Looking for a new festive spin on the cocktails you usually serve during the holidays? Shake up your drink menu with our cinnamon red mint cranberry martini.
Our inventive riff on the holiday martini features the traditional cranberry and orange flavors, but then tingles the tongue with the surprising heat of cinnamon and mint. A simple syrup made with cinnamon red mint leaves, also called red shiso, infuses the cocktail with a spicy warmth that makes this martini especially memorable. Vodka, dry vermouth, and orange liqueur are the spirited components of the cocktail that blend impeccably with the cranberry juice and the red-hot minty simple syrup.
ALSO TRY: Cranberry cava cocktail
We use Stirrings Cosmopolitan Sugar Rimmer to up the yum factor of our special holiday drinks. This must-have cocktail accessory, radiant with pink sugar crystals and tasty hints of cranberry and lime, makes rimming martini glasses a snap. All you have to do is dip your glass rim in corn syrup, then roll in the sugar rimmer. A sugared rim not only makes your martinis look bar-caliber professional, the rimmer also gives your lips an immediate hit of welcome flavor. If you don’t have a premade sugar rimmer, make up your own by mixing sugar with a little finely grated lime zest and fresh cranberry.
ALSO TRY: How to make sugared cranberries
DIY simple syrup: Our cranberry martini recipe calls for simple syrup. This invaluable drink ingredient is available in the liquor aisle of most supermarkets. You can also just grab a bag of sugar and make your own. Simply combine equal parts granulated sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, to dissolve the sugar. When the edges of the liquid start to bubble, pull the saucepan off the heat. Once the syrup cools, store it in the refrigerator in an airtight container until you need it for cocktails and other festive drinks.
Bartenders note: Cinnamon red mint leaves or red shiso leaves can be found in Asian grocery stores or specialty produce markets. They have a strong blend of cinnamon and mint flavors.
Rim the martini glasses
Fill a small plate with corn syrup. Place the Cosmopolitan Sugar Rimmer on another small plate. Dip the rim of each glass into the corn syrup, then into the sugar rimmer, pressing and rolling until each rim is well-coated. Set the glasses aside.
Spice up the simple syrup
In a small saucepan, combine cinnamon red mint leaves and simple syrup. Heat just until warm. Let the leaves infuse the syrup for 20 to 30 minutes. Remove the leaves. Pour the syrup into 1-ounce portions.
Muddle the cranberries
To max the cranberry flavor in this martini, muddle the sugared cranberries. Add the cranberries to a cocktail shaker. Use a muddler to mash the cranberries.
Add the luscious liquids
Pour vodka, cranberry juice, orange liqueur, dry vermouth, and 1 ounce of the spicy simple syrup into the cocktail shaker. Add ice and cover the shaker with the lid. Shake vigorously to mix the ingredients.
Pour yourself a martini
Strain the cranberry mixture into a prepared martini glass. Garnish with 2 to 3 sugared cranberries and a cinnamon red mint leaf.
Cheers!
Vivid colors make for a fun party drink
Sophisticated and festive at the same time
Beautiful garnish adds nice detail
Delicious and refreshing!
Cinnamon red mint cranberry martini
Yield 6 servings
Ingredients
- Stirrings Cosmopolitan Sugar Rimmer
- 1 tablespoon Karo syrup
- 30 cinnamon red mint (red shiso) leaves, plus extra for garnish
- 6 ounces simple syrup
For each cocktail:
- 1/4 cup sugared cranberries
- 1 ounce flavored simple syrup
- 2 ounces vodka
- 2 ounces cranberry juice
- 1 ounce orange liqueur
- 1 ounce dry vermouth
- 3/4 cup crushed ice
- Sugared cranberries, for garnish
Instructions
- Rim each martini glass with corn syrup and Cosmopolitan Sugar Rimmer. Set aside.
- Make a flavored simple syrup: Place cinnamon red mint leaves and 6 ounces simple syrup in a small saucepan. Heat until warm. Allow leaves to macerate in syrup for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Remove mint leaves and discard. Pour flavored simple syrup into 1-ounce portions. Set aside.
- For each cocktail: Place sugared cranberries in a cocktail shaker. Muddle the berries until crushed.
- Add vodka, cranberry juice, orange liqueur, dry vermouth, and 1 ounce of flavored simple syrup.
- Add ice to shaker and shake vigorously until well-blended.
- Pour mixture into prepared martini glass.
- Garnish each martini with 2 to 3 sugared cranberries and a cinnamon red mint leaf.
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