🔑 Quick Answer: A cranberry whiskey sour is a classic bourbon sour sweetened with a homemade cranberry syrup spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and blood orange zest. Each drink shakes 1 1/2 ounces of bourbon with 1 ounce of the syrup, 3/4 ounce of egg white, and 1/2 ounce of lemon juice. The syrup takes 30 minutes and keeps for a month.
This cranberry whiskey sour is our holiday take on the classic, and it belongs in your glass from Thanksgiving through New Year’s. It keeps everything you love about a whiskey sour and sweetens it with a cranberry syrup spiced with cinnamon and cloves.
Why Trust Us
I’m Aida Mollenkamp. I hold WSET Level 2 in wine, I ran the professional test kitchen as Food Editor at CHOW magazine, and I hosted Off Menu on Tastemade. Every recipe is tested three to five times before it publishes.
For this version, I kept the classic whiskey sour build and swapped plain simple syrup for a cranberry syrup spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and blood orange zest.
Best for: hosts who want one make-ahead signature cocktail for Thanksgiving or a holiday party.
Why You’ll Love This Cranberry Whiskey Sour Cocktail
This holiday, we took the classic whiskey sour cocktail you know and love and made it even more delicious with a cinnamon-and-clove-spiced cranberry simple syrup. Say hello to the Spiced Cranberry Whiskey Sour Cocktail.
The aroma of the simple syrup cooking is so pleasing, we wish it were a candle scent! Then it’s shaken with the classic whiskey sour ingredients and topped with dashes of aromatic and orange bitters and a slice of citrus. Bottom line: this Spiced Cranberry Whiskey Sour Cocktail is so festive it’s sure to become an instant holiday classic.
Cranberry Whiskey Sour Cocktail Recipe Ingredients
Here’s what each ingredient adds to this cranberry whiskey sour.
For the spiced cranberry syrup:
- Fresh or frozen cranberries give the syrup its tart flavor and deep red color, and frozen ones work just as well as fresh.
- Pure maple syrup sweetens the syrup and adds a warm, caramel note.
- A cinnamon stick and whole cloves bring the holiday spice, and whole spices are easy to strain out.
- Blood orange zest adds a bright citrus aroma, and regular orange zest works if you can’t find blood oranges. Peel it in one wide strip and leave the white pith behind.
For the cocktail:
- Good-quality bourbon is the backbone of the drink.
- Egg white gives the sour its silky foam on top.
- Fresh lemon juice is the “sour” in whiskey sour, so squeeze it yourself rather than using bottled.
- ANGOSTURA aromatic and orange bitters add spice and citrus on top of the foam, and the aromatic bitters leave the red drops you drag into a heart.
- Dried orange slices are an optional garnish.
How To Make This Recipe
- Make The Spiced Cranberry Syrup: Bring 2 cups of cranberries, 1 cup of water, and 1 cup of maple syrup to a boil, then lower the heat and add the cinnamon stick, cloves, and orange zest. Simmer it for about 5 minutes, until most of the cranberries collapse, then let it cool for 5 minutes and strain it for at least 10 minutes.
- Chill The Glass: Fill a coupe with ice and water while you mix the drink.
- Shake The Drink: Combine 1 1/2 ounces of bourbon, 1 ounce of syrup, 3/4 ounce of egg white, and 1/2 ounce of lemon juice in a shaker with ice. Shake it hard for about 15 seconds, until the outside of the shaker fogs up.
- Strain And Garnish: Empty the glass, strain in the cocktail, and top it with 2 dashes of aromatic bitters and 1 dash of orange bitters. Drag a toothpick through the bitters to make a heart, add a dried orange slice, and serve it right away.
This cranberry whiskey sour comes together in four steps, and the syrup is the only part that takes real time.
What Is A Traditional Whiskey Sour Cocktail?
So what exactly is a whiskey sour cocktail you may be asking yourself. A classic whiskey sour is a sour-style drink made with whiskey, which means it always has something sour, usually citrus juice, and something sweet, like simple syrup, sugar, or honey.
The classic drink combines whiskey, lemon juice, sugar, and often egg white. There are several variations of the whiskey sour in the classic cocktail canon, such as the Boston Sour and the New York Sour.
It’s said that the Whiskey Sour origins come from ship culture during the 1700s. To avoid the common threat of scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) among sailors, citrus would be added to common drinks, hence the lemon!
The cocktail got its name here in the states based on the fact that whiskey is used, and that the lemon juice creates that noticeable “sour” taste. For a strong traditional taste of the Whiskey Sour cocktail, bourbon is the dealer’s choice here in the United States. For those who may want a less harsh version of the cocktail, adding more egg white can balance the flavors.
The Essential Ingredient
You already know how essential ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters are in classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned. And we certainly can’t get enough of it in our low-ABV cocktails.
But the reason this bar staple is so key for holiday cocktails? The telltale flavors of ANGOSTURA aromatic and orange bitters, of course! The bitters flood the senses with aromatic bouquets, citrus notes, and hints of spice, which gives zest and complexity to all of your cold-weather favorites.
Bottom line: as we settle into the cozy winter season, this combination of cranberry-flavored, cinnamon-and-clove spiced simple syrup plus ANGOSTURA bitters takes a classic Whiskey Sour and transforms it into a seasonal delight with a dash (or several! ) of holiday spirit. Cheers to the Spiced Cranberry Whiskey Sour Cocktail!
Similar Cocktails To Try
If you enjoyed this Cranberry Whiskey Sour Cocktail, here are a few other cocktails we think you’ll like:
- Basil Citrus Berry Smash Cocktail Recipe
- Pineapple Mint Julep Margarita Cocktail Recipe
- Man O’War Cocktail Recipe
Oh, and if you’re in search of what to serve with your new signature cocktail, we’ve got you covered with our Best Appetizers For Entertaining.
What To Serve This With
A cranberry whiskey sour hits that sweet spot between festive and refreshing, so pair it with snacks and dishes that let its tart, bright flavors shine. It’s especially good with salty bites like Marcona almonds, Roasted Squash Dip, Sage and Goat Cheese Persimmon Bites or a simple cheese board anchored by aged cheddar or Gouda.
How To Store The Spiced Cranberry Syrup
The spiced cranberry syrup keeps for up to one month in an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you skip straining it and let all the cranberries burst, lower the maple syrup to 2/3 cup and you’ll have a quick cranberry sauce instead.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Shake it the same way and it'll taste just as good, but it won't have the foam on top. Aquafaba, the liquid from a can of chickpeas, is the usual swap if you want the foam without egg.
Make the spiced cranberry syrup up to one month ahead and keep it in the refrigerator. Shake each drink to order, since the egg white needs a hard shake right before you serve it.
Bourbon is the classic choice in the United States, and it's what we use in this recipe. Rye whiskey makes a spicier, drier version if you prefer it.
Spiced Cranberry Whiskey Sour Cocktail Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
For The Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup:
- 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1 cup cold water
- 1 cup Pure maple syrup
- 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
- 2 cloves
- Zest of 1 medium blood orange peeled off in a long, 1-inch-wide strip with a vegetable peeler (be careful not to include any white pith)
For The Spiced Cranberry Whiskey Sour Cocktail:
- ice cubes
- 1 1/2 ounces good-quality bourbon whiskey
- 1 ounce Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup
- 3/4 ounce egg white beaten until smooth
- 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 dashes angostura bitters
- 1 dash orange bitters
For Garnish:
- Dried Orange Slices for garnish
Instructions
- Make The Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup: Combine the cranberries, water, and maple syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately reduce heat to low. Add the cinnamon stick, cloves, and orange peel. Simmer until the majority of the cranberries collapse, which should take about 5 minutes.Remove from heat and set aside to let cool slightly for about 5 minutes. Strain mixture through a fine mesh sieve and let sit until the liquid has drained from the cranberry mixture, at least 10 minutes.FYI: If you don't let all the cranberries burst and don't strain it, this can make a quick cranberry sauce! Just lower the maple syrup to 2/3 cup total. This can be made up to one month ahead and stored refrigerated in an airtight container.
- Make The Spiced Cranberry Whiskey Sour Cocktail: Place a few ice cubes and some water in a coupe glass to chill the glass, then set aside until ready to use.For one cocktail, combine the bourbon with 1 ounce of the Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup, egg white, and lemon juice in a cocktail shaker and add enough ice to fill the majority of the way. Close the shaker and shake vigorously for approximately 15 seconds until condensation appears on the outside of the cocktail shaker.
- Empty the ice and water from the coupe glass and strain the whiskey sour into the glass. Top with 2 dashes of ANGOSTURA aromatic bitters and 1 dash of ANGOSTURA orange bitters (note that only the aromatic bitters will leave a visible mark on top of the egg cocktail). Drag a clean knife, toothpick, or straw across the dash of ANGOSTURA to make a heart shape. Add one dehydrated orange slice to the cocktail rim to garnish and serve immediately.
