Cranberry Orange Shrub Cocktail

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Last Updated on June 6, 2023 by Leah Hall

Shrubs are usually in summer cocktails, but we loved this flavor combination for the holidays in this shrub cocktail!

The holidays bring lots of great seasonal flavors, one of the best being the fresh tart flavor of cranberries. Lots of classic Thanksgiving and Christmas dishes use cranberries, but we always have had a cranberry orange salad on our table!

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Most people think of the jiggly sugary canned relish, but Mr. Nom’s family has always made a fresh version that uses fresh cranberries and oranges to make a sweet tart relish that is always a hit at the holiday meal. So why not make a cranberry orange cocktail?

Shrub Cocktail

The sweet fresh citrus and the tart cranberries make a great relish that gets even better as the combination has a chance to sit and maturate as it gets a bit of a fermented tang. This flavor always reminded us of the holidays, and with Christmas fast approaching, we wanted to make a cocktail that embraced this flavor.

Mason Jars / Martini Glasses

We had been trying a bunch of different combinations, but none grabbed our taste buds until we decided to make a cranberry orange shrub.

Shrubs are a classic way to preserve fresh fruit for later (see more about the history of shrubs on our Honey Blackberry Shrub) and the resulting liquid makes for a really great cocktail ingredient. A great combination of sweet and sour with a great fruity burst, the cranberry shrub came out a beautifully festive red that made for a beautiful cocktail.

Garnish Picks / Shaker

What Ingredients are Needed for the Cranberry Orange Shrub Cocktail?

• For the Cranberry Orange Shrub
  • Orange Zest
  • Sugar
  • Salt
  • Cranberries
  • Apple Cider Vinegar
  • Water
• Cranberry Orange Shrub Gin Cocktail
  • Cranberry Simple Syrup
  • Orange Bitters
  • Gin
  • Sugared Cranberries
  • Cranberry Orange Shrub
  • Triple Sec

For the cocktail, we chose to mix the shrub with gin, which highlighted the notes of the shrub while bringing a nice herbal hint of pine, which really makes this cocktail perfect for Christmas!

If You Are Looking for More Holiday Recipes, Try These!

• Ginger Snap
• Caramel Green Apple
• Salted Butterscotch Bourbon Eggnog
• Christmas Old Fashioned
• Tom and Jerry
• Pine Old Fashioned
• Mistletoe Martini
• Cranberry Aperol Spritz

Cheers!

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Like this recipe? Try these below, too!

Brandy and Blackberry Lavender Shrub Cocktail

Lavender Bee’s Knees

Other Shrub Cocktails

• Cranberry Vanilla Shrub – Beanilla
• SHED’s Blood Orange Champagne Vinegar Shrub – Eating Well
• Apple Cider Shrub – Macheesmo

Other Cranberry Orange Cocktails

• Cranberry Orange Moscow Mule – What the Fork
• Cranberry Orange Bourbon – The Little Epicurean
• Spiced Cranberry Orange Cocktail – Erren’s Kitchen
• Orange Cranberry Cocktail with Champagne – Food Faith Fitness
• Cranberry Orange Mimosa Bellini – Crazy for Crust

Continue to Content

Yield: 1

Cranberry Orange Shrub Cocktail - A Gin Cocktail

Prep Time: 4 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Set Time: 12 hours

Total Time: 12 hours 24 minutes

A cocktail based off the classic holiday side dish, cranberry orange salad.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups cranberries
• pinch salt
• zest of 1 orange
• 1 cup cider vinegar

For the Cocktail

• 2 ounces gin
• .25 ounce triple sec
• 2 ounces cranberry orange shrub
• 1.50 ounces cranberry simple syrup
• 3 dashes orange bitters
• sugared cranberries for garnish

Instructions

For the Shrub

Combine water, sugar, cranberries, salt and zest in a saucepan, bring to a simmer.

Don't boil or the cranberries will pop. Take off heat, add vinegar.

Store in a jar or airtight container for at least 12 hours. It doesn't need to be refrigerated.

For the Cocktail

Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice.

Shake and strain into a glass.

Cheers!

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer for Cocktails
• 
  Cocktail Shaker – 17oz Parisian Cocktail Shaker
• 
  Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar USDA Organic - Plastic Bottle (16 Ounces)
• 
  Angostura Bitters Set

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

1

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 318Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 587mgCarbohydrates: 36.2gFiber: 0gSugar: 5.9gProtein: 0g

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