Description

This Sparkling Cranberry Rosemary Cocktail is a festive and refreshing fall drink that perfectly balances the tartness of pure cranberry juice with the earthy aroma of fresh rosemary. Enhanced by a touch of lime juice, a splash of Cointreau, and vodka, it is topped with sparkling water for a delightful fizz. The cocktail is beautifully presented with a sugared rim and garnished with frosted rosemary sprigs and dehydrated orange slices, making it ideal for holiday parties or cozy evenings.

Ingredients

Scale

For the cocktail:

2 tbsp lime juice
2 fl oz 100% pure cranberry juice
1 fl oz Cointreau
1 fl oz vodka
Sparkling water, to top

For the glass rim:

2 tbsp granulated sugar
Lime juice, as needed

For the garnish:

1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 tbsp sugar
Dehydrated orange slices

Instructions

Prepare the Sugar Rimmed Glasses: Pour 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar into a small shallow bowl and a small amount of lime juice into a second shallow bowl. Dip the rim of each glass first into the lime juice, allowing the excess to drip off, then into the sugar to coat the rim evenly. This adds a decorative and flavorful touch to the glasses.
Frost the Rosemary Garnish: Rinse the rosemary sprig briefly under running water, then gently tap it dry with a paper towel. While still slightly damp, roll or tap the rosemary sprig into 2 tablespoons of sugar in a bowl until fully coated and looking pleasantly frosted. This creates a beautiful wintery garnish.
Mix the Cocktail: Fill a cocktail shaker about one third full with ice. Pour in 1 fl oz vodka, 1 fl oz Cointreau, 2 fl oz cranberry juice, and 2 tbsp lime juice. Secure the shaker lid and shake vigorously for about 20 seconds until well chilled and combined.
Assemble the Cocktail: Add ice spheres or cubes to each sugar-rimmed glass. Strain the shaken cocktail mixture evenly into the glasses. Top off each with sparkling water to your desired level of fizz, gently stirring once to combine without losing carbonation.
Garnish and Serve: Place a dehydrated orange slice and the frosted rosemary sprig on each cocktail. Serve immediately to enjoy the fresh aroma and sparkling freshness.

Notes

Use 100% pure cranberry juice for the best tartness; adjust the simple syrup if using cranberry juice cocktail, as it is often pre-sweetened.
Gently muddle the rosemary or roll to release oils without making the flavor bitter.
Do not add sparkling water before shaking, as it will reduce fizz; add it last and stir gently.
Make the rosemary simple syrup ahead and keep chilled for up to a week, but mix cocktails fresh to maintain fizz.
Substitute Cointreau with triple sec, Grand Marnier, or fresh orange juice with zest if needed.
Vodka can be replaced by gin for a complementary herbal note.
Fresh orange slices, fresh cranberries, lime wheels, or cinnamon sticks can be used as alternative garnishes.
Store dehydrated orange slices in an airtight container at room temperature for months.
Avoid over-squeezing lime to prevent bitterness from peel oils.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Category: Cocktail
Method: Stirring/Shaking (Stovetop equipment or cocktail shaker used, primary method is shaking to combine cold liquids; not cooked)
Cuisine: American

Keywords: cranberry cocktail, rosemary cocktail, sparkling cocktail, holiday drink, fall cocktail, festive cocktail, cranberry drink