When the holiday season arrives, we start craving delicious cocktails that feel cozy, bright, and full of winter flavors. This cranberry orange whiskey sour recipe is a festive spin on the traditional whiskey sour — the perfect holiday cocktail whether you’re hosting a big holiday party or settling in for a cozy night by the fire.
This recipe blends the smoothness of whiskey with the vibrant essence of oranges, the tangy flavors of cranberries, and fresh citrus for a perfect balance of tart and sweet. It’s a classic cocktail dressed up with seasonal flair — a drink that looks just as stunning as it tastes.
First Published Novemer 19 2022
Modified December 11 2025
Why You’ll Love This Cocktail
-
Made with simple ingredients you can find anywhere
-
A festive twist on a classic whiskey sour
-
Great for holiday parties, happy hour, or a cozy evening drink
And since cranberries are packed with vitamin C, we can feel a little extra festive while sipping! 😉
Whiskey Choices: Bourbon or Rye
You can use:
-
Bourbon whiskey → smoother + naturally sweet
-
Rye whiskey → spicier + bold
The best whiskey? The kind of whiskey you love most. Every bottle offers its own unique flavor profile and smoothness.
Igredients for Cranberry Orange Whiskey Sour Cocktail:
- Bourbon Whiskey: Adds depth and richness to the drink, providing a warm and robust flavor profile.
- Cranberry Simple Syrup: Infuses the cocktail with a sweet-tart cranberry essence, offering a unique fruity undertone.
- Lemon Juice: Provides the cocktail with a refreshing, citrusy tang that balances the sweetness and complements the bourbon.
- Freshly Squeezed Orange Juice: Enhances the overall fruitiness and acidity of the drink, contributing a bright, zesty note.
- Egg White: Creates a silky and creamy texture, contributing to a velvety mouthfeel and adding a frothy top layer.
- Aromatic and Orange Bitters: Introduce complex and complementary layers of flavor, enhancing the cocktail’s depth and complexity.
- Fresh Cranberries for Garnish: Not only aesthetically pleasing, they hint at the cocktail’s key ingredient and add a festive touch to the presentation.
- Fresh Rosemary Sprig for Garnish: Infuses a subtle herbal aroma that complements the overall sensory experience, adding a touch of sophistication to the presentation.
How to make a Cranberry Orange Whiskey Sour Cocktail:
- Prepare the Garnish: Take three fresh cranberries and skewer them using a metal drink skewer. Insert a sprig of fresh rosemary through the cranberries to create an elegant garnish. Set this aside for later use.
- Measure and Combine Ingredients: Gather all the liquid components of the cocktail, including the bourbon, cranberry simple syrup, lemon juice, freshly squeezed orange juice, egg white, aromatic and orange bitters. Combine these ingredients into a cocktail shaker.
- Dry Shake and Add Ice: Shake the mixture vigorously in the cocktail shaker without ice. This process helps create a delightful foam. Then, add ice to the shaker and shake the contents vigorously once again.
- Strain into a Chilled Martini Glass: Double strain the mixture into a chilled martini glass. This ensures a smooth, refined texture for the cocktail.
- Garnish: Complete the presentation by garnishing the cocktail. Take the previously prepared rosemary-speared cranberries and place them atop the cocktail, adding an elegant finishing touch.
Ingredients
Ingredients for Bourbon Cranberry Sour:
- 2 ounces bourbon
- 1 ounce cranberry simple syrup
- 1 ounce lemon juice
- 1/2 ounce orange juice fresh squeezed
- 1 egg white
- 3 drops aromatic bitters
- 3 drops orange bitters
- 3 fresh cranberries for garnish
- 1 sprig fresh rosemary for garnish
Instructions
Instructions for Bourbon Cranberry Sour:
- Using a metal drink skewer, pierce 3 fresh cranberries down core. Insert fresh rosemary into the cranberries to create a garnish, set aside.
- Measure all liquid ingredients, including egg white & bitters into cocktail shaker
- Dry shake, vigorously, without ice, to create foam. Add ice, and shake vigorously again.
- Double stain into chilled martini glass
- Garnish with rosemary speared cranberries.
Nutrition
31 Fireball Whisky Cocktails & Shots Recipes for Fall
More Bourbon Cocktails:
More Holiday Bourbon Cocktails from our friends:
White Hot Chocolate with Gingerbread and Bourbon – White Kitchen Red Wine
Butterscotch Eggnog – Honest Grub Honest Foodie Blog
Made this for my wife and her friends and they loved it. Thank you!
What a fun cocktail for the fall and winter season!! This would be perfect to serve when we host my family during the holidays!
This looks amazing and such a treat! Thank you!
I’m a bourbon girl from Kentucky. Looking forward to mixing things up with this Boston drink. Thanks!
Such a fun and delicious cocktail! Definitely perfect for the holidays and I love the styling.
Thank you for the shout out! Great recipe!