Spiced Cranberry Syrup

This holiday season, treat yourself to a bottle of homemade spiced cranberry syrup. A cross between cranberry sauce and simple syrup, this flavored simply syrup has all my favorite wintery spices simmered with cranberry juice, whole cranberries, and sugar. It’s a must-have in my pantry this time of year for all the cranberry cocktails (and mocktails) I could ever want. Plus, it’ll make your house smell AMAZING!

How to Make Spiced Cranberry Syrup

1. In a medium saucepan, combine fresh or frozen cranberries, cranberry juice, sugar, orange peels, fresh orange juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, nutmeg, and Grand Marnier (optional).
2. Place over low heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved.
3. Allow the mixture to gently simmer over low heat for 15–20 minutes, until the cranberries begin to burst and the syrup becomes fragrant and infused with the spices.
4. Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to steep for an additional 10–15 minutes.
5. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, gently pressing the cranberries to release their juices.
6. Allow to cool completely before using. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Tips for Making the Best Cranberry Syrup

• For a non-spiced cranberry syrup, leave out all the spices and Grand Marnier (but keep the orange juice and peel). That will make for a more versatile, year-round syrup when you’re craving cranberries in the warmer months.
• Keep the heat low! We’re looking to gently infuse the syrup with all those warm holiday spices without reducing it too much or creating an overly thick syrup.
• Use the freshest spices available. The flavor and aroma degrades over time, so you may want to refresh your spice drawer if you’ve had some of your spices for more than a year.
• Grand Marnier is optional, but I love adding it to this syrup. It’s a cognac-based orange liqueur that I sometimes use as a substitute for triple sec, like Cointreau, in margaritas. It adds an elevated complexity to your syrup that marries perfectly with the holiday spices.
• Don’t skip the steeping time as it’s crucial for melding the flavors for a stronger, more fragrant syrup.
• When straining, make sure to gently squeeze out the excess liquid from the cranberries so you get every last drop of concentrated flavor.

How to Use Spiced Cranberry Syrup

• In cocktails, like my Freezer Door Spiced Cranberry Paper Plane, Frozen Cranberry 75, Cranberry Margarita, and Cranberry Aperol Spritz.
• You can also make any classic cocktail into a cranberry classic cocktail by swapping simple syrup for this cranberry syrup.
• For breakfast: Drizzle your cranberry syrup on pancakes, waffles, or French toast instead of maple syrup. Drizzle over yogurt, oatmeal, or overnight oats.
• For dessert: Pour it over ice cream, cakes, and pies.
• In a dressing: Instead of using maple syrup or sugar in your homemade salad dressing, use spiced cranberry syrup for a sweet-tart variation on a fruity vinaigrette.

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Spiced Cranberry Syrup

One of my favorite holiday syrups is a cross between homemade cranberry sauce and simple syrup, simmered with orange and all the best wintery spices.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup unsweetened cranberry juice
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• Peels from 1 orange
• Juice from 1/2 orange
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 3-4 whole cloves
• 1 star anise
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tbsp Grand Marnier (optional)

Instructions

For a classic cranberry syrup, leave out the spices, but keep the orange peel and juice.
• In a medium saucepan, combine the cranberries, cranberry juice, sugar, orange peels, fresh orange juice, cinnamon sticks, cloves, star anise, nutmeg, and Grand Marnier.
• Place over low heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar has completely dissolved.
• Allow the mixture to gently simmer over low heat for 15–20 minutes, until the cranberries begin to burst and the syrup becomes fragrant and infused with the spices.
• Remove from the heat and allow the syrup to steep for an additional 10–15 minutes.
• Strain through a fine-mesh strainer, gently pressing the cranberries to release their juices.
• Allow to cool completely before using. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

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Xoxo, cheers!