An old fashioned is one of our favorite classic cocktails. But we also can’t resist tinkering with the recipe while still paying homage to the original. This Old Fashioned cocktail has a bit of spiced cranberry simple syrup to give it a lovely festive flavor perfect to enjoy throughout the holiday season (and beyond). This Spiced Cranberry Old Fashioned became one of our favorite cocktails right from the jump! It’s easy and delicious so give it a try!

Looking for more holiday drinks like this? Try out our Frosted Cranberry Empress Gin Cocktail or Spiced Apple Cider Moscow Mule Cocktail Recipe.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- A fun twist on a classic old fashioned cocktail
- Homemade cranberry simple syrup can be used for a variety of drinks
- A great drink for Bourbon lovers!
- The spiced cranberry syrup will last a month in the refrigerator
- This is easily customizable to your tastes
Jump to:
- Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- What is in a classic Old Fashioned cocktail?
- Ingredients
- Substitutions
- How to Make this Spiced Cranberry Old Fashioned
- Equipment
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Variations
- Storage
- Top Tip
- Troubleshooting
- What appetizers to serve with a Spiced Cranberry Old Fashioned
- What other drinks can you make with the spiced cranberry simple syrup?
- FAQ
- Related
- Pairing
- 📖 Recipe
What is in a classic Old Fashioned cocktail?
A classic old fashioned cocktail is (with minor variations) simple syrup or muddled sugar, some type of whiskey - usually bourbon - and some type of bitters. A simple old fashioned cocktail is served over ice (usually a large format / big ice cube) and garnished with orange zest and/or a maraschino cherry.
Old Fashioned cocktails are perfect for people who love bourbon, but are approachable enough for most people due to the sweetness that the simple syrup adds to the finished drink.
Since an Old Fashioned generally only has a few ingredients, and no mixers besides the simple syrup, it is on the stronger end of the cocktail spectrum. If an old fashioned is too strong for your preference, you can always top it with club soda and you will still have a nice drink to enjoy.

Ingredients
Here is what you need to make this cranberry bourbon cocktail recipe:
Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 20 cranberries
- 5 cloves
- 5 allspice berries
Old Fashioned Cocktail Recipe
- Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup: This is a lovely simple syrup with a festive twist for this old fashioned
- Bourbon whiskey: Use whatever you like. We prefer a Kentucky bourbon in this cocktail.
- Cranberry Bitters: 3 dashes or bitters balances the sweetness and adds to the cranberry flavor of the simple syrup
- Rosemary Sprig: For garnish
- Maraschino Cherry: For garnish
- Orange twist (optional): For garnish and to express the zest over the final cocktail.
See recipe card below for quantities.
Substitutions
Here are a couple of common substitutions for the ingredients in this recipe:
- Bourbon: Other whiskeys can be substituted, such as Canadian, Scotch, Rye whiskey or even Irish whiskey. This all depends on your personal preference but you can use a variety of whiskies.
- Cranberry Bitters: You could use Angostura bitters, orange bitters, a combination or another type of bitters instead of cranberry if desired.
How to Make this Spiced Cranberry Old Fashioned
Once the simple syrup is made, which is not too difficult, the rest is a snap. Bourbon, cranberry bitters, and the prepared simple syrup are combined then poured over a large format ice cube in a low-ball glass and garnished with a rosemary sprig and maraschino cherry. This holiday cocktail is so easy to make for the perfect Christmas drink in a snap!

Equipment
Here is what you need to make this dish
- Small pot
- Cheese cloth or fine mesh sieve
- Bar glass or mixing glass for mixing the cocktail
- Bar spoon
- Large format ice cub trays
- Old fashioned glass / rocks glass
Step-by-Step Instructions
Make the Simple Syrup
- Add all ingredients to a medium pot and heat on medium high, stirring often. Once the syrup boils, turn the heat down to medium low and cover. Once the cranberries have popped, turn off the heat and uncover the pot. Let the mixture steep for 10 minutes, then strain through a cheesecloth or fine sieve and let cool completely before storing in the refrigerator.
Combine the Ingredients
- In a bar glass, combine the simple syrup, bourbon, and bitters. Stir to combine.
Pour and Garnish
- In a lowball glass, add the ice cube. Pour the stirred mixture from the bar glass over the ice. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary, a maraschino cherry, and, if desired, an orange peel to express the zest over the drink. Serve!
Variations
Here are a couple ways to change up this cranberry old fashioned recipe:
- Using a bold dark rum instead of bourbon is a nice twist to make a rum old fashioned.
- Make the simple syrup with cherries, blueberries, raspberries or strawberries in the same way instead of cranberries for a summery version.
- Switch up the garnish and add a brûléed candied orange slice, sugared cranberries, or a cinnamon stick or star anise for an extra festive garnish!
Storage
How to store leftover simple syrup:
- Store the extra simple syrup in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to a month.
Can you batch make this cocktail for a large crowd?
- You could certainly batch the cocktails for a holiday party. The only issue is measurement of the bitters. Start by adding a small amount and work your way up by taste. If you use the same ratio of bitters in larger quantities, your drink will not taste as good due to the concentrated flavor of the bitters, so add the bitters by taste for best results.
Top Tip
When serving with the garnish, light the rosemary sprig tip on fire then extinguish the flame. Serve with a smoking rosemary sprig for presentation.

Troubleshooting
You should not experience any issues with this cocktail. If large format ice cubes are not available, simply use several cubes or stir with ice and serve up.
What appetizers to serve with a Spiced Cranberry Old Fashioned
You really can't go wrong with appetizers to pair with this cocktail. We love serving this with our Cranberry Serrano Glazed Meatballs or Asparagus and Mushroom Cheese Soufflé Bites.
As an after dinner drink, this is a great with dessert. A pecan pie or pumpkin cheesecake is a perfect pairing. You can also have this with any sort of fruit dish.
What other drinks can you make with the spiced cranberry simple syrup?
Try out this simple syrup in our Frosted Cranberry gin cocktail!
This simple syrup is a fun addition to any drink that has simple syrup as an ingredient. Think of a fall mojito, or any flavored and sweetened martini.
Add a little to a vodka and soda for a pop of color and some sweetness. We also love to add a teaspoon or two to a glass of Prosecco or champagne for a Christmas morning mimosa!

FAQ
A Manhattan uses sweet vermouth instead of simple syrup, but otherwise similar. A Manhattan doesn’t use an orange as a garnish but generally has Luxardo maraschino cherries or similar.
Bourbon is the classic, but whiskey is the best alcohol for an old fashioned generally. There are quite a few variations out there now that use gin or rum as well.
Classically, an old fashioned is stirred without ice then served over a large format ice cube. It can be stirred in the glass that it is served in instead of mixing it first. It is never shaken.
Related
Looking for other cocktail recipes like this? Try these:
Pairing
These are our favorite main dishes to serve with cocktail:
📖 Recipe

Spiced Cranberry Old Fashioned
Equipment
- 1 Small pot to make the simple syrup
- Cheese cloth or fine mesh sieve to strain the simple syrup
- 1 Bar glass or mixing glass to mix the drink ingredients
- 1 Bar spoon or regular spoon to stir the drink ingredients
- Large Format Ice Cube maker optional
- 1 Old Fashioned glass or rocks glass
Ingredients
Spiced Cranberry Simple Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup white sugar
- 20 whole fresh cranberries
- 5 whole cloves
- 5 whole allspice berries
For the Old Fashioned Cocktail:
- 2 teaspoons cranberry spiced simple syrup or more if you prefer sweeter drinks
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 3 dashes cranberry bitters
- 1 maraschino cherry optional garnish
- 1 rosemary sprig optional garnish
- 1 orange twist optional garnish
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a medium pot and heat on medium high, stirring often. Once the syrup boils, turn the heat down to medium low and cover. Once the cranberries have popped, turn off the heat and uncover the pot. Let the mixture steep for 10 minutes, then strain through a cheesecloth or fine sieve and let cool completely before storing in the refrigerator.1 cup water, 1 cup white sugar, 20 whole fresh cranberries, 5 whole cloves, 5 whole allspice berries
- In a bar glass, combine the simple syrup, bourbon, and bitters. Stir to combine.2 teaspoons cranberry spiced simple syrup, 2 ounces bourbon, 3 dashes cranberry bitters
- In a lowball glass, add the ice cube. Pour the stirred mixture from the bar glass over the ice. Garnish with a sprig of rosemary, a maraschino cherry, and, if desired, an orange peel to express the zest over the drink. Serve!1 maraschino cherry, 1 rosemary sprig, 1 orange twist
Nutrition

Dina Miller says
Making this tonight!
Angela and Mark says
We hope you enjoy it as much as we do!