Name: Easy Cranberry Spritzer
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: BY THE GLASS; Crushed ice or clean fresh, snow.; 2 oz Cranberry Simple Syrup; ¼ to ½ lemon juice (depending on how tart you want it); lemon-lime soda, stir gently to combine; Garnish with sugared cranberries & slice of lemon; Optional garnish Amarena Cherries; 1-1.5 oz vodka (optional for cocktail); 4-6 oz Cranberry Simple Syrup; 2 cups cranberry juice cocktail (like Simply Cranberry); ⅓ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice; 1 cup vodka (optional); 1 liter of lemon-lime soda or mineral water (not as sweet); Garnish with sliced lemons, cranberries and a sprig of mint or rosemary

Jump to Recipe

Naturally cranberry red, this Easy Cranberry Spritzer is the ideal holiday drink, for young and old alike! Cranberry simple syrup, a squeeze of lemon, topped with a bubbly lemon-lime soda is delicious and refreshing, add a splash of vodka to make it into a cocktail!

Top down image of glass of cranberry spritzer with a cherry dripping with juice being placed inside the bright red drink.

Christmas Cranberry Spritzer with Fresh Snow

Even more fun — if you live in an area that gets snow, instead of crushed ice use freshly fallen snow for the younger crowd, they will get a kick out of it! (no yellow snow – ick)

Once you have the prep work done, this drink comes together so quickly!

Pretty glass filled with bright red Cranberry Spritzer with cherries.

How to Make Cranberry Simple Syrup

Make a batch (or double it, it will go fast) of my cranberry simple syrup, which is really just like it sounds, so very simple, really!!

Image of small pitcher filled with cranberry simple syrup and frosted cranberries.

If desired for the garnish, make sugared cranberries, use Amarena cherries or maraschino cherries.

Bright rich red glossy candied cherry in syrup being placed into cranberry spritzer glass.

A Great Holiday Drink!

Fill glass with crushed ice (I use my Ninja blender to pulverize my ice, but crushed or even cubes would be just fine) or grab some of that newly fallen snow.
Pour in 2 oz of Cranberry Simple Syrup
Squeeze ¼ to ½ lemon (depending on how tart you want it)
Top off with lemon-lime soda, stir gently to combine
Garnish with sugared cranberries or a dark, rich cherry

Alternate Ingredients

In place of lemon lime soda, use lemon or lime sparkling water, ginger ale, or cranberry ginger ale or even ginger beer
Use lime or orange instead of lemon
If you don’t want to make cranberry simple syrup, you can purchase a good Grenadine syrup, making it more like a Shirley Temple
Adult-version: add 1-1.5 oz of vodka, top with seltzer water or lemon-lime soda
Also perfect for Valentine’s Day!

CRANBERRY SPARKLING PUNCH FOR A CROWD

4-6 oz Cranberry Simple Syrup
2 cups cranberry juice cocktail (like Simply Cranberry)
⅓ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup vodka (optional)
1 liter of lemon-lime soda or mineral water (not as sweet)
Garnish with sliced lemons, cranberries and a sprig of mint or rosemary

Long pin for how to make a Cranberry Spritzer with top image of ingredients for Spritzer and bottom image of glass filled with fizzy cranberry refresher ingredients.

Easily doubles, the above amounts should fit into a large pitcher, double for a punch bowl. Keep vodka on the side so kids and non-imbibers can enjoy, allowing those who prefer it spiked, to pour a splash.

Enjoy these other holiday drinks!

Holiday Drinks

Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail

A Cranberry Bourbon Sour cocktail recipe, made with 4 simple ingredients. Lightly sweetened with cane sugar simple syrup, 100% tart cranberry juice, smokey bourbon and fresh lemon juice! A not-to-sweet all natural drink, perfect for winter celebrations.

Fresh Strawberry Gin Cocktail

Let's make a beautiful Strawberry Gin Cocktail! This gorgeous pink gin and tonic uses a fresh strawberry syrup blended with your favorite gin and tonic for a fresh, bright, pink signature cocktail for spring and summertime. Great for Mother's Day, Bridal and Baby Showers, Easter or any summer cocktail hour.

Mint Julep | A Southern Cocktail

This recipe for a delicious, refreshing, icy cold Mint Julep cocktail is perfect for any celebration or Derby party. Fresh mint, a wee bit of sugar, muddled together with a dose of bourbon and a couple generous splashes of club soda.

Easy Blueberry Limeade

Using a homemade blueberry syrup, make this easy, refreshing Blueberry Limeade drink, or use lemonade for a blueberry lemonade either way, this is a sweet and easy, non-alcoholic summer drink recipe!

Hibiscus Dark & Stormy Recipe

This Hibiscus Dark and Stormy recipe is just the vibrant burst of tropical sunshine we need! Dark rum, spicy, floral hibiscus ginger beer and fresh lime juice is all it takes!

Cranberry Lemon Drop Martini

This Cranberry Lemon Drop Martini is a sweet-tart; bright, delicious and festive holiday cocktail! With easy make-ahead cranberry simple syrup.

Pomegranate Mule

Cherry Bomb Cocktail

Healthy Hibiscus Margaritas {Cocktail or Mocktail}

Blackberry Bourbon Moscow Mule (B2M2)

This recipe for the Blackberry Bourbon Moscow Mule is bursting with simple yet, amazing flavors; smokey bourbon, sweet fresh blackberries, fresh lime juice and bubbly Ginger Beer.

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1 drink

Easy Cranberry Spritzer

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

A beautiful holiday drink - make it as a cocktail or mocktail. Cranberry simple syrup, fresh lemon juice, lemon lime soda. By the glass or by the pitcher.

Ingredients

BY THE GLASS
Crushed ice or clean fresh, snow.
2 oz Cranberry Simple Syrup
¼ to ½ lemon juice (depending on how tart you want it)
lemon-lime soda, stir gently to combine
Garnish with sugared cranberries & slice of lemon
Optional garnish Amarena Cherries
1-1.5 oz vodka (optional for cocktail)

BY THE PITCHER

4-6 oz Cranberry Simple Syrup
2 cups cranberry juice cocktail (like Simply Cranberry)
⅓ cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup vodka (optional)
1 liter of lemon-lime soda or mineral water (not as sweet)
Garnish with sliced lemons, cranberries and a sprig of mint or rosemary

Instructions

Fill glass with crushed ice (I use my Ninja blender to pulverize my ice, but crushed or even cubes would be just fine) or grab some newly fallen snow.

Pour in 2 oz of Cranberry Simple Syrup. Squeeze ¼ to ½ lemon (depending on how tart you want it). Top off with lemon-lime soda, stir gently to combine. If adult cocktail is desired, add vodka prior to lemon-lime soda.

Garnish with sugared cranberries or a dark, rich Amarena cherry

By the Pitcher

Mix ingredients in order listed, except soda/seltzer and refrigerate until ready to serve. Before serving, add soda or seltzer, stir gently. Slice oranges and/or lemons to float on top, a few cranberries and sprigs of rosemary. Serve with sliced lemons, sugared cranberries or Amarena cherries.

Notes

In place of lemon lime soda, use lemon or lime sparkling water, ginger ale, or cranberry ginger ale or even ginger beer

Use lime or orange juice instead of lemon juice
If you don't want to make cranberry simple syrup, you can purchase a good Grenadine syrup, making it more like a Shirley Temple
Adult-version: add 1-1.5 oz of vodka, top with seltzer water or lemon-lime soda

ABOUT KATHLEEN

I enjoy sharing easy recipes that are wholesome and delicious. I am fed by my faith, family, friends & food! Welcome to my kitchen! Read more...

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MICHAELA KENKEL

Wednesday 1st of January 2020

These were a HUGE hit at our New Years get together! Great recipe!

Kathleen

Thursday 2nd of January 2020

Thanks Michaela, makes me so happy!

jennifer stewart

Tuesday 31st of December 2019

We had these a few days ago and I have decided to make them the NYE drink this year! The cranberry simple syrup is to die for. I think I am going to use it in some homemade salad dressings too!

YAY! Thanks Jennifer!

Easy Cranberry Spritzer (by the glass or pitcher)