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Cranberry Lemon Drop cocktail in a sugar-rimmed glass with ice, garnished with fresh cranberries, a lemon slice, and a rosemary sprig on a dark slate board.
Hannah Cooking

Cranberry Lemon Drop

Cranberry Lemon Drop is a tart-sweet pink vodka cocktail made with fresh lemon juice, cranberry juice, and simple syrup—perfect for holiday parties and book club nights.
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Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Servings: 1 cocktail
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Calories: 200
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Cocktail
  • 2 oz Vodka Citrus vodka or plain
  • 1 oz Lemon juice Fresh-squeezed
  • 1 oz Cranberry juice Unsweetened or regular
  • 0.5 oz Simple syrup Adjust to taste
  • 1 cup Ice For shaking
Rim & Garnish
  • 2 tablespoon Granulated sugar For rimming glass (optional)
  • 3 pieces Fresh cranberries For garnish (optional)
  • 1 sprig Rosemary For garnish (optional)
  • 1 piece Lemon twist or wheel For garnish (optional)

Equipment

  • 1 Cocktail shaker With strainer
  • 1 Jigger For measuring
  • 1 Martini or coupe glass Chilled
  • 1 Citrus juicer For fresh lemon juice
  • 1 Fine-mesh strainer Optional for double-strain
  • 1 Small plate For sugar rim (optional)

Method
 

  1. Make simple syrup if needed: heat equal parts sugar and water just until dissolved, then cool.
  2. Optional: rub lemon on glass rim, dip in sugar, and set aside.
  3. Add vodka, lemon juice, cranberry juice, and simple syrup to a shaker. Fill ¾ with ice.
  4. Shake hard for 15 seconds until the shaker feels very cold.
  5. Strain into a chilled martini or coupe glass (double-strain if you want it extra smooth).
  6. Add cranberries on a rosemary sprig and/or a lemon twist. Serve immediately.

Notes

This cocktail is easy to scale for a party—just mix a batch in advance and shake with ice per serving. Try sugaring half the rim for a classy touch.