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Cocktail History
The Under The Mistletoe is a Christmas cocktail that was created at Big Bar in Chicago, Illinois. Essentially just a fancier version of a cranberry and soda, the recipe muddles the holiday flavors of cranberry and orange in simple syrup before topping them off with gin, cranberry juice, and bubbly water to make a light and easy sipper.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
London Dry Gin: This is a type of gin made with juniper berries, botanicals, and alcohol that has been infused with flavor through redistillation without artificial ingredients or colors. We used Broker’s Premium London Dry Gin because it’s versatile and high proof. For a mocktail version of this drink, try MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin.
Cranberry Juice: This is the liquid juice of cranberries. We used Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Club Soda: This is water that is carbonated through CO2 injection and infused with minerals. We used Polar Premium Club Soda.
Cranberries: This is a small red fruit. We used fresh cranberries.
Orange Slice: This is a slice of an orange that has been cut into a half wheel shape.
Thyme Sprig: This is an herb. We used fresh thyme.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Muddler: This is used to muddle ingredients. We used the HQY Stainless Steel Cocktail Muddler.
Bar Spoon: This is used to stir ingredients. We used the Barfly Stainless Steel Teardrop Bar Spoon.
Tasting Notes
The Under The Mistletoe has the aromas of orange, cranberry, and rosemary, and it starts with a straightforward cranberry-tart taste that’s accented with herbal gin and a bit of sweetness for balance on the finish.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: We were both in agreement that the Under The Mistletoe was incredibly easy to make and overall quite tasty. Gin lovers especially are sure to enjoy it since it’s so simple and really spotlights the spirit’s flavor.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“This very simple gin-cranberry-soda-with-a-dash-of-simple is less Christmas cocktail and more mixer, in my opinion, but its presentation is perfect for the season. And its ease to make means that literally any bar could recreate it. I’ll admit the taste is on the simple side, but it is certainly palatable. I’d even consider a bonus star just for its ease.”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐
“Alex described this as something I could order in a dive bar year-round, and that’s pretty much exactly the phrase I’d use too. There’s nothing super surprising or complex about this drink, which means it’ll probably go over very well with gin drinkers, especially since the recipe will taste radically different depending on the brand you use. I wouldn’t say this is my favorite of the Christmas cocktails we tried this year, but it gets a solid three stars from me!”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from Liquor.com, an online beverage publication.
Add four cranberries, orange slices, and simple syrup to a highball glass.
Muddle gently for 5-7 seconds.
Add gin, cranberry juice, and cubed ice to glass.
Top with club soda.
Stir gently for 3-5 seconds.
Garnish with remaining three cranberries and thyme sprig.
Ingredients
Directions
Add four cranberries, orange slices, and simple syrup to a highball glass.
Muddle gently for 5-7 seconds.
Add gin, cranberry juice, and cubed ice to glass.
Top with club soda.
Stir gently for 3-5 seconds.
Garnish with remaining three cranberries and thyme sprig.
Make It a Mocktail: Use MONDAY Zero Alcohol Gin in place of the gin to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Cranberry Christmas Cocktails
If you like this cranberry-flavored Christmas cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Cranberry Cobbler: A sherry cocktail made with cranberry syrup, orange slices, a mint sprig, and cranberries
Santa Baby: A sparkling wine cocktail made with cranberry liqueur and cranberries
Christmas Mimosa: A sparkling wine cocktail made with cranberry juice, orange curaçao, cranberries, and rosemary
Poinsettia Cooler: A tequila cocktail made with cranberry juice, cranberry shrub, lime juice, and cranberries
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