Muddled Cranberry Sauce Martini
Sounds crazy, but tastes delicious. This muddled cranberry sauce martini captures the color and flavors of the holidays.
Our ginger orange cranberry sauce is a stand-out side to our Thanksgiving meal. During one of our leftover meals, my husband suggested the flavors in the cranberry sauce would make a tasty cocktail. He was right. Muddling the sauce infuses the ginger orange and cranberry into the vodka and seltzer, while crystallized ginger adds some sweet and zingy heat. After shaking, pour the martini through a fine mesh strainer to remove pulp and create a clear, beautiful holiday cocktail.
The next time you need a tasty side dish, make ginger orange cranberry sauce. Then try out this muddled cranberry sauce martini. For more leftover inspiration, try leftover turkey tortilla soup.
More tasty cocktails:
Muddled Cranberry Sauce Martini Ingredients
Ginger Orange Cranberry Sauce: Any cranberry sauce will likely work for this martini, but our ginger orange cranberry sauce is hard to beat. The fresh squeezed orange juice and spicy ginger add sweet and zesty notes to the slightly sour cranberries.
Crystallized Ginger: In the muddled mix, the crystallized ginger adds sweetness and zing to the martini. Try it solo as a tasty, but spicy, nibble.
Vodka: Vodka, a neutral spirit, is perfect for this muddled cranberry sauce martini. It picks up, without detracting from, the cranberry and subtle ginger flavors. Gin and bourbon can be substituted, but their bolder flavors tend to overpower the subtle ginger and cranberry. Gin and bourbon lovers may enjoy the combination.
Seltzer: Seltzer isn’t usually added to a cocktail shaker, as shaking can reduce the effervescence. However, in this cocktail, the extra liquid is needed when muddling and shaking to help thin and absorb the thick cranberry sauce. Club soda can be substituted for seltzer.
Make a Muddled Cranberry Sauce Martini
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons ginger orange cranberry sauce
1 slice crystallized ginger
2 ounces vodka
1 1/2 ounces seltzer water
fresh cranberries and crystallized ginger for garnish
Add cranberry sauce, crystallized ginger, vodka and seltzer to cocktail shaker.
Mash well with muddler or wooden spoon.
Fill shaker half full with ice. Shake vigorously.
Holding cocktail strainer on top of the shaker and a fine mesh strainer over the glass, pour martini into the glass. Use the back of a spoon to push liquid through the strainer.
Place fresh cranberries and crystallized ginger on a toothpick to garnish. After finishing the cocktail, enjoy the cranberry and crystallized ginger combination bite.
Alcohol Free Muddled Cranberry Sauce Seltzer
For kiddos or anyone preferring a non-alcoholic beverage, muddle 3 tablespoons ginger orange cranberry sauce, 1 slice crystalized ginger and 3 ounces seltzer water. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a glass with ice. Add another 2 ounces of seltzer water and stir. Garnish with fresh cranberries and crystallized ginger on a toothpick (use discretion if a kiddo is old enough for a toothpick garnish).
Muddled Cranberry Sauce Martini
Leftover ginger orange cranberry sauce inspired this cocktail. Muddle cranberry sauce with crystallized ginger and add vodka for a tasty, and slightly bizarre, cranberry martini.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons ginger orange cranberry sauce (recipe in notes below)
- 1 slice crystallized ginger
- 2 ounces vodka
- 1 1/2 ounces seltzer water
- fresh cranberries and crystallized ginger for garnish
Instructions
- Add cranberry sauce, crystallized ginger, vodka and seltzer to cocktail shaker. Mash well with muddler or wooden spoon.
- Fill shaker half full with ice. Shake vigorously.
- Holding cocktail strainer on top of the shaker and a fine mesh strainer over the glass, pour martini into the glass.
- Place fresh cranberries and crystallized ginger on a toothpick to garnish. After finishing the cocktail, enjoy the cranberry and crystallized ginger combination bite.
Notes
Ginger Orange Cranberry Sauce
- 1 (12 ounce) bag fresh cranberries, inspected and washed
- ½ cup sugar
- grated zest from 1 medium orange (approx 2 tablespoons)
- juice from 1 medium orange (approx ¼ cup orange juice)
- ¾ cup water
- 1 inch of fresh ginger, grated
Combine all ingredients in medium saucepan. Over medium-high heat, bring mixture to a boil then reduce to medium. Stir occasionally until cranberries pop, about 5 minutes. Reduce to simmer and cook cranberry sauce for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
Alcohol Free Muddled Cranberry Sauce Seltzer
For kiddos or anyone preferring a non-alcoholic beverage, muddle 3 tablespoons ginger orange cranberry sauce, 1 slice crystalized ginger and 3 ounces seltzer water. Pour through a fine mesh strainer into a glass with ice. Add another 2 ounces of seltzer water and stir. Garnish with fresh cranberries and crystallized ginger on a toothpick (use discretion if a kiddo is old enough for a toothpick garnish).
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