Freezer Door Spiced Cranberry Paper Plane

A festive twist on the classic Paper Plane cocktail, made with bourbon, Amaro Nonino, Aperol, and fresh lemon juice. To make it extra special for the holidays I’m adding a little homemade spiced cranberry syrup! The best part? Everything goes straight into a bottle and into the freezer—it’s so easy! You’ll have a perfectly chilled cocktail ready whenever happy hour calls or the guests start to arrive. Freezer door cocktails like this one are my go-to solution for busy hosting and holiday gifting!

How to Make a Freezer Door Cranberry Paper Plane

1. Using a funnel, add the bourbon, Amaro Nonino, fresh lemon juice, Aperol, spiced cranberry syrup, and filtered water to a freezer-safe bottle.
2. Seal tightly and gently shake or invert the bottle several times to combine.
3. Place in the freezer for at least 4–6 hours, or until thoroughly chilled.
4. When ready to serve, give the bottle a gentle shake.
5. Pour approximately 3–4 ounces into a chilled coupe or Nick & Nora glass.
6. Garnish with an orange twist or fresh cranberries, if desired, and enjoy!

What is a Paper Plane Cocktail?

A Paper Plane is a really easy 4-ingredient cocktail that is impossible to forget because its equal parts! It’s just bourbon + Aperol + Amaro Nonino + lemon juice. It’s very balanced, with a little bitterness, a little acidity, and a little sweetness. The liqueurs give it a complex, citrusy, herbal, bitter flavor that pairs perfectly with a good bottle of bourbon.

Adding a flavored syrup like spiced cranberry is a great way to make it sweeter and therefore more palatable for a crowd with varying tastes. The Paper Plane is usually a shaken cocktail, which gives it a little bit of a frothy head. But to make it a freezer door, just gently shake to mix everything together. Without the ice, it won’t have the same texture, but I promise it’s just as good! It’s served in a coupe glass, usually with a lemon twist, but you can always get creative with the garnish.

Cranberry Paper Plane Ingredients

Bourbon

Bourbon is a type of American whiskey made from mostly corn, but is often a mix of grains. It’s usually aged in charred oak barrels and therefore has a subtly sweet, oaky flavor with notes of vanilla. If you’re looking to buy a bottle for your own at-home cocktailing, try Maker’s Mark, Still Austin, Tincup Fourteener, or Basil Hayden. You can also use Irish whiskey, rye, or Scotch instead of bourbon.

Amaro Nonino

Amaro Nonino is made from aged grappa (brandy distilled from fermented grape residue) and a wintery blend of herbs, spices, and roots. Nonino has a sort of allspice and orange peel flavor, making it the perfect amaro for holiday cocktails like this one.

Aperol

Aperol is one of the most well-known Italian liqueurs, used often in its namesake Aperol Spritz. Its signature bright orange color and bittersweet flavor comes from rhubarb and a commonly used bitter root called gentian, along with other herbs and spices. It’s honestly one of my all-time favorite liqueurs.

Spiced Cranberry Syrup

I love kicking off the holiday season by making a bottle of my own homemade spiced cranberry syrup. It’s always gone by New Year’s.

Lemon Juice

If it’s not fresh-squeezed, we don’t want it!

Tips for Making the Best Freezer Door Cranberry Paper Plane

• Why add water? Since we’re skipping the traditional shaking process, the water helps mimic the dilution you’d normally get from shaking a cocktail with ice. This keeps everything balanced and ready to pour straight from the freezer!
• Will it freeze? Unlike a traditional spirit-forward freezer door cocktail, this recipe contains fresh citrus juice, water, and syrup. That means it may become slightly slushy or partially freeze depending on your freezer temperature. If that happens, simply remove the bottle from the freezer 30 minutes before serving, allowing it to thaw until pourable. Give it a good shake before serving!
• Get a good Citrus Juicer: Not just for cocktails, but for all your citrus juicing needs year-round. Doing it by hand is so labor-intensive, a juicer it totally worth it. Try this one or this one.
• Make ahead: This is a great cocktail to prep the day before a holiday gathering. Because it contains fresh lemon juice, I recommend enjoying it within 1–2 days for the freshest flavor.

Freezer Door Paper Plane Cocktail Variations

• Switch up the alcohol: As soon as you veer from the classic combination of ingredients, it’s not technically a Paper Plane, but I won’t tell if you don’t. Swap out the Aperol for Campari for a little more bitterness. Use rye instead of bourbon for a little more dry pepperiness.
• Swap the syrup: Since all we’re adding to the classic is our spiced cranberry syrup, you can make this same recipe with any flavored syrup. Try it with Cherry Syrup, Rosemary Syrup, Thyme Syrup, Pomegranate Syrup, or Cinnamon Syrup.
• Swap the lemon juice: Instead of lemon juice, use fresh orange juice or grapefruit juice for a freezer door grapefruit paper plane.