Cranberry Sidecar Cocktail — This non-traditional Cranberry Sidecar cocktail is a classic take on a Sidecar recipe that is sure to be a crowd pleaser.
This time of year I always look to classic cocktails for inspiration for holiday drinks to serve at parties.
Just like with a LBD, I, Ashley believe you can’t go wrong with a classic!
Once you have a classic recipe down, you can start branching out and make variations on them.
By adding in syrups, swapping out juices or even changing the base spirits, you can create a whole new drink without having to start from scratch.
To update the Sidecar cocktail, a touch of cranberry adds a compliment to the bright lemon and the orange liqueur and the sugar rim adds a bit of sparkle.
Basically, this Cranberry Sidecar Cocktail is a real crowd pleaser!
Ingredients Needed To Make A Cranberry Sidecar Cocktail
My base recipe for a sidecar is 2 oz brandy or cognac, 1 oz Cointreau, 1 oz fresh lemon juice, and a sugar rim.
From there you can make you own variations. I am thinking a blood orange version once they hit the markets!
Cognac (or brandy) is not often the bottle people reach for during holiday drinks, but it provides a great base note to build off of with woody herbs and tart, winter fruit.
So it works perfectly here! If you are looking for a pretty and tasty drink to whip up for the 1,000’s of holiday parties ahead, this Cranberry Sidecar is just the drink!
How To Make A Cranberry Sidecar Cocktail Recipe
To make the cranberry simple syrup
1 — Add cranberry juice and sugar to a pot.
2 — Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Take off the heat and let it cool.
Store in a jar in the fridge for up to one month.
To make the Cranberry Sidecar Cocktail
1 — Add sugar to a plate with the lemon peel and mix.
2 — Run a lemon wedge from the juiced lemon around the edge of a coupe or martini glass.
3 — Rim the glass with the sugar.
4 — Add the remaining ingredients into a shaker with ice.
5 — Shake and strain into the glass.
It really comes in handy to have a few traditional recipes up your sleeve.
I often go to festivities and am asked to whip up some drinks (I never seem to be off duty during the holidays, ha!)
I assess what they have and generally it’s not for any one particular cocktail so I reach into my mental “rolodex” of classic drinks recipes and change them a bit to fit with what ingredients I have at hand.
It’s a good party trick to have!
Cranberry Sidecar Cocktail
Cranberry Sidecar Cocktail Recipe
Equipment
- Pot
Ingredients
For the cranberry simple syrup:
- 1 cup cranberry juice
- 1 cup sugar
For the Cranberry Sidecar Cocktail:
- 3/4 oz cranberry simple syrup
- 2 oz brandy (VS or VSOP)
- 1 oz Cointreau
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp grated lemon peel
- 1/8 cup sugar
Nutrition
Instructions
To make the cranberry simple syrup:
- Add cranberry juice and sugar to a pot.
- Bring to a boil, stirring until sugar dissolves. Take off heat and let cool.
- Store in a jar in the fridge for up to one month.
To make the Cranberry Sidecar Cocktail:
- Add sugar to a plate with the lemon peel and mix.
- Run lemon wedge from juiced lemon around the edge of a coupe or martini glass.
- Rim the glass with the sugar. Add the remaining ingredients into a shaker with ice.
- Shake and strain into the glass.
Don’t forget to share your Cranberry Sidecar Cocktail with us on Instagram using the hashtag #sugarandclothloves. We always love seeing all of your creations! Looking for more quick and delicious recipes? You can find them all right here with a few bites to go along with them!
It’s delicious, but the color is much lighter than the photo shows – trialing this for our Thanksgiving cocktail – it IS really good.
Thanks, Mary! Let us know how Thanksgiving went!
Cramberry is just so nice! x
Jessica — NinetyCo
Completely agree – it’s the perfect holiday touch for a cocktail! xo