This Cranberry Gin Cocktail with sage is the perfect holiday drink. It's made with white cranberry juice, gin, muddled sage, and lime for an easy and festive drink for the holiday season.
This time of year, festive, beautiful cocktails are the perfect way to celebrate the season. Inspired by a cocktail at Seasons 52 and with just four easy ingredients, this cranberry sage cocktail with gin is a great option for holiday festivities.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Easy cocktail recipe
- Simple ingredients
- Perfect holiday cocktail
Ingredients and substitutions
Here are a few quick notes about the ingredients in this recipe. You can see a complete ingredient list and instructions in the recipe card below.
White cranberry juice - This kind of cranberry juice makes an elegant cocktail for a holiday party or to celebrate the New Year. The main difference between white cranberry juice and the red variety is that it has a lighter sweetness and flavor.
This works in place of using simple syrup since store-bought white cranberry juice drinks have added sugar.
Gin - Use a good quality gin. A dry gin like Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, Broker's, Plymouth, and Hendrick's gin all work well in this cranberry gin drink. You can use vodka as a substitute if preferred.
Lime juice - You'll want to use fresh lime juice for this recipe. It creates a perfect balance to the unique flavors of each ingredient.
Fresh sage - When muddled into this delicious cocktail, the herbaceous and earthy notes of sage make this a special drink.
Fresh cranberries - Make sure to choose fresh. Frozen will not work here. And for more things cranberry, check out this cranberry orange bread!
Garnish variations
In addition to adding fresh cranberries to this cranberry cocktail, there are a few great options for garnishing this drink.
Candied sage - Candying fresh sage leaves creates a beautiful garnish and one true to this Christmas cocktail. Step-by-step instructions on how to make a candied sage garnish are in the recipe card below.
Fresh sage - Fresh springs of sage are an easy and pretty way to garnish this seasonal cocktail.
Candied cranberries - Sugared cranberries easily dress up holiday cocktails and give them a bit of shimmer.
Lime wedge - A simple lime wedge, lime wheel, or twists of lime peel are easy ways to garnish this drink.
How to make cranberry gin cocktails
Before you start: If using candied sage as a garnish, prep these a couple of hours ahead to allow drying time.
Step 1: Fill two rocks cocktail glasses half full with ice cubes. Divide fresh cranberries and add them to each glass.
Step 2: In a cocktail shaker (or cocktail glass), place two sage leaves. Muddle. Fill the shaker or cocktail glass half full with ice cubes, add gin, white cranberry juice, and lime juice.
Shake! Pour the mixture between both glasses and garnish with candied sage on top of the cocktail.
Recipe tip
If you plan to candy sage to serve as a garnish, do so a few hours ahead of time. This will give the sage time to dry.
FAQs
You can omit the gin called for in the recipe. Adding a little club soda will also help give it a festive flair.
Red cranberry juice has a much more pronounced tart flavor than white cranberry juice. You can substitute it in this drink, but you may want to add a small amount of simple syrup to offset the tangy cranberry juice flavor.
Need more delicious cocktail combinations? My rhubarb bourbon sour is great for springtime as well as this mint gimlet. Grab more festive cocktails below!
More festive cocktail recipes
Love this recipe? Please consider leaving a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟rating on the recipe card below and let me know what you think in the comments!
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Gin Cocktail
Ingredients
For cocktail
- ¼ cup fresh cranberries divided
- 2 fresh sage leaves
- 4 ounces gin
- 8 ounces white cranberry juice
- 1.5 ounces lime juice
For candied sage (optional garnish)
- 1 cup pure cane sugar divided
- ¼ cup water
- 8-10 fresh sage leaves
Instructions
Cocktail
- Fill two rocks cocktail glasses halfway full with ice cubes. Divide cranberries and add to glass.
- In a cocktail shaker (or cocktail mixer) place the two sage leaves. Muddle. Fill the shaker halfway full with ice cubes. Add gin, white cranberry juice, and lime juice. Shake (or stir) vigorously.
- Strain mixture between both glasses. Garnish with candied sage or a sprig of fresh sage.
Candied Sage
- To make candied sage, bring water and ½ cup sugar to a boil, stirring until dissolved. Reduce heat and simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat.
- Place remaining ½ cup sugar in a bowl. With a pastry brush, brush fresh sage leaves with sugar syrup and then sprinkle to coat sugar on leaves. Place leaves on an oiled wire rack to dry and harden (about 2 hours).
Notes
Nutrition
Charlene Flynn
Cranberry sage and gin cocktail is the. Most refreshing drink I have ever had. That is even more astounding because I had it in it’s non-alcoholic version. Try this one,,,
Tessa
Thank you!!
Bobby
Enjoyed this at Seasons 52 on The Plaza last Thanksgiving then watched the lighting. Best Gin cocktail I’ve ever had and a Great way to start the holidays.
St. George Spirits
Thank you so much for using our malty, spicy St. George Dry Rye Gin in this lovely creation! We also think this cocktail would be tasty with our foresty Terroir Gin (which has sage in it and is delicious in combination with berries of any kind). We'll have to try both ways!
Tessa
I'm looking forward to trying it with Terroir as well!
Lynn | The Road to Honey
Looks divine! I am going to have to add this to my cocktail lineup.
Tessa
Thank you, Lynn! I hope you enjoy it!
Christina @ Bake with Christina
Candied sage just sounds so cool! I totally gotta try that, and this awesome looking drink! :) Pinned!
Tessa
Thanks, Christina! I probably had too much fun making the candied sage. :) Hope you have a happy holiday season!
jaime
!! ah! yum. i love the idea of candied sage and i like your addition of muddled sage to bring out the herbaceous flavor. i've never made cocktails with white cranberry juice. sounds like it'd go perfect with gin. love this festive cocktail tessa! hope you have a wonderful wonderful christmas.
Tessa
Thanks so much, Jaime! Totally herbaceous. The white cranberry juice makes it real easy to drink. Merry, merry Christmas to you! :)
Sarah @ SnixyKitchen
CANDIED SAGE?! My mind is blown. I need to make that asap. I bet sage tastes so good a muddled up in a cocktail.
Tessa
You do! I hadn't had sage in a cocktail until now - feel like I've been missing out!
Thalia @ butter and brioche
This is just THE perfect cocktail for Christmas time!
Tessa
Thanks, Thalia! Happy holidays to you!
Katie
I miss cocktails. Looks delish. Merry Christmas.
Tessa
Thanks, lady. Just think, when you can have a cocktail again, there will be something awesome to celebrate! Merry Christmas. xo