Last Updated on January 26, 2024 by Leah Hall
This flavorful spiced cranberry simple syrup is great for the holiday season, but works really well for all winter long cocktails!
This Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup can give a festive spin on holiday cocktails, but, we think it also makes for a great winter simple syrup! The fun color and flavor is great all winter long!
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This Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup is made with cranberries, sugar, cinnamon, cloves and orange zest. An easy homemade simple syrup like this comes together in less than 15 minutes. Add this cranberry simple syrup to all your drinks this winter. We love cranberry cocktails like our Smoky Cranberry Mezcal or the Red Hound, which would be good with regular cranberry syrup or our spiced cranberry simple syrup!
We have a cranberry simple syrup here on the site without the spices, which is delicious. But the spices that we added in this makes for a more delicious recipe!
How to Make Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup
The steps for making homemade simple syrup are easy in general. All you need is a saucepan, a fine mesh strainer, and a glass bottle to store it.
- Cook – Add all the ingredients to a saucepan over medium high heat and stir. Bring it to a boil, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar, and reduce the heat to simmer for about 10 minutes until the cranberries burst and release the juices. This will help add the vibrant red color that cranberries do! Don’t over stir, because otherwise you will get a pulpy syrup, and it won’t be as clear. So once the cranberries start to pop, leave it alone.
- Cool – Once the cranberries have popped and the syrup has thickened slightly, take off the heat and allow the syrup to steep for at least 15 minutes.
- Strain – Use a fine mesh sieve over a bowl or jar and strain the cranberry syrup. Remove the spices and gently press down on the cranberries to allow the juices to strain. This makes about 1 1/2 cups of syrup.
- Store – If in a bowl, pour the homemade spiced cranberry simple syrup into an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
How Do You Store Simple Syrup?
Keep cooled simple syrup in an airtight container in the fridge. We love to use mason jars, because they are easy to use!
How Long Does Simple Syrup Last?
If you store the simple syrup in the refrigerator, it should last a couple weeks.
Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup Ingredients
To make this cranberry simple syrup with spice, you will need just a few extra ingredients along with fresh or frozen cranberries.
- Cranberries – Fresh are in season October-January. Or, frozen cranberries can be available all year.
- Orange Zest – We zested some orange peel, about 2 teaspoons worth.
- Sugar – We used regular granulated sugar, but honey, demerara or maple syrup are good choices, too.
- Cinnamon Sticks – We used 1 cinnamon stick for a light cinnamon flavor.
- Whole Cloves – we used about 5-6 whole cloves for this recipe.
Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup Uses
With any simple syrup, it has a broad range of uses like:
- cocktails
- brushed over cakes or in desserts
- lemonade or iced tea, in sparkling water or spritzers
- pancake or waffle syrup
- ice cream topping
- add as a flavoring to frosting
Tips & Tricks
- A Microplane Grater is a great zester to use for the zest. It’s more efficient and extracts the citrus oil well.
- Fresh Cranberries are mostly only available from October through January. Freeze some, and you can make this syrup all year long. No need to thaw the berries, just add them to the water and sugar.
- Use a fine mesh strainer to extract more of the juices and syrup! Great to use for any of these syrups like: Thyme Simple Syrup, Peach Syrup, Aronia Berry Syrup, or Sage Simple Syrup!
- Gift – If making this as a gift, use a mason jar or a fancy bottle to store. Makes a great Christmas or hostess gift, and if you add a ribbon to the jar or bottle, add a wooden spoon, jigger or with a bottle of tonic water or club soda. This Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup is perfect for the holidays, as is Fennel Syrup, Homemade Pine Syrup, or Mint Simple Syrup.
- Preparation – easy to make ahead of time before you need to use it, this syrup saves time! Just make sure to store in an airtight container in the fridge.
Love Cranberry? Try These Cocktails:
- Cranberry Pineapple Margarita
- Winter Aperol Spritz
- Sparkling Pine Cranberry Mocktail
- Mistletoe Martini
- Zero Alcohol Cranberry Gin & Tonic
- Cranberry Non-Alcoholic Mule
- Cranberry Rosemary Old Fashioned
Also, don’t forget to follow us on Instagram and tag #gastronomcocktails so we can see all the wonderful recipes YOU recreate from this site!
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Like this recipe? Try these below, too!
Other Simple Syrup Recipes
- Blackberry Simple Syrup
- Vanilla Syrup – Feast + West
- Apple Cider Simple Syrup
- Stevia Simple Syrup
- Rhubarb Syrup
- Pear Simple Syrup
- Basil Simple Syrup
- Lavender Syrup
- Lemon Simple Syrup
- Cinnamon Syrup
- Rosemary Syrup
- Hibiscus Syrup
- Lilac Simple Syrup
Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup
This spiced cranberry simple syrup is full of festive flavor, as well as perfect for all winter long in cocktails and mocktails!
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 5-6 whole cloves
- orange zest, about 2 teaspoons
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir to combine.
- Bring the syrup to asimmer, and stir to dissolve sugar.
- When the cranberries start to pop and syrup thickens slightly, take the saucepan off the heat.
- Let the syrup infuse for at least 15 minutes before straining.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
- Cheers!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
16Serving Size:
1 ounceAmount Per Serving: Calories: 51Carbohydrates: 13.2gSugar: 12.8g
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