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!

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!

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!!

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

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

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.

Sharing on Meal Plan Monday and Weekend Potluck

Enjoy these other holiday drinks!

Holiday Drinks

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

Blood Orange Tangerine Thyme Gin & Tonic

Cranberry Simple Syrup

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.

Hibiscus Simple Syrup

This Hibiscus Simple Syrup adds a subtle floral, lemony and slightly tangy flavor to craft cocktails, Italian sodas, iced-teas, buttercream and ice cream.

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Yield: 1 drink

Easy Cranberry Spritzer

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.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

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

Easy Cranberry Spritzer (by the glass or pitcher)