An Elderflower Liqueur Cosmo and a White Cranberry Cosmo ran into each other at a bar, both spilling a bit into a third glass which exploded with Holiday Cheer—and a third Cosmo was born, a cross between the two adult libations.
I first saw the White Cranberry Cosmo on a Facebook posting and thought it’d be a great “house” drink for an upcoming Winter Cheer party. Problem was, it seemed everyone else had the same idea. Two weeks prior, thinking I’d be ahead of the game by picking up the white cranberry juice at the supermarket, they were completely out!
A few days later at a big box liquor store, there were endless flavors of vodka, I kid you not. We found jalapeño, pickle, peanut butter, caramel apple, dark roasted espresso and every possible red fruit: watermelon, strawberry, raspberry, cherry, pomegranate (which was going to be my fall back), but no cranberry.
Undeterred, I followed up with a staff worker, who after consulting with the manager, was able to locate a box on the highest shelf, attainable only with a large step ladder just for employees. That guy was persistent, but so was I. St. Germain’s Elderflower Liqueur was a much easier find.
Tasty and sophisticated, these babies are a great way to get the party started!
Holiday Cheer Cosmo
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup cranberry vodka
- 1/4 Elderflower liqueur, such as St. Germain
- 1/4 cup white cranberry juice
- 2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
- Fresh sugared cranberries for garnish (see recipe below)
Directions
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and and all all of the ingredients, except the garnish.
- Shake vigorously and strain into two martini glasses.
- Garnish each with a large toothpick containing 3 sugared cranberries.
Sugared Cranberries
These little gems from Yossy Arefi are a perfect garnish for the Holiday Cheer Cosmos. The recipe can easily be cut in half for a small party.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups sugar
- 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
Sugared Cranberries
Directions
- Combine 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar in a saucepan. Cook over medium-high until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a simmer around the edges. Cool the syrup to room temperature.
- When the syrup is cool, add the cranberries and stir to coat, working in batches if necessary. Use a slotted spoon to remove the berries and place them on a cooling rack set over a sheet pan to drain.
- Pour the remaining 3/4 cup of sugar into a shallow dish and roll the cranberries, a few at a time, in the sugar until totally coated.
- Let them dry completely, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
- After a few days they start to soften and weep a bit. Cook them down into a sauce or a quick jam.
Accounting for Taste 