A gimlet is one of my favorite cocktails because it’s light and refreshing and has a delicious citrus kick. I thought to bring in the new year, I would make a Fresh Cranberry Gimlet that still has that amazing citrus taste, but it’s made with a cranberry syrup instead of juice. You might be saying, “Isn’t that a Cosmo”? But it’s not. It is different because it has lots of lime with a gimlet tasting profile, and just a hint of cranberry.
The syrup is made on the stove top with water, sugar and a few fresh cranberries. You can use fresh or frozen, but don’t skip this step — that’s what makes this drink have a light cranberry taste. Fresh limes are always preferred over the bottled stuff — there’s just no comparison. I love to mix it up in a martini shaker over ice and strain it gently into a clear glass and garnish with a lime wedge and three cranberries for good luck. Happy New Year!
Ingredients
1 cup water
1/3 cup fresh cranberries
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3 ounces vodka
juice of 1 lime + wedge for garnish
3 fresh cranberries
(Makes 1 Cocktail)
To Prepare:
- In a saucepan, add water, cranberries and sugar. Place over high heat and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let steep for 10 minutes. Strain into a small pitcher and cool.
- In a martini shaker filled with ice, add vodka, lime juice and 1 ounce cranberry syrup (you can make more cocktails or use it for other beverages). Shake, shake, shake, until cold.
- Strain into martini glass or highball. Garnish with lime wedge and 3 cranberries. Cheers!
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