Recipe Overview
Why you’ll love it: A cranberry gin and tonic is a winter twist on a classic cocktail, bringing together cranberry and lime for a tart dance with bitter tonic water and herbal gin. This easy cocktail is beautiful and refreshing, perfect for any season.
How long it takes: 5 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: just a glass!
Servings: one, but it’s easy to make more
Cranberry G & T
A cranberry gin and tonic is a knockout combination. With Christmas right around the corner, you’ll want to add this festive beverage to your cocktail menu. It’s a visual feast: brilliant red with dark crimson cranberries, bright green lime wedges, and silvery rosemary leaves.
If you love G & Ts, you’re going to want to give this variation a try, and if you’ve never had a gin and tonic, let me introduce you. It may be the beginning of a happy relationship. As always, drink responsibly!
Refreshing Cranberry Gin and Tonic
Not too sweet. I tend toward cocktails that aren’t cloyingly sweet which is one of the reasons I love a gin and tonic. The addition of tart cranberry juice doesn’t increase the sweetness a bit but adds a whole new dimension of flavor to this holiday cocktail.
Use quality ingredients. A cranberry gin and tonic is a pretty simple cocktail so it’s important to be choosy when you’re buying the ingredients. For more basics about selecting the right kind of gin or the best tonic water, check out my classic gin and tonic recipe.
This recipe makes one drink. Gin and tonics taste best mixed individually, not poured into a pitcher or punch bowl. Use a tall highball glass, or large globe glass. If your glasses are smaller, halve the ingredients.
Don’t skip the garnish. Garnish with a sprig of fresh rosemary, if possible. The herbal aroma of rosemary on the rim of the glass really enhances the drink. With each sip, the scent of the rosemary mingles with the flavor of cranberry, lime, and gin. Crush the leaves slightly with your fingertips for the full effect.
About Fizz
Use a freshly opened bottle of tonic water. Flat tonic water is sort of gross. Pour the tonic water slowly to retain the maximum amount of fizz. Coldness is key to retaining fizz, as well, so chill all the elements of the cocktail, including the glass if possible, and use plenty of fresh ice.
Ingredient Notes
- Cranberry Juice: I like 100% unsweetened cranberry juice. but this is a matter of personal preference. If you like a slightly sweeter cocktail, use 100% cranberry juice blend, which is a combination of cranberry, apple, pear, and grape juice with no added sugar. Cranberry juice cocktail has lots of added sugar and will make a sweeter gin and tonic.
- Gin: Use a good quality gin, such as Tanqueray, a London dry gin. If you prefer, substitute your favorite NA gin (I love Monday brand).
- Tonic: An Indian tonic is preferable, such as Fever Tree. Tonic is a carbonated mixer with quinine which adds a hint of bitterness.
- Garnishes: Gin and tonics are usually served with a slice of lime. I like to add fresh cranberries and a sprig of fresh rosemary as additional garnishes. Any garnish is optional but the cranberries and rosemary look especially festive for Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you’re serving this cocktail in the summer, a lime wedge and rosemary will suffice.
Possible Recipe Variations
- Make it non-alcoholic. If you love the flavor of a gin and tonic but not the alcohol, consider using a no alcohol gin (I love Monday brand) or simply leave out the gin.
- Make it sweeter. If you like a sweeter drink, use cranberry juice cocktail or add simple syrup. A rosemary-enhanced simple syrup would really drive home the herbal flavor of rosemary.
- Adjust the ratios. If you like a stronger cranberry flavor, increase the amount of cranberry juice added. For stronger drinks, use additional gin. If you love tonic, add an extra splash.
- Make it orange. If orange juice is more your thing than cranberry juice, try this citrusy orange gin and tonic.
Serving Suggestions
This really delightful baked Brie with cranberries and bourbon pecans goes exceptionally well with a cranberry gin and tonic, and it’s an easy appetizer to make. Another good match is butternut squash crostini with ricotta or tortilla chips and crackers with homemade cranberry salsa (made with only two ingredients!).
Cranberry gin and tonics are best made individually and served immediately. Make sure all of the ingredients are cold, including the glasses, if possible, and have plenty of fresh ice on hand.
More Cocktail Recipes
Cranberry Gin and Tonic with Rosemary
Ingredients
- ice
- 3 lime slices, divided
- ½ cup cranberries, divided
- 1 ½ ounces gin, chilled
- 1 ½ ounces cranberry juice, chilled (see note)
- 3 ounces Indian tonic water, chilled
- rosemary sprig, for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a tall glass about three-quarters full with ice; add 2 lime slices and half of the cranberries.3 lime slices, divided, ½ cup cranberries, divided
- Pour in gin and cranberry juice, and slowly top with tonic water.1 ½ ounces gin, chilled, 1 ½ ounces cranberry juice, chilled, 3 ounces Indian tonic water, chilled
- Garnish with an additional lime slice, cranberries, place rosemary sprig on rim of glass (see note), and serve with a straw, if desired.
Notes
- Cranberry juice: The amount of cranberry juice can be increased to 2 ounces for more cranberry flavor, if desired. I prefer 100% unsweetened cranberry juice for the best flavor. However, if you prefer a sweeter drink, try 100% juice blend cranberry juice which also contains pear, apple, and grape juice but with no added sugar. For the sweetest option, use cranberry juice cocktail which is quite heavily sweetened.
- Make it NA: To make an alcohol-free gin and tonic, use your favorite NA gin (I love Monday brand) or simply leave out the gin.
- How to add garnish: Crush the rosemary lightly with your fingertips and position it on the rim next to the straw so you can smell it while you sip.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did You Make This?Share a comment and rating below! I love hearing what you think!
Stolen from Finland
?? Hmm?
yes, sickeningly sweet cocktails are not something I like either, so also appreciate the tartness or non-sweetness of tonic, in a gin and tonic beautiful colors in this cocktail too, thank you!
You’ll love this one!