Bright, Christmas red color. Mouthwatering cranberry citrus flavor perfectly balanced with bourbon. Bring on the Bing Crosby Christmas tunes and plates of hors d’oeuvres.
This recipe is meant for people over 21 years old. Please drink responsibly.
Table of Contents
🗝️ Key takeaways
- This festive holiday drink is not only pretty but it is absolutely delicious!
- This is one of my favorite cocktails to sip at Christmas while I am relaxing but it's perfect for cocktail parties, too.
- Using frozen cranberries chills the cocktail and looks pretty, too.
This is very similar to a traditional whiskey sour but the crimson cranberry juice glams it up for the holiday season!
🧾 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
A whiskey sour is a classic cocktail made with three, simple ingredients – whiskey, citrus, and simple syrup – sometimes an egg white is added.
We’ve updated this version for Christmas with bright cranberry and sweet orange flavors. Make it with or without the egg white, as you wish.
Why egg white?
If it was good enough for Abraham Lincoln…
Whiskey Sours have been around since the 1860s at least and for most of those years they sported a thick, foamy top – thanks to egg white. The egg white adds a rich creaminess to the drink without adding flavor.
But is raw egg safe?
That’s up to you. Clean eggs and freshly washed hands go a long way – and salmonella is very unlikey. If you’re concerned definitely leave it out – but if you’re the adventurous type it adds an entirely new dimension to this old fashioned favorite.
🍹Garnish
There are a lot of ways to garnish a cranberry whiskey sour. I tend to prefer simply adding some frozen cranberries, orange zest, and maybe a cherry.
Other possibilities include:
- Rosemary sprigs
- Orange wheel
- Lemon wheel
- Sugared glass rims
- Bay leaf
- Cinnamon sticks
💭 Things to know
Expert Tip: If you are using the egg white don’t add the ice until you’ve shaken the other ingredients briskly for about 30 seconds.
- Freshly squeezed lemon juice works best in this recipe but use what you have.
- Fresh cranberries are a pretty garnish.
- Frozen cranberries help keep your cocktail cold without diluting it - plus it's pretty!
- Freeze a couple of cranberries and a small piece of rosemary in the ice cubes – pretty far almost any holiday drinks.
- Holiday parties? You can make this ahead of time (except for the egg white) and keep the mix in a large, covered pitcher.
👩🍳 FAQs
Most often it's made with rye or bourbon. If you have a favorite bourbon that's the one to use.
You need to add all the ingredients except ice, then shake it without ice, then shake with ice. Don't ever add ice to a whiskey sour if it hasn't been shaken first.
📚 Related recipes
My Candy Cane Martini is another holiday favorite, but if you really love sours try this grapefruit tequila sour - it's great all year long.
Looking for a perfect cocktail for the winter months? Check these out.
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If you don't have a cocktail set then conside this one. It's sleek, has everything you need, and won't break the bank. Makes a great gift!
If you don't want to use the frozen cranberries to chill your drink, and you don't want to dilute it then reach for these whiskey stones. Keeps your drink cold without dilution!
📞 The last word
Cranberry juice cocktail plays nicely with bourbon, fresh lemon juice, and simple syrup in this perfectly balanced holiday drink.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars!
📖 Recipe
Cranberry Whiskey Sour
Print Pin Recipe Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- 3 ounces cranberry juice cocktail
- ½ ounce simple syrup
- 1 egg white, optional
- Orange peel
- Maraschino cherry
Instructions
Whiskey Sour without Egg
- Add all ingredients except the cherry to the shaker filled with ice.
- Shake for 30 seconds.
- Strain into an ice filled glass.
Whiskey Sour with Egg
- Add the bourbon, lemon, simple syrup, cranberry juice, orange peel, and egg to the shaker. DO NOT ADD ICE.
- Shake vigorously for 30 seconds – or until frothy.
- Add ice and shake until very cold.
- Strain into an ice filled glass and let it sit for a minute so the froth separates from the liquid.
Notes
- If you are using the egg white don’t add the ice until you’ve shaken the other ingredients briskly for about 30 seconds.
- Fresh squeezed lemon juice works best in this recipe but use what you have.
- Frozen cranberries help keep drinks cold without diluting them.
- Freeze a couple of cranberries and a small piece of rosemary in the ice cubes – pretty!
- You can make this ahead of time (except for the egg white) and keep the mix in a large, covered pitcher.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
First published November 15, 2020. Last updated October 24, 2023, for editorial improvements.
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