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 cocktails? 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.
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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.
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.
Recipe FAQs
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.
Either one will work. Keep in mind that pure cranberry juice will be more tart, while cranberry juice cocktail will be sweeter.
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.
Other holiday cocktails
Looking for more holiday cocktails? Check out the cocktails linked below. Some are from this blog, some are from other fabulous bloggers.
- Cranberry Old Fashioned Cocktail from Mitten Girl
- Cranberry Moscow Mule from The Gourmet Bon Vivant
- Authentic Coquito from Sweet Tea and Thyme
- These Cranberry Bourbon Cocktails from The Culinary Compass look festive and delicious!
✨ Recipe
Cranberry Gin and Tonic
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounces gin
- 2 ounces cranberry juice or cranberry juice cocktail
- 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 cocktail depending on what you like. Juice cocktail is much sweeter.
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional information is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate.
Kelly
This recipe is life-changing!! It's the best new cocktail I've tried in a long time, and I've been trying a lot of new ones lately. Thank you, Lauren!
Erica Acevedo
Everything about this cocktail makes me happy! Gin + my favorite holiday flavor = a very happy and likely tipsy me. 🙂
Erica Acevedo
Everything about this cocktail makes me happy! Gin + my favorite holiday flavor = a very happy and likely tipsy me. 🙂
Erica Acevedo
Everything about this cocktail makes me happy! Gin + my favorite holiday flavor = a very happy and likely tipsy me. 🙂
Keri
Sounds like a wonderful holiday drink! Beautiful presentation. 🙂
Paula Rodrigues
HI hello, very nice your feed, loved 🙂
Adrianne
Hey Lauren, I am going to run right out and get the ingredients to make this cocktail as it looks like it would quench a hard earned thirst! Yes, haha, I get the correlation between this and Christmas trees, after one we are probably likely to being seeing lights too, I love this drink!! Cheers
Adrianne
Hey Lauren, I am going to run right out and get the ingredients to make this cocktail as it looks like it would quench a hard earned thirst! Yes, haha, I get the correlation between this and Christmas trees, after one we are probably likely to being seeing lights too, I love this drink!! Cheers
Adrianne
Hey Lauren, I am going to run right out and get the ingredients to make this cocktail as it looks like it would quench a hard earned thirst! Yes, haha, I get the correlation between this and Christmas trees, after one we are probably likely to being seeing lights too, I love this drink!! Cheers
Cathy
These gin and tonics are so festive and pretty! What a treat to serve for a party!
Cathy
These gin and tonics are so festive and pretty! What a treat to serve for a party!
Cathy
These gin and tonics are so festive and pretty! What a treat to serve for a party!
Ilona
This will be the perfect yummy drink these holidays! I know I want some:)
Sylvie
That cocktail sounds delicious! Gin and Tonic is one of my favourite drink ever, and I love the festive use of cranberries. It not only brings a wonderful colours, it must also add a delicious taste!
Sylvie
That cocktail sounds delicious! Gin and Tonic is one of my favourite drink ever, and I love the festive use of cranberries. It not only brings a wonderful colours, it must also add a delicious taste!
Sylvie
That cocktail sounds delicious! Gin and Tonic is one of my favourite drink ever, and I love the festive use of cranberries. It not only brings a wonderful colours, it must also add a delicious taste!