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When it comes to holiday style, are you all about the sparkle or the sweatpants? Pour yourself an easy-to-make (and even easier to drink!) Cranberry St. Germain Cocktail, and let’s discuss.

Easy and festive cranberry cocktail served with a lime wedge and cranberries

The sparkle attracts me.

After all, what other time of year could I feasibly don a glittery skirt or a light-up snowman sweater and be right on trend?

Then, I flash forward to my feelings every year after my family’s four-day, multi-dinner holiday feast extravaganza.

The only sparkle I want is the shiny stripe down the side of my sweatpants.

Fortunately for us, with cranberry St. Germain cocktails in hand, we’ll be party pretty no matter what we are wearing!

The sparkly lime sugar on the rim says so.

These Christmas cocktails are not only incredibly refreshing; they’re beautiful.

This easy holiday drink recipe will be the finishing special touch to your holiday party spread (or sip one joyfully on the couch while watching your favorite Christmas movie).

No matter the occasion (or your attire), I’m certain these cranberry St. Germain elderflower liqueur cocktails will be a smashing success!

Festive Christmas cocktails served with lime and cranberries

5 Star Review

“It was so beautiful and delicious! Thanks for a unique and beautiful cocktail recipe!”

— Julie —

How to Make Cranberry St. Germain Cocktail

When the holiday season begins and you start planning festive gatherings, a series of questions may fill your mind. What is the most popular drink at Christmas? What drink will appeal to all my guests?

In my opinion, this cranberry St. Germain cocktail is the official drink of Christmas (don’t tell the Christmas Punch).

  • It’s easy, festive, and instantly makes me feel more elegant.
  • The red color and sparkly green rim are on-point.
  • You can make it in as large of a quantity as you need and prep it in advance, making it an ideal holiday drink for parties.
  • The ingredients are simple: vodka, lime, cranberry juice, and St. Germain. You don’t even have to make simple syrup!

The Ingredients

  • Vodka. Vodka works well here in this cocktail recipe, because it’s flavorless and lets the other flavor shine. Also, I find that vodka Christmas cocktails tend to be the most universally accepted.
  • St. Germain. If you’ve never tasted it and are wondering what kind of alcohol St. Germain is, it’s an elderflower liqueur. Elderflower tastes mildly floral, delicate, and delightful. It adds an airiness and subtle sweetness to cocktails.
A bottle of vodka and St. Germain for making cocktails
  • Cranberry Juice. This drink is a bit of a twist on a cosmo, done better. The cranberry is sweet, but not too sweet and fruity. Plus, it’s the perfect shade of red to make the perfect Christmas drink.
  • Lime. Lime pops with the cranberry, and it adds a festive green touch. Use lime juice in the cocktail and the zest to rim the glasses.
  • Frozen Cranberries. A beautiful garnish, and they help keep your drink cool.
  • Sugar. My sweet and fun addition to the rim of the glasses.

The Directions

  1. Combine lime zest and sugar. Use it to rim the glasses.
A glass dipped in sugar on a plate
  1. Add drink ingredients to a cocktail shaker. Shake to combine and pour into the glass. Garnish as desired, and ENJOY!
Cranberry St. Germain cocktails with sugar rims and lime wedges

More St. Germain Cocktail Recipes

  • Cranberry St. Germain Cocktails with Gin. For a St. Germain gin cocktail, swap gin for the vodka in this recipe. To make it a St. Germain gin and tonic, omit the cranberry juice and add tonic water instead.
  • St. Germain Cocktail Prosecco. For an equally delicious cocktail without the cranberry twist, try my sparkling St. Germain Cocktail, which is made with prosecco or with champagne. You also can top this recipe with a splash of sparkling wine.
  • St. Germain Margarita. Another one of my favorite ways to enjoy St. Germain is in this refreshing St. Germain Margarita. Perfect for fans of creamy Christmas cocktails!
  • St. Germain Martini. Prepare the cocktail as directed, swapping the vodka for gin (or enjoy it as a vodka martini) and adding vermouth. Strain the cocktail into a martini glass. You can omit the cranberry or keep it in for a festive twist.
  • St. Germain Rum Cocktail. Swap the vodka for white rum (be sure to check out my Rum Punch too).
Delicious and festive cranberry St. Germain cocktail served in glasses with lime

How to Serve Cranberry St. Germain Cocktail for a Crowd

  • If you’re making this recipe for a large crowd, increase recipe yield as needed to accommodate your guests. Then, pour your prepared drink into a pitcher for easy serving, and chill in the refrigerator until your guests arrive.
  • To Make Ahead. You can mix all the drink ingredients together except the lime juice up to 8 hours before the party and refrigerate until time to serve. Then, cut the limes wedges, add the lime juice, and prepare the sugar mixture about 2 hours before.
  • To Serve. Prepare each cocktail glass by dipping it into the sugar mixture or allow guests to dip their own. Set out the lime wedges and frozen cranberries so guests can garnish their drinks as they please. (I like to dip part of the glasses into the sugar mixture and leave some plain. That way my guests can choose whichever they prefer.)
A delicious and festive holiday cocktail served with lime wedges and cranberries

What to Serve with Cranberry St. Germain Cocktail

These small bites are the perfect party-ready appetizers to serve with classic Christmas cocktails like this one.

Delicious cranberry St. Germain cocktails on a plate with lime slices and cranberries

Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe

  • Cocktail Shaker. This one is a beautiful stainless steel, and it has a max fill line to prevent overfilling.
  • Jigger. This helps ensure you have the perfectly portioned pour every time.
  • Pitcher. A beautiful way to serve St. Germain and vodka cocktails for a crowd. This one is also nice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can You Drink St. Germain Straight?

Yes, you can drink St. Germain straight. However, I enjoy it most in a cocktail recipe, as it is quite sweet on its own.

Can I Use Another Brand of Elderflower Liqueur?

There are other brands of elderflower liqueur available that you can use in this recipe, but St. Germain is the gold standard and the one I recommend.

How Long Can I Refrigerate Leftover Cranberry St. Germain Cocktail?

While this Christmas cocktail tastes best the day it is made, you can refrigerate leftovers for up to 1 day.

Before your family arrives for the holidays (or tonight when you get home), mix up a big pitcher of these cranberry St. Germain cocktails, shake, pour, and sip.

Whatever your choice of holiday attire, these ruby-red quenchers are sure to match.

In our house, a cranberry St. Germain cocktail is the most popular holiday cocktail. I hope it’s beloved in your home too!

Cranberry St. Germain Cocktail

4.89 from 26 votes
A St. Germain cocktail that’s party perfect for the holidays! St. Germain Elderflower liqueur, lime, and cranberry combine for a light and floral cocktail that sparkles. Make a single serving or prepare in a larger pitcher to serve a crowd.

Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 0 minutes
Total: 5 minutes

Servings: 1 cocktail

Ingredients
  

  • 1 lime (zest and 1/2 ounce juice)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar for rimming glass
  • Ice cubes
  • 2 ounces vodka
  • 1 ounce elderflower liqueur such as St. Germain
  • 1 ounce cranberry juice
  • Frozen cranberries for serving

Instructions
 

  • Zest 1/2 of the lime into a small bowl and combine with rimming sugar, rubbing the sugar and zest together with your fingers until fragrant. Sprinkle onto a small plate. Cut the lime into wedges, then use one to wet the edge of the serving glass. Gently tap the edge of the glass into the sugar, coating well. Set aside.
  • Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add vodka, elderflower liqueur, cranberry juice, and 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice. Shake vigorously to combine and strain into the prepared glass. Garnish with a lime wedge and frozen cranberries and serve.

Notes

  • If you’re making this recipe for a large crowd, increase recipe yield as needed to accommodate your guests. Then, pour your prepared drink into a pitcher for easy serving, and chill in the refrigerator until your guests arrive.
  • You can mix all the drink ingredients together except the lime juice up to 8 hours before the party and refrigerate until time to serve. Then, cut the limes wedges, add the lime juice, and prepare the sugar mixture about 2 hours before.
  • TO SERVE: Prepare each cocktail glass by dipping it into the sugar mixture or allow guests to dip their own. Set out the lime wedges and frozen cranberries so guests can garnish their drinks as they please. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1cocktailCalories: 251kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSugar: 15gVitamin C: 7mg

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More Christmas Cocktail Recipes

Whether you like fruity Christmas cocktails or prefer something less sweet, there’s a delicious recipe here for you. You can even find hot Christmas cocktails recipes and Christmas drinks that are alcohol-free!

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Erin Clarke

Hi, I'm Erin Clarke, and I'm fearlessly dedicated to making healthy food that's affordable, easy-to-make, and best of all DELISH. I'm the author and recipe developer here at wellplated.com and of The Well Plated Cookbook. I adore both sweets and veggies, and I am on a mission to save you time and dishes. WELCOME!

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43 Comments

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  1. It would be very helpful if you gave the amount of each ingredient. It’s wonderful to know that I need gin, St Germain etc but what is the ratio?

    1. Hi Brenda, If you scroll to the recipe card you will find all of the amounts for each ingredient. There is even a “jump to recipe” button at the top to help you get there faster. Hope this helps!

  2. Erin, I always stumble across your recipes when searching for something random, and you never fail me! I was at my ex’s house a while back and saw your Well Plated cookbook on his table and was like… “Is this… omg I love her!” Turns out we’d both been cooking your recipes while separated, haha. And on this not-so-normal Christmas Eve of 2021 when the gathering I planned to attend was canceled, I looked for a fancy vodka cocktail to add a little flair to the now uneventful night. Found the perfect one through a Google search and… wait… Erin??! Of course it was your recipe! It is elegant, beautiful, and delicious. This is one I will return to again and again. Talking about this recipe and your blog of course ;). Happy Holidays!5 stars

  3. This drink has a nice combination of flavors, a bit tart, but that is greatly helped by the sugar/lime rim. I’ll be making this again.5 stars

  4. Great drink. Found the St Germain overpowering. Reduced it to 1/2 oz.

    Added 3 more oz’s of cranberry juice

    Added all spice

    Perfect holiday drink now. The recipe above tasted more summery4 stars

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