Festive & Easy Cocktail Recipe for Holiday Parties

Ready or not—the holiday season is here. That means it’s time for cozy nights, crackling fires, and clinking glasses full of something festive and strong (but still totally sippable). Whether you’re hosting a holiday party, planning a low-key holiday gathering, or just looking for a new Christmas cocktail recipe to enjoy fireside, this Cranberry-Bourbon Old Fashioned is exactly what you need.

It’s bold, beautiful, and tastes like Christmas in a cup. With rich bourbon, tangy cranberry juice, a splash of cranberry-infused honey, and a charred orange slice that adds a little smoky depth, this easy cocktail checks all the boxes: it’s crowd-pleasing, wintery without being overly spiced, and easy to scale up for a big batch cocktail.

Let’s raise a glass to being together, to making new memories, and to crafting festive cocktails that wow your guests without keeping you stuck behind the bar.

This post was created in partnership with Naturacentric Apothecary. While I received product and/or compensation for this post, my opinions and recommendations are my own. I only share products with you that I love.

Why This is One of the Best Holiday Cocktails

A good holiday cocktail should be festive, functional, and a little fabulous. I love a drink that’s easy to prep in advance—especially when you can mix a second batch without missing the toast. This cocktail works beautifully as both a single-serve sipper and a Christmas punch served from a pitcher or punch bowl.

It’s also a simple cocktail recipe that doesn’t rely on store-bought simple syrup or artificial flavorings. Instead, we’re infusing cranberry honey to make a syrup that’s both sweet and naturally tangy. Topped with a charred orange slice and a few fresh cranberries, it’s a delicious drink that feels fancy, but takes less than 10 minutes to make.

A Cozy Night Cocktail with Bourbon and Cranberry

This drink is essentially a holiday spin on a classic Old Fashioned—but make it merry. Here’s what gives this cocktail its signature sparkle:

• Good bourbon – You don’t need a top-shelf bottle here, but choose one you like.
• Cranberry -infused Honey – Buy it or make your own (recipe below).
• 100% cranberry juice – For that tart kick and gorgeous color.
• Fresh cranberries – They make everything prettier.
• Orange bitters – Optional, but highly recommended.
• Charred orange slices – Adds that festive twist and caramelized citrus flavor.

Bonus points if you serve it with a sprig of rosemary tucked in for a little green—because a holiday cocktail should look as good as it tastes.

How to Make This Easy Holiday Cocktail (Serves 2)

Ingredients:

• 4 oz good quality bourbon
• 2 oz cranberry honey syrup (see below)
• 2 oz 100% cranberry juice
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• 2 charred orange slices
• Handful of fresh cranberries
• Ice

For the Cranberry Honey Syrup:

• ½ cup cranberry-infused honey
• ½ cup water
• ¼ cup fresh or frozen cranberries

To make the syrup: Combine all three ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat until the cranberries begin to pop. Mash gently with a fork, then let the mixture cool to room temperature. Strain, and store in the fridge. This makes enough syrup for about 8 cocktails.

To char the oranges: Lightly coat your orange slices in sugar, then sear them in a dry skillet over medium heat for 3–4 minutes per side, until golden and caramelized.

Instructions:

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Add bourbon, cranberry juice, and cranberry honey syrup.
3. Shake until well chilled.
4. Strain into two lowball glasses filled with ice.
5. Top each with a dash or two of bitters.
6. Garnish with a charred orange slice and a few fresh cranberries.
7. Optional: Garnish with a sprig of rosemary for that extra festive flair.

Big Batch Christmas Cocktail Recipe (Serves 16)

Hosting a crowd? This big batch cocktail is the perfect make-ahead solution for your next holiday party or Christmas celebration. Just mix, chill, and pour.

Ingredients:

• 32 oz (1 quart) good quality bourbon
• 2 cups cranberry-infused honey
• 1 cup cranberry juice
• 1 cup cranberries (for syrup)
• 1–2 cups fresh cranberries for garnish
• 4 oranges
• Sugar (for coating the oranges)
• Orange bitters
• Ice

Step 1: Make the Honey Cranberry Syrup

Same method as above, just double the quantities.

Step 2: Char the Oranges

Slice and coat 4 oranges in sugar. Sear them in a nonstick skillet over medium heat until golden and slightly charred. Set aside.

Step 3: Mix It Up

In a large pitcher or punch bowl, combine:

• 32 oz bourbon
• 2 cups cranberry honey syrup
• 1 cup cranberry juice

Add ice and stir well.

Step 4: Serve

To serve, pour about ½ cup per glass over ice. Add a dash or two of bitters, garnish with a charred orange slice, a few fresh cranberries, and maybe a sprig of rosemary for a touch of elegance.

Optional: Turn it into a Christmas punch by adding sparkling water or club soda for a little fizz.

Hosting Tip: Set Up a Holiday Beverage Station

One of my favorite ways to simplify entertaining during the holiday season is to set up a designated beverage area. Use a small table or bar cart and stock it with:

• A few bottles of red and white wine
• Sparkling and still water
• A big pitcher of your holiday cocktail
• A bowl of fresh fruit and cocktail garnishes
• Ice bucket + tongs
• Plenty of glassware

This lets guests help themselves and frees you up to mingle—or check on the turkey.

Wrap It Up with a Bow

This is one of the best holiday cocktails to have in your seasonal rotation. It’s festive without being fussy, easy to make ahead, and absolutely stunning in the glass. With its vibrant hues, warm bourbon base, and tart-sweet cranberry flavor, it’s basically the grown-up version of your favorite holiday punch—but with a little more kick.

It’s also a fun way to celebrate with friends and family during holiday gatherings, whether you’re toasting to the new year or just enjoying a cozy night at home. And if you’re gifting homemade treats this year, a bottle of cranberry honey syrup makes a sweet little surprise.

Here’s to cocktails that taste like Christmas, gatherings that feel like hugs, and drinks so pretty they don’t even need a filter.

Get inspired! Here are a few more fun and festive holiday cocktail recipes:

• Garnet Cranberry Gin Slush Cocktail
• Smoky Lemon Rosemary Whisky Sour
• Violet Champagne Cocktail

Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and star rating below (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐) and post a picture and tag us on Instagram using the hashtags #agirldefloured #deflouredrecipes! Thank you!

Cranberry Orange Old Fashioned Cocktail

Alison Needham

This easy cocktail recipe is perfect for your holiday parties. It’s not only beautiful to look at, but it tastes like Christmas in a cup. Bourbon based, this festive cocktail gets punchy flavor from a splash of cranberry juice and charred orange. It’s sweetened only with a touch of cranberry infused honey, and is a gorgeous addition to your next gathering.

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 15 minutes mins

Course Drinks

Cuisine American

Servings 2 cocktails

Calories 196 kcal

Equipment

• Cocktail Shaker
• Non-Stick Skillet
• Small Saucepan

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 4 ounces good quality bourbon
• 1/2 cup cranberry infused honey
• 2 ounces 100% cranberry juice
• 1/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 2 orange slices
• sugar for coating orange slices
• Orange bitters

Instructions

 

• Make the cranberry honey syrup. Put 1/2 cup of cranberry-infused honey into a small saucepan with 1/2 cup of water and 1/4 cup of fresh or frozen whole cranberries. Heat over medium and bring to a low simmer until the cranberries start to pop. Remove from heat and mash the cranberries with a fork. Let mixture cool to room temperature and strain out the cranberries. You will have enough honey cranberry syrup for approximately 8 cocktails.
• Make the charred orange slices. Coat two orange slices in sugar on both sides. Place them in a dry, non stick skillet over medium heat for 3-4 minutes until browned on both sides. Set aside to cool.
• Measure out 4 ounces of bourbon and pour into an ice filled cocktail shaker.
• Add 2 ounces each of cranberry juice and honey cranberry syrup to the shaker. Top the shaker with the lid and shake vigorously to combine.
• Pour cocktail evenly into two, ice-filled lowball glasses. top with a dash or two of bitters. Garnish with the charred orange slices and fresh cranberries.

Notes

If you don’t have or can’t find cranberry honey, that’s ok. The additional cranberries in the honey will still infuse it with flavor and color. Also, you don’t need to break the bank here for fancy sipping bourbon because this is a mixed drink, but it should be a bourbon that you enjoy.

To pre-batch for 8: Mix 2 cups of bourbon, the entire batch of cranberry honey syrup, and 1 cup of cranberry juice into a large pitcher and stir well to combine. Char 8 slices of orange, and place in bowl. Arrange a platter with the cocktail pitcher, orange slices, toothpicks threaded with fresh cranberries, a bucket of ice, 8 lowball glasses and a bottle of bitters so guests can help themselves.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cocktailCalories: 196kcalCarbohydrates: 17gProtein: 1gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 2mgPotassium: 63mgFiber: 1gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 50IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 1mg

Keyword Cranberry Old Fashioned Cocktail, Cranberry Orange Cocktail, Easy cocktail recipe

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