The Cranberry Peppermint Martini is a festive glass of holiday cheer, dressed up in merry green with a frosted sugar rim that glistens like fresh snowfall. Topped off with a playful candy cane, it’s the kind of cocktail that instantly transports you to a world filled with Christmas magic and cozy gatherings by the fireplace.
But have you ever sipped on something so merry it feels like Christmas wrapped up in a glass? 🎄
This drink celebrates everything I adore about Christmas—those festive flavors, the joyful colors, and that unmistakable peppermint sparkle that somehow makes every sip taste a little more like the season itself.
As someone who starts decorating in early November, filling every nook and cranny with twinkling lights and ornaments, I love to bring that same holiday spirit into my recipes.
Growing up in Austria, our traditions are steeped in scents and flavors that feel as cozy as they are indulgent, and I’m thrilled to share a cocktail that brings a bit of that old-world Christmas charm to your holiday gatherings.
This year, let’s turn the season into a wonderland of tastes, from cinnamon-spiced treats to this show-stopping Cranberry Peppermint Martini—a drink that’s as easy to make as it is delightful to sip.
Crafted with vibrant Bols Peppermint Liqueur, vodka, cranberry juice, and a splash of lime, it’s a breeze to shake up in a cocktail shaker. And whether you serve it with chocolate peppermint crinkle cookies to keep that minty theme going or pair it with buttery eggnog cookies for a cozy twist, this cocktail is bound to be a favorite. Here’s to a Christmas season filled with warmth, tradition, and treats that bring us all a little closer to the magic of the holidays!
🥘 Ingredients
- Cubed ice
- Vodka
- Bols peppermint green liqueur
- Cranberry juice
- Freshly squeezed lime juice
- Granulated sugar & lime wedge for the rim
- Candy cane garnish
See the recipe card for quantities.
🔪 Instructions
Step 1: Halve a lime and squeeze out the juice, setting it aside like a little bit of sunshine ready to brighten up your cocktail.
Step 2: Take one of those lime halves and cut a small wedge. Run it around the rim of your martini glass, creating a sticky base for our festive “snow.”
Step 3: Pour granulated sugar onto a small plate, then dip the rim of your martini glass into it. Give it a gentle tap to shake off any extra sugar, so it sparkles just right. Set it aside for the final touch.
Step 4: In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, peppermint liqueur (crème de menthe), cranberry juice, and that freshly squeezed lime juice.
Step 5: Add ice and shake well, letting that chilly magic infuse each sip with holiday cheer.
Step 6: Fine strain the cocktail into your snow-rimmed glass, ensuring a smooth, silky pour.
Step 7: Garnish with a candy cane stirrer to complete the holiday look. Cheers to a Christmas cocktail that tastes as joyful as it looks—Merry Christmas! 🎄
🌿 Bols Peppermint Green Liqueur
Bols Peppermint Green Liqueur is a vibrant, mint-flavored liqueur that brings both color and flavor to cocktails, especially festive ones. Known for its intense peppermint taste and eye-catching green hue, it’s perfect for holiday cocktails that need a bit of seasonal flair.
🍽 Equipment
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Lemon squeezer
- Small plate
- Cocktail shaker
- Fine strainer
- Measuring tools / Jigger
- Martini glass
💭 Top tips
In a holiday martini, where you’re aiming for that elegant, polished look (perfect alongside a sugared rim!), fine straining also keeps any pulp from freshly squeezed lime juice or other small particles out of the glass. This extra step helps make each sip as clean and smooth as the last, adding that final touch of refinement—like the polish on a favorite Christmas ornament!
Other Christmas Recipes for You to Try
If you make this recipe, let me know how you liked it by ★★★★★ star rating it and leaving a comment below. This would be awesome! You can also sign up for our Newsletter or follow me on Pinterest or Instagram and share your creation with me. Just tag me @combinegoodflavors and hashtag #combinegoodflavors, so I don't miss it.
📖 Recipe
Festive Cranberry Peppermint Martini
Equipment
- Sharp knife and cutting board
- Small plate
- Martini glass
Ingredients
- Lime wedge for the rim
- Granulated sugar for the rim
- 1.5 oz Vodka
- 0.5 oz Peppermint liqueur I used a Bold peppermint green liqueur
- 1 oz Cranberry juice
- 0.5 oz Freshly squeezed lime juice
- Cubed ice for the shaker
- Candy cane garnish
Instructions
- Halve a lime and squeeze out the juice, setting it aside.
- Cut a small Lime wedge from one of the lime halves and run it around the rim of a martini glass.Lime wedge
- Pour Granulated sugar onto a small plate, then dip the glass rim into the sugar. Tap the glass lightly to remove any excess sugar, and set it aside.Granulated sugar
- In a cocktail shaker, add 1.5 oz Vodka, 0.5 oz Peppermint liqueur, 1 oz Cranberry juice, and 0.5 oz Freshly squeezed lime juice.1.5 oz Vodka, 0.5 oz Peppermint liqueur, 1 oz Cranberry juice, 0.5 oz Freshly squeezed lime juice
- Add Cubed ice and shake well.Cubed ice
- Fine strain the cocktail into your prepared martini glass.
- Garnish with a Candy cane Enjoy your festive creation—Merry Christmas! 🎄Candy cane
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
⛑️ Food Safety
- Cook to a minimum temperature of 165 °F (74 °C)
- Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
- Wash hands after touching raw meat
- Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
- Never leave cooking food unattended
- Use oils with high smoking point to avoid harmful compounds
- Always have good ventilation when using a gas stove
For further information, check Safe Food Handling - FDA.
Criss says
Just tried making this Festive Cranberry Peppermint Martini, and it’s the perfect holiday sip! Love the balance of cranberry and mint—so refreshing and festive!
Nora says
Thank you, Criss! I am so glad you liked it!
Audrey says
I made this for a ladies ornament exchange and everyone liked it! It was one of the more popular drinks I served.
Nora says
Awesome! Thank you, Audrey! Happy you and your ladies liked it!
Ashley says
Talk about a festive Christmas cocktail! This one was delicious--at first I wasn't sure about the combination of cranberry and peppermint but it works! I'll be making this for Christmastime.
Nora says
Thank you, Ashley! Yeah, this combo grew on me when I tried different variations of it!
ni says
This is the perfect holiday treat for the grownups. It can't get more holly and jolly than peppermint and cranberries.
Nora says
Thank you, ni!
nancy says
thanks for the delicious bevy. Adding this to my holiday drinks menu. Thanks for the easy recipe!
Nora says
Thank you so much, Nancy! Glad you liked it!