Here’s what you need to make this Cranberry Old Fashioned:

• Good quality bourbon – you don’t need to break the bank here for fancy sipping bourbon because this is a mixed drink, but it should be a bourbon that you enjoy.
• Cranberry infused honey – Buy this honey online, or make your own (see directions below)
• 100% cranberry juice
• Fresh or frozen cranberries
• Orange slices
• Orange bitters

Instructions to make two cocktails:

1. Make the cranberry honey syrup. Put 1/2 cup of cranberry-infused honey into a small saucepan with 1/2 cup of water and 1/4 cup of fresh or frozen whole cranberries. Heat over medium and bring to a low simmer until the cranberries start to pop. Remove from heat and mash the cranberries with a fork. Let mixture cool to room temperature and strain out the cranberries. You will have enough honey cranberry syrup for approximately 8 cocktails.
2. Make the charred orange slices. Coat two orange slices in sugar on both sides. Place them in a dry, non-stick skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until browned on both sides. Set aside to cool.
3. Measure out 4 ounces of bourbon and pour into an ice filled cocktail shaker.
4. Add 2 ounces each of cranberry juice and honey cranberry syrup to the shaker. Top the shaker with the lid and shake vigorously to combine.
5. Pour cocktail evenly into two, ice-filled lowball glasses. top with a dash or two of bitters. Garnish with the charred orange slices and fresh cranberries.

I hope you love this bright, beautiful and easy cocktail recipe as much as we do! Be careful, it’s strong and is VERY easy to sip. So be sure to warn your guests.

Get inspired! Here are a few more fun and festive holiday cocktail recipes:

• Garnet Cranberry Gin Slush Cocktail
• Smoky Lemon Rosemary Whisky Sour
• Violet Champagne Cocktail

Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and star rating below (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) and post a picture and tag us on Instagram using the hashtags #agirldefloured #deflouredrecipes! Thank you!

Cranberry Orange Old Fashioned Cocktail

Alison Needham

This easy cocktail recipe is perfect for your holiday parties. It’s not only beautiful to look at, but it tastes like Christmas in a cup. Bourbon based, this festive cocktail gets punchy flavor from a splash of cranberry juice and charred orange. It’s sweetened only with a touch of cranberry infused honey, and is a gorgeous addition to your next gathering.

5 from 1 vote

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Servings 2 cocktails

Calories 196 kcal

Equipment

• Cocktail Shaker
• Non-Stick Skillet
• Small Saucepan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 ounces good quality bourbon
• 1/2 cup cranberry infused honey
• 2 ounces 100% cranberry juice
• 1/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2 orange slices
• sugar for coating orange slices
• Orange bitters

Instructions

 

• Make the cranberry honey syrup. Put 1/2 cup of cranberry-infused honey into a small saucepan with 1/2 cup of water and 1/4 cup of fresh or frozen whole cranberries. Heat over medium and bring to a low simmer until the cranberries start to pop. Remove from heat and mash the cranberries with a fork. Let mixture cool to room temperature and strain out the cranberries. You will have enough honey cranberry syrup for approximately 8 cocktails.
• Make the charred orange slices. Coat two orange slices in sugar on both sides. Place them in a dry, non stick skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until browned on both sides. Set aside to cool.
• Measure out 4 ounces of bourbon and pour into an ice filled cocktail shaker.
• Add 2 ounces each of cranberry juice and honey cranberry syrup to the shaker. Top the shaker with the lid and shake vigorously to combine.
• Pour cocktail evenly into two, ice-filled lowball glasses. top with a dash or two of bitters. Garnish with the charred orange slices and fresh cranberries.

Notes

If you don’t have or can’t find cranberry honey, that’s ok. The additional cranberries in the honey will still infuse it with flavor and color. Also, you don’t need to break the bank here for fancy sipping bourbon because this is a mixed drink, but it should be a bourbon that you enjoy.

To pre-batch for 8: Mix 2 cups of bourbon, the entire batch of cranberry honey syrup, and 1 cup of cranberry juice into a large pitcher and stir well to combine. Char 8 slices of orange, and place in bowl. Arrange a platter with the cocktail pitcher, orange slices, toothpicks threaded with fresh cranberries, a bucket of ice, 8 lowball glasses and a bottle of bitters so guests can help themselves.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cocktailCalories: 196kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 63mgFiber: 1gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 50IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Cranberry Old Fashioned Cocktail, Cranberry Orange Cocktail, Easy cocktail recipe

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