Festive Cranberry Gin and Tonic Recipe – A Nerd Cooks (2024)

Dec 14, 2018 · Modified: Dec 12, 2023 by Lauren Pacek · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Treat yourself to a festive Cranberry Gin and Tonic (or two, or three) this holiday season! You know that you deserve it.

To be honest, I've always thought that (some) gin and tonics sometimes taste like a Christmas tree. Or at least taste the way that a Christmas tree smells. Know what I mean? Maybe? No? Agree to disagree.

Either way, we have taken a standard (and perfectly tasty) G&T recipe and made it even more delicious and festive with the addition of cranberry juice and fresh cranberries.

Need more festive holiday co*cktails? Try my White Christmas Margarita or Loaded Christmas Ale! Sous Vide Eggnog is a great choice if you're looking for a nonalcoholic holiday drink.

🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe

It's very festive. Red cranberry juice, the juniper flavor of the gin... this drink screams "Christmas."
It is so easy to make. This drink is so easy to make. All you need to do is pour a few ingredients into a glass!
It tastes great. Cranberry, gin, and tonic flavors all play very well together.

💭 What is a Cranberry Gin and Tonic?

A regular gin and tonic is pretty much exactly what it sounds like: it's gin, tonic, and lime juice served over ice.

A Cranberry Gin and Tonic has all of those ingredients plus some bright red cranberry juice. It adds some sweet-tart flavor, beautiful color, and holiday festiveness.

📝 Ingredients

• Cranberry juice: You can use either cranberry juice or cranberry juice concentrate. Whatever floats your boat.
• Lime juice: Freshly squeezed, please!
• Gin: Use your favorite gin. Durham Distillery Conniption (American Dry) Gin is an old standby, but I've also been enjoying Bar Hill Gin lately, too. Use whatever you like!
• Tonic water: Tonic water is a carbonated beverage, in which quinine is dissolved. Quinine, in addition to having a bitter flavor, has been used as a prophylactic against malaria. Use whatever tonic you favor!
• Garnishes: As always, garnishes aren't mandatory. But I recommend garnishing your G&T with cranberries (fresh or sugared) and/or a lime wedge.

👩🏻‍🍳 How to make Cranberry G&Ts

Truthfully, it couldn't be simpler.

Fill your Old Fashioned (or rocks) glass with ice, then pour the cranberry juice over the ice. Squeeze the lime gin and cranberry juice over the ice. Squeeze the lime over the ice, too, before adding your gin

After that, just top everything off with some tonic water. Et voila. You have yourself a very delicious Cranberry Gin and Tonic.

Please don't forget to garnish with some cranberries (fresh or sugared cranberries!) and a lime wedge if you're feeling fancy. And you know that you are.

❓ Recipe FAQs

🔗 Other holiday co*cktails

Looking for more holiday co*cktails? Check out the co*cktails linked below. Some are from this blog, some are from other fabulous bloggers.

• Cranberry Old Fashioned co*cktail from Mitten Girl
• Cranberry Moscow Mule from The Gourmet Bon Vivant
• Authentic Coquito from Sweet Tea and Thyme

I'd love to know what you thought of this recipe! Don't forget to leave a comment and ⭐️ star rating below!

✨ Recipe