This cranberry simple syrup is made with fresh cranberries for a delicious mixer that can easily be combined with sparkling water for a variety of cocktails and mocktails. Mix with rum, vodka, gin, or tequila for alcoholic drinks or ginger ale for mocktails.

Anyone else love the delicious tartness of cranberries? And that bright red color? I love to use cranberries any way I can once they start showing up in the store.
And one of my favorite ways to use those tasty cranberries is to make this cranberry simple syrup. It's so easy to make and it adds a delicious cranberry flavor to all those cocktails and mocktails you may want to drink this time of year.
And all you need are three ingredients!
Ingredients
- Cranberries
- Sugar
- Water
Where to find cranberries:
You can find bags of fresh cranberries in the produce section of your grocery store. They start showing up in the fall. If you're not going to use them right away (within a few weeks), you can freeze them for later.
How to use:
This cranberry simple syrup can be used in a variety of cocktails and mocktails! Simply pair it with some sparkling water, tonic water, or ginger ale for a tasty non alcoholic drink. Or introduce more fruits to the mix like lemon or lime! Cranberry goes great with vodka, but can also be paired with rum, gin, or tequila!
Make this sparkling cranberry ginger mocktail or this cranberry lime fizz mocktail. Both can be made boozy if desired!
Instructions:
The cranberry simple syrup is so easy to make! First, wash the cranberries.
Next, add your cranberries to a pot with water and sugar. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5-10 minutes. Watch carefully, when cranberries start popping open and breaking, stop cooking.
Let cool, then strain the cranberry simple syrup through a mesh strainer into a bowl.
Slightly push on the cranberries so that most of the liquid gets through the strainer.
You'll be left with a lot of cranberry pulp, but don't worry! As long as most of the liquid has been strained out, that's perfect.
You'll have a nice bowl of syrupy cranberry syrup in your bowl.
Either using a funnel, or just pouring with your excellent skills, add to a glass jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Like this recipe? Love these:
- Cinnamon simple syrup
- Easy cranberry orange relish
- Rosemary honey simple syrup
- Cinnamon orange mocktail
Cranberry Simple Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 cups cranberries
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Add the cranberries, sugar, and water to a medium pot. Heat over medium-high heat until boiling, stirring occasionally.
- Once mixture reaches boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes until sugar has dissolved and cranberries have burst start to break open. Stir occasionally.
- Turn off the heat and let cool.
- Strain through a mesh strainer into a bowl. Push lightly on the cooked cranberries to release their juice.
- Pour the cranberry syrup into a jar and store in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
Nutrition
If nutrition info is shown, values are based on an online calculator and are estimates. Please verify using your own data.
Jackie
This was absolutely delicious! It was worth the 1/2 hour it took to make. Made it to make a cranberry lemon drop martini. Perfect for the holidays!!!!!! Yummmmm!