Cranberry Maraschino Sour: The Grand Finale of Our Festive Cocktail Series
Here we are at the end of our festive cocktail series, and it’s time to wrap things up in style. Meet the Cranberry Maraschino Sour—a delightful twist on the classic Whiskey Sour that swaps whiskey for the floral elegance of Hendrick’s Flora Adora Gin. Add a splash of maraschino liqueur, a dash of orange bitters, and let this crisp, tart cocktail be the highlight of your holiday gatherings. Are you ready to shake up your holiday bar game with this festive creation?
As someone who thrives on the magic of the holiday season, creating festive cocktails is my way of spreading cheer. Growing up in Austria, I’ve always been drawn to warm, rich flavors and the traditions that make this time of year feel so special. While this cocktail leans tart and refreshing, I love pairing it with indulgent sweet treats for the perfect balance. May I suggest serving this cocktail alongside Homemade Dark Chocolate Truffles for a luscious, melt-in-your-mouth contrast or Butterball Cookies, with their snowy powdered sugar finish, to complement the cocktail's citrusy flair?
This Cranberry Maraschino Sour is more than a drink—it’s an invitation to slow down, sip, and savor the spirit of the season. Cheers to festive moments and a cocktail series to remember!
🥘 Ingredients
- Cranberry juice
- Hendricks Flora Adora Gin
- Maraschino liqueur
- Orange bitters
- Lemon juice, freshly squeezed - check our blog post on how much lemon juice is in one lemon!
- Sugar-dusted cranberries on a cocktail skewer
See the recipe card for quantities.
🍸 Step-by-Step
Shake well!
🔪 Instructions
Step 1: Pour the maraschino liqueur, gin, three dashes of orange bitters, cranberry juice, and freshly squeezed lemon juice into a cocktail shaker.
Step 2: Add ice cubes to the shaker.
Step 3: Close the shaker tightly and shake vigorously until the mixture is well-chilled and beautifully combined.
Step 4: Fine strain the cocktail into a chilled cocktail glass, letting its festive hues shine.
Step 5: Sprinkle granulated sugar onto a small plate and roll a few skewered cranberries in it. Watch them transform into frosty little jewels, perfect for a holiday garnish.
Step 6: Place the sugared cranberry skewer across the top of the glass and serve this merry, sparkling drink to your guests!
🍽 Equipment
- Cutting board & sharp knife
- Lemon squeezer
- Measuring tools/jigger
- Cocktail shaker
- Fine strainer
- Cocktail skewer & small plate
💭 Top tips
Adjusting Tartness
If you find the cocktail too tart for your taste, here are a few easy tweaks:
- Add a Sweetener: A splash of simple syrup, honey, or maple syrup can mellow the tartness while adding a touch of warmth to the drink.
- Increase the Maraschino Liqueur: Adding an extra half-ounce of maraschino liqueur will enhance the sweetness and balance the sour notes.
- Use a Sweeter Cranberry Juice: If you’re using unsweetened cranberry juice, switch to a sweetened version for a smoother, sweeter flavor.
More Cranberry Recipes for You to Try
- Cranberry Aperol Spritz
- Festive Cranberry Gin and Tonic
- Cranberry Gin Spritz
- Cranberry Peppermint Martini
- Cranberry Blue Christmas Cocktail
- Cranberry Vodka Spritzer
- Cranberry Gin Fizz
- Cranberry Cinnamon Whiskey Sour
- Prosecco Cosmo
- Cranberry White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Fall in Love with this Cranberry Bundt Cake
- White Chocolate Cranberry Cornflake Cookies
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
Cranberry Maraschino Sour
Equipment
- Cutting board & Sharp knife
- Cocktail skewer & small plate
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz Hendricks Flora Adora Gin
- 0.5 oz Maraschino liqueur
- 3 tashes Orange bitters
- 1 oz Cranberry juice
- 0.5 oz Lemon juice freshly squeezed
- Cubed ice for the shaker
- Sugar-dusted cranberries on a cocktail skewer
Instructions
- Pour 0.5 oz Maraschino liqueur, 1.5 oz Hendricks Flora Adora Gin, 3 tashes Orange bitters, 1 oz Cranberry juice, and 0.5 oz Lemon juiceinto a cocktail shaker.1.5 oz Hendricks Flora Adora Gin, 0.5 oz Maraschino liqueur, 3 tashes Orange bitters, 1 oz Cranberry juice, 0.5 oz Lemon juice
- Add Cubed ice to the shaker.Cubed ice
- Close the shaker tightly and shake vigorously until the mixture is well-chilled and beautifully combined.
- Fine strain the cocktail into a chilled cocktail glass, letting its festive hues shine.
- Sprinkle granulated sugar onto a small plate and roll a few skewered cranberries in it. Watch them transform into frosty little jewels, perfect for a holiday garnish.
- Place Sugar-dusted cranberries on a cocktail skewer across the top of the glass and serve this merry, sparkling drink to your guests!Sugar-dusted cranberries on a cocktail skewer
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.
Sonja says
Finally a cocktail with cranberries, yay! I really love how this brings out the tart flavors of the seasonal berry and adds just the right touch of sweet from the Maraschino!