Cranberry sauce replaces the sugar cube or simple syrup in a traditional Old Fashioned to make this festive spirit-forward cocktail to brighten up the holidays. While I don’t always put much sugar in my homemade cranberry sauce, I think it’s crucial to add the right balance of sweetness to this otherwise extremely stiff drink.
Cranberry Old Fashioned
2 ounces Bulleit Bourbon
1 heaping tablespoon cranberry sauce
1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed orange juice
2 dashes Angostura bitters
Ice
Fresh cranberries and orange peel for garnish
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Add bourbon, cranberry sauce, orange juice and bitters to a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake to break up the cranberry sauce. Strain into a rocks glass over two large ice cubes.
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Garnish with fresh cranberries and an orange peel. Serve.
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For the cranberry sauce:
12 ounces cranberries
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
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Add orange juice, cranberries and sugar to a small saucepan. Stir over medium-high heat until sauce begins to bubble and cranberries pop.
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Keep stirring and break up cranberries, smashing with the back of a wooden spoon. Turn down heat and simmer until all cranberries are broken up. Transfer to a glass bowl and let cool on the counter for about 30 minutes. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator until ready to use.
