Holiday and libations — well, those two things certainly go hand in hand. Before you serve another cup of eggnog though (which is an acquired taste), we have two holiday drink recipes for you. And these craft cocktail recipes will extend well beyond the season, because there should always be a reason to celebrate.

Cranberry Old Fashioned

This ultra-festive holiday libation puts a spin on the classic, swapping the signature sugar cube with a spiced cranberry syrup. This craft cocktail recipe is easier to make than it sounds, and simple enough for guests to throw together themselves. Just put up a little recipe card next to the ingredients and you’re good to go. Make sure not to skip the smoked rosemary– it makes the cocktail feel all the more special.  

Spiced Cranberry Syrup (Your Secret Weapon for Holiday Drinks)

This syrup turns any cocktail- not just this one- into a fancy, festive libation.  It’ll store in the fridge for a few weeks, so feel free to use in any of your favorite drinks and other craft cocktail recipes .

Ingredients

2 cups fresh cranberries
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 cinnamon stick
1 teaspoon freshly grated orange zest
A pinch of ground cloves
¼ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
⅛ tsp ground ginger
2 sprigs of fresh rosemary

Directions

In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, bring all of your ingredients to a boil. Stir occasionally to dissolve the sugar, and lower the heat to bring the mixture to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes. Next, turn off the heat and let the mixture steep for an additional 10 minutes. 

Place a liquid measuring cup under a fine-mesh sieve. Strain the syrup into the measuring cup, and let cool completely before transferring to an airtight container. We recommend a funky vintage glass bottle, like one of these. 

Cranberry Old Fashioned

Ingredients
Yields one drink

2 ounces bourbon
¼ ounce spiced cranberry syrup
2 dashes orange or cardamom bitters
1 large ice cube
Orange twist
Sugared cranberries
Sprig of rosemary

Directions

You can’t have craft cocktail recipes without some sort of old fashioned. In an old fashioned glass, add the bourbon, spiced syrup, and orange bitters. Stir to combine, then add the large ice cube and stir an additional 15-20 times around the glass. This will chill and slightly dilute the mixture. To garnish. Add a twisted orange peel, a few sugared cranberries and a sprig of rosemary. To make this a truly festive holiday drink, light the tip of the rosemary with a flame just until it begins to smoke. Serve once your glass smells like a boozy, herby bonfire. 

Gin & Jam

You may have heard of using the last bit of your jam jar to make a salad dressing. Well, we have a way more fun version of that hack for this craft cocktail recipe. May we introduce you to the gin & jam, your new favorite cocktail. It’s as festive as it is convenient, and fits just about any occasion, from a weeknight dinner to holiday libations with the family. If you’re looking for that extra special ingredient, we recommend sourcing one from a local jammaker. Here, we’re featuring Silda’s Jam, founded by former First Lady of New York State, Silda Wall Spitzer. Her jams are vegan, made with fruits from a variety of orchards and farms local to Hudson Valley, and contain NY state maple syrup instead of sugar. Did we mention it also goes great with gin?

Ingredients
Yields one drink

1 tbsp Silda’s Blackberry Lemon Lavender Jam
1 ½ oz St Germain
2 dashes lavender bitters
1 oz Empress gin
Fever Tree tonic water
Ice
Lime wedge for garnish

Directions

In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the jam, St. Germain, gin, and bitters. Shake well for 15 seconds, then strain into a glass with ice. Top with tonic and a lime wedge for garnish. This is one of the easiest craft cocktail recipes out there, but it packs a punch.