What Is A Cranberry Fizz And Does It Contain Alcohol?

What pumpkin spice is to October, cranberry is to November and December. This colorful, versatile, and flavorful berry brings brightness and joy to the table and decor. In fact, cranberries are long-lasting gems when frozen, and they offer sweet and savory opportunities year-round — so think beyond a topping for your turkey or threaded strings to decorate the tree. 

One way to fully embrace the flavors of cranberry is with a sparkly, refreshing cranberry fizz. Simply combine spirits, cranberry juice, a carbonated drink, and simple syrup to create a beverage you can share with all members of the family because it's just as good with or without the alcohol. There are endless variations of the introductory cranberry fizz, allowing you to nurture your inner mixologist. 

Once you've mastered the very simple basic recipe, elevate it in some fun and creative ways to delight your palate and those of your guests. A cranberry fizz can even be the focal point of the evening when you provide a variety of ingredients and let your guests curate their own versions. Before you delve into experimentation mode, let's cover the basics of how it's made. 

A cranberry fizz is actually a successor of its daddy, the gin fizz cocktail, first mentioned in the 1887 edition of "Jerry Thomas' Bartender's Guide" and further popularized by New Orleans bar owner Henry C. Ramos. Building on the base of gin, lemon, sugar, and sparkling beverage, the cranberry fizz creates a colorful variation with the addition of cranberry.

At its foundation, the bubbly bliss is an uncomplicated mix of liquor, cranberry, sugar, and juice flavors topped with a fizzy finish. While there are a wide variety of cranberry fizz adaptations, the basic proportions are the same. For an adult cocktail, go with one part spirits, two parts cranberry juice, and one part sparkling beverage. Add simple syrup to make it sweeter. Combine your juices, syrup, and alcohol ingredients and shake with ice. Then pour over additional ice and top with your sparkling drink of choice. For a mocktail, combine two parts cranberry juice, one part simple syrup, and one part citrus juice. Then finish it off with a bubbly beverage. Both versions can include muddled herbs like mint and rosemary.

Garnish your drinks with a sprig of herbs such as rosemary or mint. You can also use a round of orange, wedge of lemon, or get really fancy with candied ginger. If you have some leftover cranberry sauce, mix a teaspoon into the drink for added color and flavor.

The cranberry is what makes this drink stand out above the standard gin fizz. There are several ways to achieve this flavor. That means not everyone agrees on the best cranberry source, but it also gives you a lot of flexibility to work with the ingredients you have on hand.

One option is cranberry juice cocktail, which is made up of cranberry juice and added sugars for sweetness. Or you can use cranberry juice, which is made from 100% juice, although this is often a combination of juices used to soften the tartness of straight cranberry juice. Cranberry juice cocktail and cranberry juice can be used interchangeably, but adjust your simple syrup accordingly. A third way to add the cranberry flavor is to make a homemade simple syrup and add a pint of chopped cranberries per cup of water while it simmers. If you're new to making drink recipes, start with the premade cranberry juice cocktail. You can then heighten your skills by spicing up your own cranberry simple syrup with anything from ginger, rosemary, mint, and basil to orange juice, grapefruit juice, cucumber, lemon, or other fruit.

For your spirit, gin is traditional, but you can explore cranberry-infused gin, swap it out for vodka, or even use some bourbon instead. Next, choose your bubbly preference. For an adult cranberry fizz, try champagne, prosecco, or sparkling wine. For a sweeter version, add ginger ale or sparkling cider. If you prefer less sweetness, add club soda or tonic water. Cheers!