Last updated on March 31st, 2023

Cranberry Vodka Cocktail

This Cranberry Vodka Cocktail is so simple to make and perfect for that holiday feel between Christmas and New Years’ Eve when you have ingredients such as fresh rosemary sprigs and cranberries left over from all the festive cooking. 

You don’t need simple syrup for this recipe because most of the sweetness comes from sugar-free cream soda, and if you can’t find low-carb cream soda anywhere, you can easily add club soda, sweetener and vanilla extract instead. I’ll show you how.

Why you will love Cranberry Vodka Cocktail

• This recipe uses ingredients you may already have at home.
• Refreshingly light, this cranberry vodka soda is Keto and sugar-free.
• Make it a mocktail or toast in style by switching the cream soda for Prosecco.
• Whip it up in minutes and serve it from a punch bowl or in individual tumblers.
• Serve this cocktail during the day with lunch or at night along with dinner.

Ingredients to make Cranberry Vodka Cocktail

Fresh Cranberries

You only need a few to muddle with to bring out a bit of their fresh tartness. Substitute with fresh berries like raspberry or blueberries if cranberries are not your thing!

Rosemary Sprigs

Bring out that holiday essence with rosemary sprigs muddled with cranberries. Keep some aside for garnish.

Vodka

I used Smirnoff for this recipe, but any good quality Vodka will work. It’s optional, and you can leave it out entirely for a kid-friendly mocktail. Top with extra low-carb cream soda. 

Unsweetened Cranberry Juice 

You’ll find a few quality brands in the natural health aisles at the grocery store. I use Lakewood Organic, as it’s not made from concentrate, and the carb content is much lower.

Orange Juice

Freshly squeezed and only a few tablespoons are needed to balance the tartness of the cranberry juice.

Cream Soda (low carb)

I use cream soda by Zevia, which has zero of everything on its nutrition label. You can use Club Soda instead but you will need to add sweetener and vanilla extract to get that Ice cream soda flavour. 

Garnish

Keep aside some rosemary sprigs, a few cranberries and slices of orange for a fun and festive garnish.

Let’s Make Cranberry Vodka Cocktail

You’ll need a muddler and a cocktail shaker to make this delicious cocktail. In a bartender’s world, muddling means lightly mashing fruits and herbs with a muddler tool to release the flavours and oils from the ingredients that will give a cocktail its distinctive taste. Muddling brings depth to the flavour of a cocktail. If you don’t have a muddler tool or a cocktail shaker, don’t worry; follow my tips here on what to use instead.

Easy steps to make a delicious cranberry vodka cocktail

Muddle the fresh cranberries, rosemary leaves and an orange slice (optional) in a cocktail shaker.

Add the unsweetened cranberry juice, fresh orange juice (optional), vodka and some ice cubes.

Pour in vanilla extract and sweetener only if you use Club Soda instead of Cream Soda.

Close the cocktail shaker with the lid and shake the contents quickly to infuse.

Strain the vodka cranberry mixture into a tumbler glass with ice cubes or one bug ice cube.

Top it up with cream soda, or add the club soda if you’ve added vanilla extract and sweetener.

Garnish with a slice of orange, cranberries and a rosemary sprig. CHEERS!

Is Cranberry Vodka Cocktail Low-Carb?

8g net carbs/serving

This Cranberry Vodka cocktail has fewer carbs than a typical cranberry vodka soda drink made with regular sweetened cranberry juice and soda cream, which would tally up to about 20.6g net carbs per serving. In this recipe, I use unsweetened 100% cranberry juice that is not from concentrate and sugar-free Cream Soda. These two ingredients alone reduce the number of carbs significantly, allowing me to add a little bit of fresh orange juice.

Make Cranberry Vodka Punch for a Party

Turning this recipe into a punch is a breeze and great for when you have a bigger gathering for the holidays. 

8 servings

• 1 cup vodka 
• 2 cups cranberry juice
• 1 cup fresh orange juice
• 4 cups Cream Soda or Club Soda (add vanilla extract and sweetener if using club soda)
• Cranberries, orange slices and rosemary sprigs
• ½ cup cranberries
• 4 rosemary sprigs
• 1/2 orange cut into quarters, then thinly sliced
• Cranberries, orange slices and rosemary sprigs for garnish
• 1-2 tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 cup Sweetener (Monk Fruit)

Gently muddle the cranberries, rosemary and orange slices in a large-bottomed container such as a mixing bowl or large jug. Add cranberry juice, orange juice and vodka. Stir in the vanilla extract and sweetener if you are using club soda instead of cream soda. Cover and let it sit in the fridge until you’re ready to make the punch.

Before guests arrive, strain the cranberry vodka into a punch bowl filled with an ice ring or ice. Top it up with the cream soda (or club soda) and add the garnish. Serve into tumblers.

What can I use instead of a Muddler?

• Back of a wooden spoon
• Pestle from a pestle and mortar
• A large spatula
• Coffee tamper
• Meat pounder
• French Rolling pin

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What can I use instead of a Cocktail Shaker?

• Travel mug
• Mason jar
• Kitchenaid blender for large batches
• Coffee flask
• Cookie jar

Did you make this recipe?

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