I have never received that much appreciation for Christmas gifts as I have for this homemade Cranberry Liqueur!
I often make Limoncello, Orange Liqueur and this Cranberry liqueur not only for my household during the holidays, but also for gift giving to friends.
Homemade liqueurs are very common in the Mediterranean, especially Greece, Albania and Italy. Homemade liqueurs with oranges, lemons and other fruits are traditional gifts during the holidays.
My grandfather used to make a sweet liqueur with some red berries (manaferra) that was always used to greet hosts when they came to visit to our house. Last year I made orange liqueur (1 minute video), limoncello and raspberry liqueur.
Liqueurs in the Mediterranean culture are not only used for making specialty cocktails but also in baking. Liqueurs add a depth of flavor not only in baked goods but also in jams and other foods.
How To Make Cranberry Vodka Liqueur?
This homemade liqueur is very easy to make and you can use variations of my recipe. There’s more than one way to get to the sweet, tart taste and beautiful color this liqueur is known for.
See below for some of the pictures that walk you through the process on how to do this at home.
- Wash and drain the cranberries.
- Cut cranberries and add them to a jar.
- Make simple syrup and add over cranberries. Add vodka too.
- Cover jar and let marinate for about 3 weeks.
- Strain over a fine mesh and I double up with a new cheesecloth to get very clear liqueur.
- Fill up your favorite bottles and even label for gifting.
Can You Buy This Liqueur In Stores?
Cranberry liqueurs don’t seem to be too common to find in stores. I have found few options online but I haven’t had a chance to order any of them, especially since I make my own.
I often hear of the famous Boggs cranberry liqueur but I have never had the chance to try that one. But if you are able to buy it or make your own cranberry liqueur, try to make yourself a Cosmopolitan cocktail because it will really be the best you have ever tried:). Cheers!
Tips and Notes
Here are my best tips for this recipe.
- Use fresh cranberries
- Use a good quality vodka
- It helps to use a new cheesecloth (folded for best results) over the metal strainer to get a clear and not cloudy liqueur.
- Make your own simple syrup.
Homemade Cranberry Liqueur
Equipment
- 1 metal strainer
- 1 cheesecloth
- 1 large jar should be able to hold at least 6 cups volume wise, over 48 ozs
- 1 small saucepan
Ingredients
- 14 ozs fresh cranberries
- 3 cups vodka
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1 slice lemon
Instructions
- Wash and drain the cranberries, cut them in half and add them to the jar.
- On a small saucepan, add sugar and water to make simple syrup. Once boiling, lower heat and add a slice of lemon. Whisk to make sure sugar has dissolved. Let simmer for about 5 minutes, turn heat off.
- Add 3 cups of vodka over cranberries. Then add simple syrup you made on the small saucepan. Shake and close the jar tight. Store in a dark and cool place of your kitchen for 21 days. Give it a shake occasionally.
- After 21 days, open jar. Strain the liquor on a fine mesh or strainer. I even add a new cheesecloth, folded for that extra layer of filtration. You can then pour the cranberry liqueur to a bottle of your choice and label for gifting or enjoy it yourself:). Cheers!
Video
Notes
- estimated 1 serving to be about 2 ozs.
- use the homemade liqueur on drinks, sauces, jams and baked goods!
Nutrition Label
Nutrition
A cranberry juice and vodka cocktail over ice, garnished with a lime wedge is called a Cape Codder. Some people just call it vodka cranberry! Variations of this cocktail with ginger ale, club soda, grapefruit juice and other ingredients are all famous on their own. For example the famous Cosmopolitan drink has triple sec besides cranberry juice and vodka. Some more information on additional cocktails I found interesting is listed in this article from Wikipedia.
Short answer: you need fresh cranberries, alcohol and simple syrup. Add to a jar and let marinate for about 3 weeks. You can blend and strain the liqueur or you can pre-cut the cranberries ahead of adding them to the jar. Either way you need to strain the liqueur at the end and bottle it nicely:).
If you would like to save this recipe for later, please save to your boards in Pinterest. Let me know if you have any questions in comments. Feel free to tag me in social media with your picture of this liqueur or the cocktail creations you made with it:)). Happy Holidays!!
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Additional Cranberry Recipes
If you love cranberries like we do, please feel free to check out some of my other recipes:).
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce
- Sugared Cranberries Moscow Mule
- Butternut Squash, Cranberries and Kale Salad
Joanne
I do not want to throw away these vodka soaked cra nnberries. Any ideas of what to do w them? Someone suggested using for scones.
admin
Hi Joanne,
Maybe cook them down in low heat like a sauce, add a bit of sugar and a herb of your choice. Then serve with brie cheese & crostini, garnish with a rosemary for a festive look. Haven’t tried this myself but thought it might be a good idea!