Festive Cranberry Gin and Tonic Recipe – A Nerd Cooks (2024)

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Treat yourself to a festive Cranberry Gin and Tonic (or two, or three) this holiday season! You know that you deserve it.

To be honest, I've always thought that (some) gin and tonics sometimes taste like a Christmas tree. Or at least taste the way that a Christmas tree smells. Know what I mean? Maybe? No? Agree to disagree.

Either way, we have taken a standard (and perfectly tasty) G&T recipe and made it even more delicious and festive with the addition of cranberry juice and fresh cranberries.

Need more festive holiday co*cktails? Try my White Christmas Margarita or Loaded Christmas Ale! Sous Vide Eggnog is a great choice if you're looking for a nonalcoholic holiday drink.

Festive Cranberry Gin and Tonic Recipe – A Nerd Cooks (1)
Jump to:
  • 🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
  • 💭 What is a Cranberry Gin and Tonic?
  • 📝 Ingredients
  • ❓ Recipe FAQs
  • 🔗 Other holiday co*cktails
  • ✨ Recipe

🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe

It's very festive. Red cranberry juice, the juniper flavor of the gin... this drink screams "Christmas."
It is so easy to make. This drink is so easy to make. All you need to do is pour a few ingredients into a glass!
It tastes great. Cranberry, gin, and tonic flavors all play very well together.

💭 What is a Cranberry Gin and Tonic?

A regular gin and tonic is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: it's gin, tonic, and lime juice served over ice.

A Cranberry Gin and Tonic has all of those ingredients plus some bright red cranberry juice. It adds some sweet-tart flavor, beautiful color, and holiday festiveness.

📝 Ingredients

  • Cranberry juice: You can use either cranberry juice or cranberry juice concentrate. Whatever floats your boat.
  • Lime juice: Freshly squeezed, please!
  • Gin: Use your favorite gin. Durham Distillery Conniption (American Dry) Gin is an old standby, but I've also been enjoying Bar Hill Gin lately, too. Use whatever you like!
  • Tonic water: Tonic water is a carbonated beverage, in which quinine is dissolved. Quinine, in addition to having a bitter flavor, has been used as a prophylactic against malaria. Use whatever tonic you favor!
  • Garnishes: As always, garnishes aren't mandatory. But I recommend garnishing your G&T with cranberries (fresh or sugared) and/or a lime wedge.
Festive Cranberry Gin and Tonic Recipe – A Nerd Cooks (2)

👩🏻‍🍳 How to make Cranberry G&Ts

Truthfully, it couldn't be simpler.

Fill your Old Fashioned (or rocks) glass with ice, then pour the cranberry juice over the ice. Squeeze the lime gin and cranberry juice over the ice. Squeeze the lime over the ice, too, before adding your gin

After that, just top everything off with some tonic water. Et voila. You have yourself a very delicious Cranberry Gin and Tonic.

Please don't forget to garnish with some cranberries (fresh or sugared cranberries!) and a lime wedge if you're feeling fancy. And you know that you are.

Festive Cranberry Gin and Tonic Recipe – A Nerd Cooks (3)

❓ Recipe FAQs

Can I make a bigger batch of these drinks?

Sure, you can make a big batch of the cranberry, lime, and gin. Once you pour the drinks into individual glasses, top them off with some tonic.

Should I use cranberry juice or cranberry juice concentrate?

Either one will work. Keep in mind that pure cranberry juice will be more tart, while cranberry juice co*cktail will be sweeter.

What kind of gin should I use?

In short, whatever you like! There's really no wrong answer here. However, if you use a gin that's colored with butterfly pea flower (think Empress gin), it will obviously alter the color of this drink.

Festive Cranberry Gin and Tonic Recipe – A Nerd Cooks (4)

🔗 Other holiday co*cktails

Looking for more holiday co*cktails? Check out the co*cktails linked below. Some are from this blog, some are from other fabulous bloggers.

  • White Christmas Mimosa
  • White Christmas Margarita
  • Grinch Mimosa
  • Cranberry Moscow Mule

I'd love to know what you thought of this recipe! Don't forget to leave a comment and ⭐️ star rating below!

✨ Recipe

Festive Cranberry Gin and Tonic Recipe – A Nerd Cooks (9)

Cranberry Gin and Tonic

Lauren Pacek

Treat yourself to a festive Cranberry Gin and Tonic (or two, or three) this holiday season! You know that you deserve it.

4.59 from 53 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 2 minutes mins

Cook Time 0 minutes mins

Inactive Time 0 minutes mins

Total Time 2 minutes mins

Course co*cktails

Cuisine American

Servings 1 co*cktail

Calories 359 kcal

Ingredients

  • 1.5 ounces gin
  • 2 ounces cranberry juice or cranberry juice co*cktail
  • ½ lime juiced
  • 2 ounces tonic water
  • lime wedge and fresh or candied cranberries for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  • Over ice, combine the gin, cranberry juice, and lime juice in an old fashioned glass.

  • Top with the tonic water and garnish with a lime wedge and cranberries.

Notes

  • I like Conniption American Dry Gin.
  • You can use cranberry juice or cranberry juice co*cktail depending on what you like. Juice co*cktail is much sweeter.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 359kcalCarbohydrates: 67gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSodium: 21mgFiber: 6gSugar: 48g

Disclaimer: Nutritional information is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Festive Cranberry Gin and Tonic Recipe – A Nerd Cooks (2024)

FAQs

Festive Cranberry Gin and Tonic Recipe – A Nerd Cooks? ›

The Cranberry Gin and Tonic is a delicious and refreshing drink that is a great choice for any occasion. It's not too sweet, not too bitter, and has just the right amount of complexity to keep you interested. So, the next time you're in the mood for a gin-based co*cktail, give this one a try!

Is cranberry and tonic good? ›

The Cranberry Gin and Tonic is a delicious and refreshing drink that is a great choice for any occasion. It's not too sweet, not too bitter, and has just the right amount of complexity to keep you interested. So, the next time you're in the mood for a gin-based co*cktail, give this one a try!

What is gin and cranberry juice called? ›

Now, it's called a Cranberry Gin Fizz for a reason, so that's precisely where the cranberry juice comes into play! Cranberry juice is known for its subtle sweetness and bright, tart notes. Not only does it give the co*cktail a refreshing sharpness, but it also brings out that gorgeous blush hue.

Can you drink gin with cranberry juice? ›

More commonly associated with vodka, cranberry juice also pairs beautifully with gin as an alternative for tonic water, particularly when you add a kick of zesty citrus and a fresh herbal perfume from the garnish.

Is cranberry co*cktail good for kidneys? ›

Scientists think that cranberries also interfere with bacteria sticking to the kidneys, just like they prevent it from sticking to the urinary tract. Look for low-sugar or unsweetened options. Extra sugar can increase both blood sugar and blood pressure, which are both harmful to the kidneys.

Does cranberry co*cktail help with kidneys? ›

In particular, cranberry juice is thought to help get rid of kidney stones, similarly to how it reduces incidence of urinary tract infections (UTIs).

What does Snoop Dogg put in gin and juice? ›

Recipe extracted from From Crook to Cook by Snoop Dogg (Chronicle Books). Fill a co*cktail shaker with ice. Add the gin, vodka, and pineapple juice. Stir well.

What is a fancy name for a vodka cranberry? ›

The Cape Cod or Cape Codder is a type of co*cktail consisting of vodka and cranberry juice. Some recipes also call for squeezing a lime wedge over the glass and dropping it into the drink.

What is the best gin juice? ›

You can't go wrong with a juniper-forward London dry gin, which works with nearly any juice you can source, from lemon and lime to orange and grapefruit. Softer gins can work great, too, but depending on their botanical makeup, they may pair better with sweeter OJ or more sour grapefruit.

Is gin good for immune system? ›

The main source of gins health benefits come directly from the Juniper berries. Berries, in general, are a high source of vitamin C. Vitamin C is good or immune health, collagen synthesis, and blood vessel function.

Is vodka or gin better with juice? ›

While there are key differences between the two, they can often be used interchangeably in co*cktails or mixed drinks. Here are some mixers that are equally as good, whether you're using gin or vodka: Tonic. Orange juice.

What is a cranberry tonic? ›

Pour cranberry juice and gin over ice in a tall glass. Top off with tonic water, then add a splash of lime juice. Garnish with a wedge of lime and a few fresh cranberries.

What can I mix with cranberry juice to make it taste better? ›

I sweetened my juice with honey which adds a sweet floral touch to the beverage. I also use a couple of freshly squeezed oranges which gives the juice a nice hint of citrus flavor. I'm sure apple juice or apple cider would work well too. I think moving forward I'm going to call this drink cranade (like lemonade…).

When not to use cranberry juice? ›

Cranberry juice is high in salts called oxalates, which can make kidney stones more likely, especially if you already tend to get these types of stones. If you take the blood-thinning medication warfarin, you should avoid cranberry products, because cranberries can interact with warfarin and cause bleeding.

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