This festive cocktail blends the sweet and delicate flavour of white cranberries with fragrant, woodsy sage for a crisp and refreshing wintery drink.
As the days grow shorter and the season turns toward celebration, we find ourselves spending more time gathering with our friends and family for cozy holiday feasts. This white cranberry cocktail is the perfect celebratory tipple to include in your holiday celebrations. White cranberry juice – with a mild but juicy flavour – combined with sage simple syrup is a delicate blend of sweet, botanical and fresh winter flavours. Refreshing and elegant, this fragrant cocktail is reminiscent of frost covered evergreen boughs on a wintry night.
Ingredients
White cranberry juice: While made from the same berries as red cranberry juice, the cranberries for the white variety are pressed early before the berry has fully ripened and turned red. The juice is then filtered to remove any remaining pigments resulting in a nearly clear liquid. The resulting juice is milder and sweeter in flavour than regular cranberry juice. If white cranberry juice is not available then you can substitute with either pink or red cranberry juice, however, the flavour will be slightly altered.
Gin: The botanicals in gin make it a great choice for this sage-infused cocktail. I recommend using Cocktail gin by Empress 1908 which is perfect for blending into cocktails.
Sage: I strongly recommend using fresh sage leaves for the simple syrup, however, you could use dried sage leaves if necessary. If using dried sage leaves, you may need to strain the syrup through a coffee filter to remove all the particles.
Lemon juice: A splash of lemon juice adds balancing acidity to the cocktail.
Fresh Cranberries: Use fresh cranberries when making the sugared cranberry garnish.
How to Make White Cranberry Winter Cocktail
Make the sugared cranberries
Making the sugared garnish takes a bit of time so be sure to plan ahead. Line a baking sheet with a small-grate metal rack and then set aside. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and the water. Bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar is dissolved and then remove from the heat.
Add the cranberries to the hot syrup, stirring to coat all the berries. Let the cranberries steep for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use a slotted spoon to lift the berries out of the syrup and place on the rack. Spread the berries out as best you can so they aren’t touching each other.
Leave the cranberries to dry at room temperature for 1 hour. They will still feel sticky and a bit tacky. After an hour, measure the remaining 1 cup sugar into a bowl. Add the cranberries to the sugar, a few at a time, and toss to coat. The sugar will easily stick to the tacky berries.
Transfer the sugared cranberries to a parchment lined baking sheet. It’s best to let them sit for another hour so to fully dry and allow the sugar coating to set.
To prepare the garnish, carefully pierce three sugared cranberries with a small skewer or cocktail stick. Try not to squeeze the cranberries too much or the sugar coating may crumble off.
Make the sage syrup
In a saucepan combine the water and sugar. Place over high heat and bring to a simmer. Stir occasionally to completely dissolve the sugar. After that, add the fresh sage and let simmer for another minute. Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 20-30 minutes.
Strain the syrup through a fine mesh strainer. Let cool before using. The syrup will keep for 2 to 3 weeks in the fridge.
Serve the White Cranberry Winter Cocktail
In a cocktail shaker add the gin, white cranberry juice, sage simple syrup, and lemon juice. Add ice, then cover and shake for 10 to 15 seconds. Strain into a coupe glass. Garnish with a skewer of sugared cranberries if desired and enjoy!
