This Christmas martini recipe is easy to make and perfect for the holidays! It’s a deliciously sweet tart cocktail featuring cranberry juice, vodka and Cointreau.
Need a signature drink for the holidays? This Christmas martini is sweet tart, drinkable and festive! For years the Poinsettia was my go-to for the holidays, but here’s another I like just as much.
I’ve made dozens of holiday drinks over the years and I’ve found this festive martini is the perfect fit for entertaining. It’s easy to mix up and the color is so bright from the red cranberry juice. Add a cute garnish and you’re in business!
Key Ingredients You’ll Need
The Christmas martini recipe is a flavored vodka martini that’s made with cranberry juice. In fact, it’s actually more like a Cosmo than a martini! Here’s what you’ll need for this drink:
- Unsweetened Cranberry Juice is the star here. Look for 100% cranberry juice without added sugars or high-fructose corn syrup. I use it in all my cranberry cocktails because I find it has a brighter color and more pure flavor than sweetened versions.
- Cointreau is the orange liqueur. It’s higher quality than Triple Sec with a more balanced citrus flavor, but you can also use Triple Sec or even Grand Marnier if you have it. If you’re looking for similar Cointreau drinks, try my Classic Margarita or Lemon Drop Martini.
- Fresh Lemon Juice is key: make sure to use fresh and never bottled, since it just doesn’t have the same zing.
- Simple Syrup or Maple Syrup rounds out the tartness. I typically use simple syrup, but maple adds a depth that works well during the holidays (it doesn’t taste like maple).
How to Make a Christmas Martini: Basic Steps
The Christmas martini is easy to make. All you’ll need is a cocktail shaker and a martini glass! If you’re making this for a crowd, you can also mix up 2 drinks at once in a single cocktail shaker. Here are the basic steps (or jump to the recipe below):
- Shake: Add the vodka, cranberry juice, Cointreau, lemon juice, and simple syrup to the cocktail shaker. Shake for 15 seconds until cold.
- Strain: Strain the drink into a martini glass.
- Garnish: Here’s the fun part: to make it look festive for Christmas, use fresh cranberries and a rosemary sprig as a garnish. In these photographs, I placed the cranberries on a cocktail pick, but you can also place them directly into the drink.
Scaling Up: Making a Pitcher for Holiday Parties
When I’m hosting a crowd, I mix up a pitcher of these ahead of time. It’s a game-changer for entertaining because you can pour drinks quickly instead of shaking individual cocktails.
For 8 servings, combine 1 cup vodka, 1 cup 100% cranberry juice, ½ cup Cointreau, ½ cup fresh lemon juice, and 5 tablespoons simple syrup in a pitcher. Stir with 3 handfuls of ice until very cold, then pour into glasses and garnish.
Serving Suggestions For When Make This Cocktail
This Christmas martini shines at holiday gatherings from dinner parties to large holiday parties. Every time I serve it, the bright red color makes it instantly festive and catches everyone’s eye! Perfect occasions include:
- Christmas cocktail or holiday drink
- New Year’s Eve drink
- Thanksgiving dinner cocktails
- Winter drinks for dinner parties
I particularly love serving these alongside appetizers like Baked Brie, a cheese board, or my Easy Goat Cheese Appetizer. The sweet tart flavor works well with cheese.
You could also try serving it alongside my Christmas Margarita or some of my other Christmas Vodka Cocktails.
Make-Ahead Tips and Storage
This drink is best served immediately. However, you can make the pitcher variation up to 4 hours in advance without ice. When ready to serve, add the ice and pour into glasses.
You can prep your rosemary sprigs and cranberry skewers ahead of time and store in the refrigerator. This makes assembly quick when guests arrive.
The Christmas Martini
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This Christmas martini recipe is easy to make and perfect for the holidays! It’s a deliciously sweet tart cocktail featuring cranberry juice, vodka and Cointreau.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink
- Category: Drink
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) vodka**
- 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) 100% cranberry juice (not sweetened*)
- ½ ounce (1 tablespoon) Cointreau
- ½ ounce (1 tablespoon) lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons simple syrup or maple syrup*
- For the garnish: cranberries, rosemary sprig
Instructions
- Place the vodka, cranberry juice, Cointreau, lemon juice, and syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake 15 seconds until cold.
- Strain the drink into a cocktail or martini glass. Garnish with cranberries and rosemary and serve.
Notes
*If all you can find is sweetened cranberry juice, use half the simple syrup quantity (or add it to taste).
**How to make 8 drinks for a crowd: In a pitcher, mix together 1 cup vodka, 1 cup 100% cranberry juice, ½ cup Cointreau, ½ cup fresh lemon juice, and 5 tablespoons simple syrup. Add 3 handfuls of ice and stir until cold. Pour into glasses and serve.
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More Holiday Cocktails
- 35 Christmas Cocktails or Bourbon Christmas Cocktails
- Christmas Margarita
- Christmas Mule
- Poinsettia Cocktail
- Spiked Apple Cider
- Hot Buttered Rum
- Apple Cider Cocktail Apple Cider Sangria
