All you need to get through the holidays are a good meditation routine and a good cocktail. A festive beverage or two, (or three, no judgement) will help you get juuuuust jolly enough to survive everything from fake-smiling through bad gifts to Great Aunt Ann’s personal questions. This Cranberry Cinnamon Whiskey Sour is sure to do the trick. With it’s bright red color it’s festive looking and will look pretty in your new glassware.

There are thousands of holiday themed cocktails out there, but I promise this will be a recipe you go back to time and time again. This is one of those cocktails that will have your guests begging for the recipe.

Makes 4 Cocktails

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh cranberries

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

2 cinnamon sticks

¾ cup bourbon or whiskey

½ cup lemon juice

¼ cup orange juice

¼ cup lime juice

Ice cubes and cocktail shaker for mixing

Instructions:

In a medium-sized saucepan add cranberries, water, sugar, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce to a simmer and continue cooking, stirring occasional, until the cranberries have burst open and can easily be stirred into the syrup, resulting in a smooth consistency. This will take about 10 minutes. Once done, remove syrup from heat. Fit a large bowl with a fine mesh strainer and strain the simple syrup, leaving all of the large chunks and skin behind. Let cool at least 10 minutes before using.

When ready to make your cocktails, add ¾ cup simple syrup, whiskey, lemon juice, orange juice, lime juice and a large handful of ice to a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Divide into 4 glasses and serve at once.