Christmas Cranberry Snow Tree Cocktail
Posted by Katie Grabner on
I'm not really into very fruity cocktails. I'm more of a wine drinker myself, ever since I had kids, but if I do have a cocktail, it's usually just a vodka soda. Maybe every once and a while I'll add a splash of cranberry and a lime to jazz it up. I'm a big believer that the less fruity, the less toxic it is to your next day -- all in balance of course too! When I saw the ingredients in this cocktail from Floating Kitchen, I thought it would be the perfect to try out for the holidays. Instead of using Gin (since Gin is a hard no for me), I used Vodka. I think the fun piece to this drink is the sparkling snow Rosemary sprigs with cranberries. Anyone can make a cocktail feel Christmasy with something like this :)
INGREDIENTS
SPARKLING SNOW TREES:
- 1 cup sugar (1/2 for simple syrup, 1/2 for sprinkling).
- 1/2 cup water
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- Cranberries
FOR THE COCKTAILS:
- 1/2 cup Vodka
- 1/2 cup cranberry juice
- Fresh squeezed lime juice (1 tablespoon)
- 1 tablespoon simple syrup
- Club soda
- Lime Garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup of the sugar and 1/2 cup of water over medium-high heat. Stir occasionally, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let the simple syrup cool.
- Cut your rosemary sprigs so they fit over your cocktail glass, with about 1-inch of excess. Remove some of the lower leaves on the rosemary sprig to make room for adding the cranberries. Poke a toothpick through the cranberries to create a hole, and then add them to the end of your rosemary sprig.
- Once the simple syrup has cooled slightly, pour it into a bowl. Dip the assembled rosemary sprig trees into the simple syrup. Then sprinkle the remaining 1/2 of sugar over each of the sprigs to coat in "snow." Save some of the simple syrup for making the cocktails.
- Next, add equal parts of vodka and cranberry juice, lime juice and a touch of simple syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake to chill. Then strain the mixture into two glasses with fresh ice. Complete with club soda, stirring gently to combine. Garnish with a slice of lime and a sparkling branch, then serve! Cheers!
Thank you Floating Kitchen for the inspiration!
