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Christmas Gin Cocktail Recipe

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By Katie
December 22, 2025
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If you’re looking for a Christmas Gin Cocktail recipe that feels special, this is the one to make. Bright cranberry, fresh citrus, and a hint of warm spice come together in a drink that looks festive and tastes balanced from the very first sip. It pours beautifully and feels right at home next to the twinkling lights.

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Ingredient Notes + Variations

This Christmas Gin Recipe keeps things bright and seasonal with citrus, cranberry, and a warm hint of spice.

  • Gin: Crisp and botanical, it anchors the drink without overpowering it. Use one you already like.
  • Cranberry juice: Adds tartness and that classic holiday color. Stick with unsweetened for better balance.
  • Orange juice: Fresh is best here. It softens the cranberry and plays nicely with the gin.
  • Fresh lime juice: A small amount sharpens everything and keeps the drink from tasting flat.
  • Simple syrup: Just enough to smooth out the citrus without making the cocktail sweet. I have an easy simple syrup recipe that is perfect to use.
  • Frozen cranberries: Pretty and practical. They chill the drink without watering it down.
Assorted cocktail ingredients arranged on a white surface, featuring christmas gin, cranberry juice, orange juice, lime juice, simple syrup, club soda, cranberries, nutmeg, cinnamon sugar, and sliced citrus.

How to Make Christmas Gin Cocktails

This Christmas Cocktail comes together quickly and looks like you spent way more time on it than you did. For full recipe details, including ingredient measurements, see the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. Prep Cocktail Glasses

Rim two short cocktail glasses (like a rocks glass) with cinnamon sugar and set aside. 

A shallow bowl filled with a light brown powder sits on a marble surface. To the side are sliced citrus fruits and sprigs of rosemary.
A hand dips a glass rim into a dish of sugar. Slices of orange, lime, and a sprig of rosemary are on a plate in the background.
A hand holding a crystal glass with a sugar rim, surrounded by sliced citrus fruits in the background.

2. Add Ingredients to Cocktail Shaker

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add gin, cranberry juice, orange juice, lime juice, ground nutmeg, and simple syrup. Shake vigorously.

Hands pouring ice cubes from a gold measuring cup into a stainless steel shaker, with sliced limes and an orange in the background on a marble surface.
A person pours clear liquid into a stainless steel cocktail shaker. Sliced citrus fruits are visible in the background.
Red liquid being poured into a stainless steel cocktail shaker, with slices of lime and orange, rosemary, and cherries in the background on a marble surface.
A hand pours orange juice from a small white bowl into a metal shaker on a marble countertop with sprigs of rosemary, cranberries, and sliced citrus in the background.
A hand pours liquid from a clear cup into a stainless steel shaker. In the background, there are sliced citrus fruits and a sprig of rosemary on a white surface.
A stainless steel cup filled with a dark red liquid and ice, topped with a sprinkle of brown spice. A lime wedge is visible in the background.

3. Add Ice + Cranberries to Glass

Add a few ice cubes to each glass, along with 10 fresh cranberries. Pour drink into each glass. Add a splash of club soda if needed to fill each glass. 

Pro Tip: Freeze fresh cranberries ahead of time to use as decorative ice cubes.

A hand holding a stainless steel cocktail shaker over a marble surface, with sliced lemons and oranges, cranberries, and rosemary in the background.
Hand dropping cranberries into crystal glasses with sugared rims on a white tray.
Pouring red cocktail from shaker into a glass with ice and cranberries, rimmed with sugar.
Close-up of two glasses filled with cranberry cocktails, each garnished with whole cranberries and sugar-rimmed edges. A hand pours liquid from a shaker into one of the glasses.
A glass of red beverage with ice and cranberries is being poured, the rim is coated with a sugar mix.

4. Garnish + Serve!

Garnish with fresh rosemary (if desired) and an orange slice, and serve cold. Cheers!

Two glasses of red punch garnished with cranberries, a slice of dried orange, and rosemary, on a white tray.

Tips for Success

  • Use short glasses so the garnish sits right at the rim.
  • Freeze the cranberries ahead of time so they double as ice.
  • Shake longer than you think you need to. Cold matters here.
  • Taste before pouring. Adjust with a tiny splash of simple syrup or citrus if needed.
Two glasses of red cocktail garnished with cranberries, dried orange slices, and rosemary, on a white tray.

Cheers to a Merry Christmas and a drink that’s as fun to make as it is to sip! The printable recipe card is below. Enjoy, friends!

Two glasses of red cocktail garnished with cranberries, dried orange slices, and rosemary, on a white tray.

Christmas Gin Recipe

Katie Cooksey
Festive and easy, this Christmas Gin cocktail brings holiday cheer with warm spices and a hint of sweetness. Perfect for holiday gatherings!
Be the first to rate this recipe!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Beverage
Cuisine American
Servings 2
Calories 621 kcal

Equipment

Ingredients
  

  • cinnamon sugar for rim
  • 20 whole cranberries fresh (placed in freezer a couple hours ahead of time)
  • 3 oz gin
  • 2.5 oz cranberry juice
  • 2.5 oz orange juice
  • 1 oz lime juice fresh
  • 1/2 oz simple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
  • splash club soda
  • 2 sprigs rosemary fresh, for garnish
  • 2 slices orange fresh or dried, for garnish

Instructions
 

  • Rim two short cocktail glasses (like a rocks glass) with cinnamon sugar and set aside.
  • Fill a cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Add gin, cranberry juice, orange juice, lime juice, ground nutmeg, and simple syrup and shake vigorously.
  • Add a few ice cubes* to each glass, along with 10 fresh cranberries. Pour drink into each glass. Add a splash of club soda if needed to fill each glass.
  • Garnish with fresh rosemary (if desired) and an orange slice, and serve cold. Cheers!

Notes

*If you freeze your cranberries ahead of time, you can omit the ice cubes in each glass as they will serve as your ice. Totally up to you!

Storage Directions

If you have leftover mixed drink (without soda), keep it in a glass bottle in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
To Make Ahead: mix the gin, juices, and simple syrup ahead of time and store in a sealed jar in the fridge. Add soda and garnishes just before serving.
To Freeze: The drink itself doesn’t freeze well, but you can prep the cranberries and keep them in a freezer bag.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 621kcalCarbohydrates: 136gProtein: 5gFat: 2gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 26mgPotassium: 947mgFiber: 37gSugar: 57gVitamin A: 729IUVitamin C: 173mgCalcium: 97mgIron: 3mg
Keyword christmas cocktail, christmas gin
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Christmas Gin Variations

Want to mix things up? Here are a few fun ideas for your holiday parties:

  • Substitute pomegranate juice for cranberry juice if desired.
  • Swap simple syrup with maple syrup or agave for a cozy touch.
  • Add a splash of ginger ale or ginger beer for extra warmth.
  • Use sloe gin for a deeper, richer flavor profile.
  • Rim the glass with brown sugar instead of cinnamon sugar.
  • For a non-alcoholic version, replace the gin with sparkling water or a mix of cranberry and apple juice.

More Christmas Cocktails & Mocktails

If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.

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Katie in the Kitchen

Hi, I'm Katie, a professional recipe developer who spends countless hours perfecting recipes so you can know with confidence that what you see is exactly what you’ll get.

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