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About Spiced Cranberry Syrup
Spiced cranberry syrup is a ruby-red mixer that brings together the tang of cranberries with the warm, aromatic notes of mulling spices and citrus. It’s considered a flavored version of simple syrup, which is essentially just sugar dissolved in hot liquid, but with fruit and spices that give it extra depth without making it overly sweet.
Like classic simple syrup, it’s also easy to make at home. In this recipe, cranberry juice, sugar, spices, and a hint of orange zest are gently infused together sous vide until the sugar dissolves and the flavors meld evenly, capturing the bright fruit flavor and warm, cozy spices in every drop. Once it’s finished, this tart syrup pairs beautifully with bourbon, rum, gin, sparkling wine, or any holiday cocktail that could use a bright, festive accent—perfect for Christmas cocktails or anytime you want a touch of holiday cheer in your glass.
Cocktails I Made with Spiced Cranberry Syrup
Spiced Cranberry Syrup Ingredients
To make this syrup, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Pure Cane Granulated Sugar: This is a refined sweetener made from sugarcane juice that’s been crystallized and dried into uniform, free-flowing white crystals.
Cranberry Juice: This is the tart, reddish liquid that’s extracted from cranberries.
Mulling Spices: These are a blend of aromatic spices, typically including cinnamon, cloves, allspice, and nutmeg, that are most commonly used to flavor warm beverages.
Orange Zest: This is the outer, colored layer of an orange’s peel that’s finely grated or shaved to add bright, aromatic citrus flavor.
Cinnamon Stick: This is a rolled strip of dried inner bark from the cinnamon tree that adds a warm, sweet-spicy aroma and flavor.
Citric Acid: This is a naturally occurring organic acid that’s found in citrus fruits and is commonly used as a flavoring agent, preservative, and pH regulator in foods and beverages.
Brands I Used
- 🔗 C&H Premium Pure Cane Granulated Sugar
- 🔗 R.W. Knudsen Organic Just Cranberry Juice
- 🔗 Simply Organic Mulling Spice Mix
- 🔗 Simply Organic Cinnamon Sticks
- 🔗 Modernist Pantry Pure Citric Acid
How to Make Spiced Cranberry Syrup
There are a couple of ways to make spiced cranberry syrup, and which one you choose mostly comes down to the tools you have and how hands-on you want to be.
Cooking Methods
Sous Vide Method: This is my go-to for most cocktail syrups that are infused with various flavors—a technique I first came across in the book Death & Co: Modern Classic Cocktails.
The cranberry juice, sugar, cinnamon sticks, mulling spices, orange zest, and citric acid are sealed in a temperature-controlled water bath, where the sugar dissolves slowly and the spices and citrus infuse gently. The steady, low heat preserves the cranberries’ bright color and lively tang, while layering in warm spice notes and subtle citrus brightness, without the risk of scorching or over-reducing that can happen on the stovetop.
Stovetop Method: This is the traditional method for making cocktail syrups, and it works if you don’t have an immersion circulator or are short on time.
The cranberry juice, sugar, spices, orange zest, and citric acid are heated in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves and the flavors bloom. It’s quicker and requires less equipment, but you will need to watch the syrup closely because too much heat can dull the cranberries’ tang or make the citrus oils taste bitter.
Tools for Making Spiced Cranberry Syrup
To make this syrup using the sous vide method, you’ll need the following tools:
Stockpot: This is a large, deep cooking pot with straight sides and a flat bottom that’s typically used for preparing soups, stocks, sauces, or other recipes that require simmering larger quantities of liquid.
Immersion Circulator: This is a compact kitchen device that heats and continuously circulates water to maintain a consistent temperature for precision cooking.
Microplane Zester: This is a small handheld tool with fine, sharp holes that’s used to grate citrus zest, hard cheeses, spices, and other ingredients into thin shreds.
Measuring Cup Set: This is a collection of cups and spoons in varying sizes, typically featuring easy-to-read markings and durable, easy-to-handle designs, that’s used to accurately measure both dry and liquid ingredients.
Food Scale: This is a kitchen tool that’s used to accurately measure the weight of ingredients, helping ensure precise portions and consistent results in cooking and baking.
Blender: This is a kitchen appliance with rotating blades that chops, purees, or emulsifies ingredients into smooth liquids or mixtures.
Large Freezer Bag: This is a resealable plastic bag with an interlocking closure at the top that’s used for storing, freezing, or transporting food securely.
Small Spring Clamps: These are small, spring-loaded clamps that are used to hold objects securely together.
Fine Mesh Strainer: This is a bar tool with a tightly woven mesh that’s used to strain small ice shards, pulp, and other solids from mixed drinks for a smooth, clean pour.
Pour Spout Measuring Cup: This is a container that’s marked with volume measurements and equipped with a spout to precisely control pouring liquids.
Silicone Spatula: This is a flexible, heat-resistant kitchen tool that’s used for stirring, scraping, and folding ingredients in bowls or pans without scratching the cookware.
Silicone Funnel: This is a flexible, heat-resistant funnel used to easily transfer liquids or powders into containers with narrow openings without spilling.
Tools I Used
- 🔗 All-Clad D3 3-Ply 8 Quart Stainless Steel Stockpot
- 🔗 Instant Pot Accu Slim Immersion Circulator
- 🔗 OXO Good Grips Etched Zester & Grater
- 🔗 OXO 8 Piece Stainless Steel Measuring Cup Set
- 🔗 OXO Good Grips Everyday Glass Food Scale
- 🔗 Cuisinart SPB-7CH SmartPower Electronic Bar Blender
- 🔗 Ziploc Gallon Freezer Bags
- 🔗 Romeda 3 ½ Inch Spring Clamps
- 🔗 Barfly Stainless Steel Fine Mesh Cocktail Strainer
- 🔗 OXO Good Grips 2 Cup Angled Measuring Cup
- 🔗 OXO Good Grips Silicone Everyday Spatula
- 🔗 Olamar Premium Silicone Kitchen Funnel Set
How to Store Spiced Cranberry Syrup
After your spiced cranberry syrup is ready, it’ll need to be chilled to preserve freshness.
Refrigerator Storage
For short-term use, I transfer the syrup to a condiment squeeze bottle or airtight jar and store it in the refrigerator. This method is great when I plan to use the syrup in cocktails within a few days, since the bottle or jar makes it easy to measure and pour without mess.
Freezer Storage
For long-term storage, I transfer the syrup to a flexible pouch with a pouring spout, leaving a little space at the top to allow for expansion as it freezes. I’ll then thaw the pouch in a bowl of water when I’m ready to use the syrup again.
Flavored syrups like this one typically stay fresh for two to three weeks in the refrigerator and up to three months in the freezer. To keep track of freshness, I recommend labeling your containers with the date the syrup was made so you know when to enjoy or discard each batch.
Storage Containers I Used
Squeeze Bottle: This is a flexible, squeezable container with a narrow spout that’s designed for dispensing liquids or sauces in controlled amounts.
Storage Pouch with Pouring Spout: This is a flexible, resealable container that’s designed for storing liquids so they can easily be poured without spills.
Recipe
Spiced Cranberry Syrup
Description
Spiced cranberry syrup is a ruby-red mixer that's made by infusing cranberry juice with sugar, spices, and orange zest. This sous vide version balances the cranberries’ lively tartness with warm aromatics and subtle sweetness, making it a vibrant, versatile addition to cocktails—from classic tart-forward drinks to festive Christmas creations.
Yield: 16 fl oz
Serving Size: 1 fl oz
Ingredients
Sous Vide Method
Fill a large stockpot with hot water, attach immersion circulator to the side of the pot, and set temperature to 135°F.
Using a microplane zester, zest orange.
Add 400 g sugar and 1.5 g citric acid to a blender, then blend for 30–60 seconds until ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Measure out 400 ml cranberry juice, then slowly pour into blender with sugar and blend for 30–60 seconds until sugar is fully dissolved.
Add cranberry juice mixture, 60 g mulling spices, 2 g orange zest, and 4 cinnamon sticks to a high-quality, sealable freezer bag, removing as much air as possible as you seal it.
Once the water has heated to 135°F, submerge the bag, leaving the top 3–4 inches outside of the water, and secure it to the side of the pot with clips so it doesn’t float.
Let syrup cook at 135°F for 2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure the bag remains submerged and the water temperature stays consistent.
Once cooked, carefully remove the bag from the water and place it into an ice bath for a few seconds, then let syrup cool for 5–10 minutes.
Strain syrup through a fine mesh strainer 1–2 times to remove spices and any undissolved sugar.
Using a funnel, pour syrup into a squeeze bottle or reusable pouch and store in the refrigerator or freezer.
