Why You’ll Love This Recipe

After making a few too many one-off cranberry syrups for cocktails and mocktails, I decided to build one all-purpose mixer that does it all. This one is more balanced than a straight syrup. It’s tart and juicy, with real orange flavor, a hint of warm spice, and just enough sweetness to hold up in a drink without taking it over. A splash turns sparkling water into a festive soda, it replaces the cranberry juice and syrup in a cosmo, mule, or old-fashioned, and it’s lovely warmed up in a mug. It takes 20 minutes, uses a handful of ingredients, and keeps for weeks, so you can have a ready-made holiday drink base in the fridge whenever guests drop by. It also makes a pretty homemade gift.

Ingredients

For the mixer (makes about 3 cups)

12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries (about 3 cups)
1 1/2 cups water
1 cup sugar (or 3/4 cup honey), adjusted to taste
3 wide strips orange peel (pith removed)
3/4 cup fresh orange juice (from about 3 oranges)
1 cinnamon stick
1 thin slice fresh ginger (about 1/2 inch)
2 whole cloves (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
Pinch of salt

For serving (per drink)

1 to 2 oz mixer
Sparkling water, ginger beer, or tonic, to top
Ice
Orange slices, cranberries, and rosemary, for garnish

Directions

Simmer. In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, water, sugar, orange peel, cinnamon stick, ginger, cloves, and salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves.
Cook down. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, until most of the berries have burst and the liquid is deep red.
Add the orange juice. Stir in the orange juice and simmer for 3 more minutes.
Steep. Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 20 minutes so the spices and peel infuse.
Strain. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, gently pressing on the solids with a spoon. For a clearer mixer, don’t press hard, and strain a second time through cheesecloth.
Finish. Stir in the lemon juice and taste. Add a little more sugar if you’d like it sweeter or a splash of juice if it’s too sweet.
Cool and store. Cool completely, then pour into a clean jar or bottle and refrigerate.
Mix a drink. Add 1 to 2 ounces of mixer to a glass of ice, top with sparkling water, stir gently, and garnish.

Servings and Timing

Servings: About 3 cups of mixer, enough for 12 to 24 drinks
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes, plus 20 minutes steeping
Total time: About 45 minutes, plus cooling

Use the pulp: The strained cranberries are delicious stirred into oatmeal or yogurt, or spread on toast, so nothing goes to waste.

Variations

Spiced: Add a star anise pod or a few allspice berries to the simmer.
Less sweet: Reduce the sugar to 3/4 cup for a tarter mixer that works well in cocktails.
Honey or maple: Replace the sugar with honey or pure maple syrup for a deeper flavor.
Rosemary: Add a sprig of rosemary during the steep for an herbal note.
Sparkling mixer drink: Combine 2 oz mixer, 1 oz lime juice, and 4 oz sparkling water for an easy spritz.
Cocktail base: Use 1 oz mixer in place of the cranberry juice and syrup in the cosmo, Paloma, mule, or old-fashioned.
Hot toddy-style: Warm 2 oz mixer with 6 oz hot water or black tea, and add bourbon if you like.
Frozen: Pour into ice cube trays, freeze, and blend into slushes.
Sugar-free: Use a 1:1 sugar substitute, though the shelf life will be shorter.

Storage and Reheating

Refrigerator: Store in a sealed jar for up to 2 weeks. Adding 1 ounce of vodka per cup extends the shelf life to about a month.
Freezer: Freeze in ice cube trays or small jars for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Gift giving: Pour into sterilized bottles, refrigerate, and give within 2 weeks.
Reheating: To serve warm, heat 2 ounces with hot water in a mug or saucepan. Don’t boil, which dulls the fresh orange flavor.

FAQs

What’s the difference between this and the cranberry-orange syrup?
The syrup in my cocktails is thicker and sweeter, built to be used by the half-ounce. This mixer has more fruit juice and a lighter body, so it works in larger pours and in non-alcoholic drinks.

Can I use frozen cranberries?
Yes. There’s no need to thaw them. They pop just as well and may take a minute longer to burst.

Why is my mixer cloudy?
Pressing hard on the solids pushes pulp through the sieve. For a clearer drink, let it drip through gently, or strain through cheesecloth.

Can I use bottled orange juice?
You can, but fresh juice tastes brighter and less sweet. Choose 100% juice, not from concentrate, if you go with bottled.

How tart should it be?
It should taste noticeably tart on its own, since sparkling water or ginger beer will dilute it. Taste and adjust the sugar before storing.

Can I can this for longer storage?
I don’t recommend canning without a tested recipe. For longer storage, freeze it in portions.

Can I make it without spices?
Absolutely. Skip the cinnamon, ginger, and cloves for a cleaner, fruitier mixer.

Conclusion

This cranberry-orange mixer is the shortcut I wish I’d had at the start of the season. It’s tart, bright, and versatile, and it turns a glass of sparkling water or a quick cocktail into something worth toasting. I hope you keep a jar in your fridge all holiday long. If you make it, I’d love to hear how you used yours!

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This Cranberry-Orange Mixer is a tart-sweet, make-ahead cocktail base made from fresh cranberries, orange juice, orange zest, and a touch of warm spice. Keep a jar in the fridge and you can stir up cocktails, mocktails, or sparkling punches in seconds. It’s the secret weapon for effortless holiday entertaining.

Author: Laura
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes (plus chilling)
Yield: 4 cups
Category: Drinks
Method: Simmering
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

3 cups (300 g) fresh or frozen cranberries
2 cups (480 ml) fresh orange juice
1 cup (240 ml) water
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar, plus more to taste
Zest of 1 orange, in wide strips
1 cinnamon stick
3 thin slices fresh ginger
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

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Instructions

Combine: In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, orange juice, water, sugar, orange zest, cinnamon stick, and ginger.
Simmer: Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cranberries burst and the liquid turns deep red.
Steep: Remove from the heat and let the mixture steep for 15 minutes to deepen the flavor.
Strain: Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl or pitcher, pressing gently on the solids to extract the juice. Discard the solids.
Finish: Stir in the lemon juice and taste. Add more sugar if you prefer a sweeter mixer.
Chill: Cool completely, then transfer to a jar or bottle and refrigerate until cold.
Serve: Shake before using. Mix 2 oz with 2 oz spirit, or top with sparkling water or ginger beer.

Notes

The mixer makes about 4 cups and keeps in the fridge for up to 10 days.
Freeze in ice cube trays for up to 3 months and drop the cubes into drinks or sparkling wine.
For a smoother mixer, strain a second time through cheesecloth.
Simple ways to use it: blend with vodka for a quick cosmo, with tequila for a paloma, with bourbon and ginger beer for a mule, or top with prosecco for a spritz.
For an alcohol-free punch, combine 2 parts mixer with 1 part sparkling water and a splash of lime.
Replace the sugar with honey or maple syrup for a different flavor.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1/4 cup
Calories: 50
Sugar: 11 g
Sodium: 1 mg
Fat: 0 g
Saturated Fat: 0 g
Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
Trans Fat: 0 g
Carbohydrates: 13 g
Fiber: 1 g
Protein: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg