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When September rolls around, I become that person who gets so excited for fall and the upcoming holidays. The funny part is, I don’t even live up north anymore, and I haven’t since I was a spring chick.
But I can’t help myself! There’s something about the changing seasons that I truly love. As much as I thrive on having a balanced routine, I’m always ready for those subtle shifts in the weather.
Maybe that’s the Canadian in me–except I don’t miss the long cold winters (I did move to the Caribbean to escape freezing my ass off!), but I miss the idea of winter.
Even with just wet and dry seasons here, I still get extremely excited when rainy season arrives, or when the “Christmas breeze” rolls in after hurricane season.
Bah, I digress. You’re probably here for the title–Cranberry Cinnamon Whiskey Sours.
I adapted this cocktail from several online variations. When you search for this recipe on Google, Baker By Nature comes up first for me. Their recipe calls for Bourbon, citrus juices, and a cranberry and cinnamon simple syrup.
A traditional whiskey sour typically includes an optional frothy egg white, your favourite whiskey or bourbon, and some lemon or lime juice with simple syrup.
What we’re doing with this one, similar to Baker By Nature, is adding cranberries, cinnamon and a few whole cloves when making the simple syrup, along with some other spices I experimented with.
When I tested this recipe, I found the bourbon combined with the syrup was very sweet. I also tried some Jameson, which I really enjoyed, and then my neighbour suggested Rye for its peppery notes. Both were good, but I’d adjust the ratios of citrus and sweet to balance it out.
I went ahead and adjusted the cocktail’s ratios. I increased the Rye to 2oz per serving and reduced the simple syrup. I then scaled back on the citrus.
It was good, but still “juicy,” so I omitted the OJ altogether. Orange juice adds extra sugar and citrus acid, which can lead to heartburn!
I became a little more obsessed with the contents of this drink to create a newer version of cranberry syrup.
Cranberries are naturally tart, and the original recipe compensates with a lot of sugar.
So I backed off on the sugar, added some rosemary and orange peel, and completely omitted the orange juice.
To push it to another level, I tried a bit of soda and added a dash of bitters at the end. Soda is optional, but refreshing if you want to put this drink into a Highball or Collins glass.
The results? Your palate is instantly awaken by this bright, tangy cranberry and fresh citrus. The whiskey will bring some oak, pepper and spices, and the aromatic cinnamon will smooth everything out. It’s cozy, it’s sweet, it’s warm and delicious.
Cranberry Cinnamon Whiskey Sours for 4
Take your whiskey sours to another level during the end-of-year holidays with warm spices and cranberries. A great make-ahead drink that you can keep in the fridge and serve once your guests arrive.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cranberries
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cloves
- orange peel
- rosemary
- 1 cup of your favourite Rye or Bourbon (will make it sweeter)
- 3 oz lemon juice
- Bitters
Instructions
Nutrition Facts
Calories
255Fat
0 gSat. Fat
0 gCarbs
62 gFiber
3 gNet carbs
59 gSugar
53 gProtein
1 gSodium
11 mgCholesterol
0 mgMy nutritional notes are a guestimation. Use with caution
