Impress your guests with this light, refreshing, and bubbly beverage perfect for the holiday season and winter gatherings. The cocktail’s vibrant colors and seasonal flavors will have party-goers believing this memorable concoction required hours of time to create. What they don’t have to know is it takes only 5 minutes to prepare and is incredibly easy to make; just pour, stir, and serve. An equally impressive alcohol-free version is also provided in the notes section.

 

Sparkling Cranberry Holiday Cocktail

 

Active Prep time: 5 minutes

Cook time: 0 minutes

Makes three 64 ounce pitchers

Serves 24  //  1 serving is 1 cup of cocktail

Needed kitchen items: three 64-ounce pitchers, measuring cups, a cutting knife, and a large spoon.

 

Ingredients

• 9 cups cranberry ginger mixer, divided (3 bottles)
• 2¼ cups orange juice, divided (see notes)
• 12 slices of orange, divided
• 15 cinnamon sticks, divided
• 5¼ cups (14 oz.) rum, preferably light rum, divided (see notes)
• 9 cups unsweetened sparkling water, divided
• Optional: mint leaves, orange slices, and cinnamon sticks for garnish

 

Method

Complete steps 1-2 one day before the party.

1. Pour 3 cups cranberry ginger mix, ¾ cup orange juice, 4 orange slices, and 5 cinnamon sticks in one pitcher. Repeat this step for the second and third pitchers.

2. Stir and place pitchers in the fridge.

Complete step 3 the day of the party.

3. Add 1¾ cups rum and 3 cups sparkling water to each pitcher. Stir, Serve in a tall cocktail tumbler filled with ice. Garnish with mint, orange slices, and cinnamon sticks if desired.

 

Notes:

• alcohol-free option: omit the rum and add an additional 1¾ cups sparkling water to each pitcher.- use fresh or bottled orange juice in this recipe. If you enjoy drinking fresh-squeezed orange or grapefruit juices or would like an easy way to extract fresh citrus juice, I recommend a citrus juicer, like this one. They’re incredibly convenient and easy to use!
• you can also substitute rum with vodka.