Brandied Cranberries + Three Cocktails #cranberryweek

Day 2 of Cranberry Week! I am sharing my grandmother's Brandied Cranberries recipe and three cocktail using brandied cranberries. This makes a great neighbors gift or an excellent hostess gift. It's easy and delicious, too!

Brandied cranberries were served on top of pound cake, ice cream and eaten as a side dish, but just for the grownups. We were allowed little tastes of it, and I remember loving the sweet/tart combination.

Here is how I make the Brandied Cherries:

I use one bag of cranberries to make one dish. So if I need to make gifts for 4 neighbors, I would use 4 bags of cranberries. To that one bag of cranberries, I use 1 c sugar, 1/2 c brandy, and 1/4 Grand Marnier. Toss them all together. I line a jellyroll pan with nonstick foil and bake for 45 minutes, stirring once in the cooking process. Remove them from the oven (I like to have liquid left) and cool completely. Store in a covered jar.

I use these cranberries to make festive cocktails, too! The syrup created is a fine additive to classic cocktails like mimosas and sweet and sours. The deep ruby red berries are pretty in the glass.

Orange Bourbon with Cranberries

Orange Bourbon Cocktail with Brandied Cranberries

1 kitchen spoon of brandied cranberries syrup

2 oz bourbon

2 oz orange juice

1 t simple syrup

garnish

Stir all ingredients. Add ice and cocktail mixture. Stir. Garnish with orange slices or cranberries

Ginger Bourbon with Cranberries

Ginger Bourbon Cocktail using Brandied Cranberries

1 spoon brandied cherries plus syrup

1 1/2 oz bourbon

6 oz ginger ale

garnish

Pour bourbon into the glass. Add ginger ale and stir slightly. Spoon the cranberries on top. Garnish with cranberries or a sprig of rosemary.

A Christmas Fizz

1 T brandied cranberries and syrup

1/2 oz brandy

Prosecco

Add the cranberries to the bottom of the glass. Add brandy slowly. Add prosecco. The bubbles will make the cranberries rise to the top of the glass and then back down. No need for garnish!

I'm excited to be sharing this recipe as part of Cranberry Week - now in it's third year! See all the tasty cranberry recipes being shared today below and follow #cranberryweek on social media for more ideas all week long.