By Becky Hardin
Published Oct 29, 2020
This delicious cranberry bourbon smash is perfect for the holiday season! Made with cranberry juice, cranberry sauce (yep, the canned kind!), orange juice, bourbon, and ginger ale, it has a beautiful balance of sweet and tart flavors. This cranberry bourbon cocktail is one of my favorite drinks to enjoy with Thanksgiving dinner since it is nice and light.
I really love cranberry sauce in all its forms– canned or homemade; it’s all delicious to me. I’ve used jams and jellies in cocktails before, so why not try cranberry sauce?! I’m here to tell you, it works! This cranberry bourbon smash is a delicious blend of cranberry and orange that’s balanced with warming bourbon and ginger ale. Garnished with a sprig of fresh rosemary, it looks as gorgeous as it tastes. This is the perfect cranberry bourbon cocktail for Thanksgiving!
What’s in This Cranberry Bourbon Smash Recipe?
- Bourbon: This barrel-aged whiskey adds depth and warmth to the cocktail.
- Orange Juice: Adds freshness and acidity. I highly recommend using freshly-squeezed orange juice over bottled, but bottled will still work in a pinch.
- Cranberry Sauce: Adds sweetness and enhances the cranberry flavor. You’ll want to use the canned jellied kind, not one with whole cranberries (that’s a choking hazard!).
- Honey: Adds a subtle floral sweetness that enhances the flavor of the Bourbon.
- Cranberry Juice: Adds tart cranberry flavor. I prefer 100% cranberry juice over the sweeter cranberry juice cocktail.
- Rosemary: Adds fresh herbal flavor that balances out the drink.
- Ginger Ale: Just a splash adds a sweet, gingery, spicy flavor that helps balance out the drink as well.
Tips for Success
- Muddling releases the flavors of the fresh rosemary into the liquids and it’s a much more effective technique than shaking it. If you have a muddler, then this is the most effective tool, but you can also use the back of a tablespoon to press the rosemary against the sides of the glass.
- This cocktail is best enjoyed straight away so that the ice doesn’t dilute the drink.
- Make this smash alcohol-free by omitting the bourbon and using extra ginger ale.
- Finish it off with a fresh or dried orange slice for garnish .
Serving Suggestions
This cranberry bourbon smash is one of my favorite drinks to serve with Thanksgiving dinner . It’s a little bit tart and a little bit sweet, which helps to balance out all the rich and creamy flavors of a typical holiday meal. It tastes great with everything from mashed potatoes covered with turkey gravy to candied sweet potatoes . You really can’t go wrong with this cranberry bourbon cocktail!
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1½ ounces Bourbon (1 shot)
- ▢ 1½ ounces orange juice (1 shot)
- ▢ 1 tablespoon jellied cranberry sauce
- ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
- ▢ 1½ ounces 100% cranberry juice (1 shot)
- ▢ ½ sprig fresh rosemary chopped
- ▢ 1 splash ginger ale
Instructions
- Add the bourbon, orange juice, cranberry sauce, cranberry juice, honey, and chopped rosemary to a cocktail shaker. Muddle to combine. Place the top on the shaker.
- Fill a glass with ice.
- Strain the drink into the glass. Garnish with a splash of ginger ale.
Equipment
- Cocktail Shaker
- Muddler
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More Easy Holiday Cocktails
I love this bourbon smash for the holidays, but there’s always room on my table for a variety of fun cocktails. Check out some of my other favorites!
Apple Cider Margaritas
Fall Sangria (Honey Bourbon Sangria Recipe)
Holiday Punch Recipe
Apple Cider Mimosas (Easy Apple Cider Cocktail)
Caramel Apple Sangria (Apple Pie Sangria)
Caramel Apple Hot Toddy Cocktail
Pumpkin Pie Punch (Thanksgiving or Halloween Punch Idea)
Cranberry Bourbon Smash Recipe
Equipment
- Cocktail Shaker
- Muddler
Ingredients
- 1½ ounces Bourbon (1 shot)
- 1½ ounces orange juice (1 shot)
- 1 tablespoon jellied cranberry sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1½ ounces 100% cranberry juice (1 shot)
- ½ sprig fresh rosemary chopped
- 1 splash ginger ale
Instructions
- Add the bourbon, orange juice, cranberry sauce, cranberry juice, honey, and chopped rosemary to a cocktail shaker. Muddle to combine. Place the top on the shaker.
- Fill a glass with ice.
- Strain the drink into the glass. Garnish with a splash of ginger ale.
Nutrition
By Becky Hardin
Published Jul 12, 2017
This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.
Essential Grocery List
It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!
It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.
However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.
In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.
I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List
What to Buy at the Grocery Store
This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.
When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.
So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Fresh Produce
- Apples
- Bananas
- Strawberries
- Avocados
- Bell Peppers
- Carrots
- Broccoli
- Garlic
- Lemons/Limes
- Onion
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
GRAINS
- Breadcrumbs
- Pasta
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Sandwich Bread
- Tortillas
MEAT/PROTEIN
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Ground Beef
- Sliced Turkey
- Lunch Meat
DAIRY
- Butter
- Sliced Cheese
- Shredded Cheese
- Milk
- Sour Cream
- Greek Yogurt
BAKING GOODS
- Baking powder
- Baking Soda
- Granulated Sugar
- Brown Sugar
- Flour
- Honey
- Vanilla Extract
- Dry Yeast
- Chocolate Chips
- Cocoa Powder
- Powdered Sugar
FREEZER
- Fruit and Berries
- Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
- Juice Concentrate
- Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
- Pie Crust
- Cookie Dough
CANNED/DRIED GOODS
- Chicken stock/broth
- Salsa
- Diced Tomatoes
- Jam/Jelly
- Peanut Butter
- Pasta Sauce
- Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
- Soups
- Tuna
- Green Chiles
- Canned Veggies
- Coffee or Tea
Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods
CONDIMENTS/SPICES
- Black Pepper
- Chili Powder
- Cinnamon
- Crushed Red Pepper
- Cumin
- Garlic Powder
- Ketchup
- Mustard
- Mayo
- Nutmeg
- Paprika
- Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
- Soy Sauce
- Steak Sauce
- Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
- Salad Dressings
OILS/VINEGARS
- Apple cider vinegar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Coconut Oil
- Olive Oil
- Vegetable/Canola Oil
- Red Wine Vinegar
- White Vinegar
- Cooking Wine
- White Wine Vinegar
SNACKS
- Crackers
- Nuts
- Quick Oats
- Popcorn
- Tortilla Chips
- Cereal
Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!
Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!
I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!
Stock Your Kitchen
Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!
Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On
Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)
Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen
Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen
Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use
26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them
What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?
Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)
How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)
Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart
