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Cranberry Infused Vodka

This cranberry infused vodka recipe is perfect for a few different reasons.  It’s delicious, vibrant and can be used to make beautiful cocktails.

A tall bottle filled with the cranberry vodka with a small white dish of cranberries in front and a little in a jar

Isn’t this cranberry infused vodka a thing of beauty?  Just imagine drinking a delicious cocktail using this vodka!  Not only is it slightly tart, but the beautiful color makes for a gorgeous beverage.

Now imagine wrapping a bottle filled with this cranberry infused vodka in Christmas paper and gifting it to a vodka-loving loved one.  You’ll be so happy to see the excited look on their face as they unwrap it and delight in receiving such a caring gift from you.

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See?  There are many reasons why you should make this cranberry infused vodka yourself!

I usually make a cranberry cosmo with this infused vodka.

Helpful tips

  • Do not think you have to sweeten this cranberry infused vodka.  There is absolutely no reason to do so.  The mistake that people make is thinking that just because cranberries are tart, they need to balance them out in the vodka instead of when adding sweetener to the cocktail that you are going to make with it.  See the difference?
  • Use the freshest cranberries you can find
  • Use a food processor but only process 3/4 of the cranberries, leave the rest whole
  • Do not eat the cranberries after they’ve been soaking in vodka because all you will taste is vodka
  • You don’t need to use premium vodka, though you can.  I used Absolute

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How to make this infused vodka

Step one

Gather the cranberries, vodka and a jar.

Fresh cranberries in a white bowl and vodka bottle and a jar in the background

Step two

Place 3/4 of the cranberries in a food processor and roughly pulse them.

Chopped up cranberries in a food processor with more in a measuring cup behind it

Step three

Scrape chopped cranberries and whole cranberries in a large jar (A)

Step four

Pour vodka over the cranberries in the jar (B)

Step five

Once the vodka and cranberries are in the jar, you can already start to see the color leaching into the vodka (C)

A jar of cranberries and vodka being poured into it and the berries rising to the top

Step six

Use a long wooden spoon to stir the cranberries and vodka or cap the jar and give it a little shake.  You can see that stirring the vodka causes more color from the cranberries to infuse it

Cranberries in a jar with vodka poured in. The jar has been sealed and shaken and you can see the vodka already turning pinkish

Step seven

Cap the jar and place it on a shelf somewhere.  Some people store it in a cool dark place like a pantry, but I don’t think it’s necessary.  I just kept the jar on our dining room table, to remind me to give it a stir

Step eight

Stir the cranberry infused vodka every day for a week

The following photo was taken after a week.  Look at how vibrant the color is!

The jar of vodka and cranberries after 7 days on the counter

Step nine

Cover a sieve with some cheesecloth and pour the contents of the jar into the sieve.

Cranberries being strained in cheese cloth over a bowl of vodka

Step ten

Toss the cranberries and cheesecloth, then pour the cranberry infused vodka into a large bottle or a few jars.

A tall bottle filled with the cranberry vodka with a small white dish of cranberries in front and a little in a jar

Perfect!

What are you going to do with the cranberry infused vodka when you make it?  Keep it for yourself or gift it?  Both are great ideas.

The other cocktail infusions

And as always, may all your dishes/drinks be delish!

If you’ve tried this or any other recipe on the blog, I’d love the hear what you thought about it in the comments below.  I love hearing from you!  You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOKTWITTERINSTAGRAM and PINTEREST  to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!

A tall bottle filled with the cranberry vodka with a small white dish of cranberries in front and a little in a jar

Cranberry Infused Vodka

This infused vodka is not only delicious but it is pretty and also makes the perfect gift!
4.75 from 12 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Cocktails
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cranberry infused vodka, cranberry vodka, infused vodka
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 4 cups
Calories: 600kcal

Ingredients

  • 4 cups cranberries (fresh)
  • 4 cups vodka (I used Absolute)

Instructions

  • In a food processor, pulse 3 cups of cranberries until they are big chunks
  • Place chunked cranberries and whole cranberries in a big jar and pour vodka into the jar over the cranberries
  • Stir with a wooden spoon (or cap and shake jar) and cap jar and store on a shelf
  • Stir every day for 7 days
  • Line a strainer or sieve with cheesecloth and place it over a large bowl.   Pour the contents of the jar over the sieve and throw away the cheesecloth and cranberries
  • Pour cranberry infused vodka in a large bottle with a lid or smaller jars with lids
  • Gift or hoard
  • Smile
See all my favorite tools and gift ideas at my Amazon Store page!Check out Elaine’s Amazon Store!

Notes

Tips on making Cranberry Infused Vodka:
  • Do not think you have to sweeten this cranberry infused vodka.  There is absolutely no reason to do so.  The mistake that people make is thinking that just because cranberries are tart, they need to balance it out in the vodka and not add the sweetener to the cocktail that you are going to make.  See the difference?
  • Use the freshest cranberries you can find
  • Use a food processor but only process 3/4 of the cranberries, leave the rest whole
  • Do not eat the cranberries after they’ve been soaking in vodka because all you will taste is vodka
  • You don’t need to use premium vodka, though you can.  I used Absolute

Nutrition

Serving: 1cup | Calories: 600kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 85mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 13.3mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.3mg
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From lighting up stages with her BA in theater to food journalist, Elaine Benoit's journey is a testament to passion's transformative power. As the CEO of Dishes Delish, she offers a blend of healthy, comforting recipes and exquisitely crafted cocktails. Beyond the kitchen, Elaine voiced her culinary adventures on her podcast, "Dishing," and co-owns Food Blogger Help, extending her expertise to guide budding food bloggers to success. Whether it's for a heartwarming dish or insights into food blogging, Elaine's diverse experiences make her a beacon in the culinary digital landscape.

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26 Comments

  1. What a beautiful color! I love infused alcohol, so I’ll definitely have to try this. Can’t wait to make some festive cocktails!

  2. I am so in love with the color of this! And I really love that there is no added sugar; it is so hard to find drink recipes without sugar! Totally pinning this for the holidays! 🙂

  3. I love absolutely everything about this! I always make the ladies of the family cosmos for the holidays and this is PERFECT!

  4. So pretty. I did this a long time ago. More recently, I made vodka with cherries and also strawberries. It’s so fun to do. And you do hope people appreciate it as a gift!

    1. Thanks Mimi! Both of those are so delicious! I love the cherry version just as much as this one. It’s delightfully tart but not too much! Thank you for your comment. 🙂

  5. I had no idea that a homemade infusion or a vodka could look this good! That color is just amazing! So vibrant.

  6. I made this infused cranberry vodka but added a couple strips of orange peel. I let it sit on the counter for 3 weeks. Beautiful color. Very tart; but as you said, sugar can be added when a drink is made. I improvised and made a drink of 1 part cranberry infused vodka, 1/2 part triple sec, and 1 part OJ, served over ice. Pretty good, but I forgot to garnish. This was very easy to make. I am going to start another batch so that I have some for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
    Do you have any drink recipes for this vodka to share?

    1. Hi Gayle. Orange peel is a great addition to this infusion. I love the cocktail you made with it! I sometimes make a sea breeze with it. 2 parts cranberry vodka, 1 part cranberry juice and 1 part oj. Other days I’d love to make another drink – 2 parts cran vodka, 2 parts cran juice, juice of 1/2 a lime and 1 ounce oj. Yum. Hope you get more ideas of how to use cranberry infused vodka. Thank you for your comment!

  7. Have you tried making a Vodka tonic with this? The sweetness of the tonic could offset the tartness of the cranberry. It could.be served with a squeeze of lime or even orange.

    1. Yes, Chris! I’ve tried the vodka tonic with the cranberry vodka. It is really tasty and my sister prefers the VT over any other made with this vodka. I did serve it with lime but I’m liking the thought of the orange. Thank you for your comment!

  8. Is there an issue with the fresh cranberries, particularly those at the very top that are not submerged in the vodka, getting moldy or going bad? I’ve just started two batches (one vodka, one gin) and am wondering if perhaps they shouldn’t steep in the fridge. Thanks.

    1. I’ve never had to keep it in the fridge and I’ve had some of the infused vodka’s for months. I have some cherry vodka that I’ve had over a year. I made a HUGE batch and it’s absolutely fine. As regards for the cranberries at the top, I shake the jar every day and it causes all the cranberry pieces to submerge. I hope this answers your question. 🙂

  9. I’m trying this recipe and instead of pulverizing the berries in the food processor I am heating the berries in a sauce pan until they burst, then adding them to the vodka in a jar. Will try to provide an update after this has been sitting for a couple of weeks.

      1. It seems to have worked well. I put whole, washed cranberries in a sauce pan and turned the heat to medium. After most of the berries had burst, I put them in a large jar and poured an equal amount of vodka over them. After a week in the fridge, I couldn’t find my cheese cloth so I poured it through a mesh strainer to get the big chunks out and then in batches through a paper cone coffee filter. It took a little while as it ran quite slow, but it came out crystal clear and bright pinkish red. I’ll be trying this with ginger beer (a Moscow Reindeer, perhaps?). Cheers!

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