Cranberry simple syrup is the perfect balance of tart and sweet. This festive syrup is great for cocktails and mocktails or even drizzling over a stack of pancakes on Christmas morning!

A hand pours red liquid from a cocktail shaker into a copper mug filled with ice, beside another mug garnished with rosemary and cranberries—an inviting scene for those exploring basic cocktail recipes. Lime wedges, cranberries, and rosemary sprigs rest on the marble surface.

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Hot take: cranberry sauce is one of my favorite parts of our family’s Thanksgiving feast. The tart, jammy, perfectly sweet sauce is the unsung hero of the entire meal. Now that I’ve confessed cranberry sauce is my holiday personality, I’m constantly finding new ways to bring that same festive flavor into the rest of the season.

Enter this cranberry simple syrup — a quick, gorgeous, sweet-tart syrup that feels like the holidays in a jar. I drizzle it into cocktails and mocktails, swirl it into sparkling water, and even sneak it into weekend brunch (10/10 recommend on pancakes). It’s the easiest way to keep that holiday magic going long after the leftovers are gone. Honestly, if you’re looking to level-up your holiday drinks, this is the move.

PS–ff you’re in full holiday mode like I am, check out my Ultimate Guide to Christmas Activities in Charlotte for all the festive fun happening around the Queen City. And if you want something sweet to go with your cranberry creations, don’t miss my grandmother’s holiday cookies — a true family treasure.

Now let’s get simmering!

two glasses with gold designeds filled with pink colored cranberry bourbon smash with whole cranberries and rosemary on a marble background

What is cranberry simple syrup?

Cranberry simple syrup is a combination of sugar, water, and fresh cranberries to make a syrup that is the perfect balance of tart and sweet.

Simple syrups are easy to make in a variety of different flavors. I love making pumpkin spice syrup during the fall and this cranberry syrup leading up to the holidays!

Homemade syrups are a great way to level up your cocktail game. Your friends will think you’re so fancy, but you don’t have to tell them how easy it was.

If you’re a fan of tart cranberries, this syrup is a must-make for your bar setup this holiday season. It is easy to make, so versatile to use, and you can even change up the flavor profile by adding other ingredients such as citrus zest, whole spices, or fresh herbs.

A glass of red cocktail with ice and a slice of blood orange, plus cranberries nearby—perfect for a Thanksgiving recipe round up. Another similar glass and blurred bottles sit in the background on a white surface.

What you’ll need for this recipe

Like most simple syrup recipes, this cranberry simple syrup only requires a few easy-to-find ingredients.

For an entire batch of syrup, you’ll need:

Water: The base of our syrup is good ol’ water. Nothing fancy here!
Sugar: You can use all kinds of sugars to make simple syrup. In this recipe, we’re going to use classic granulated sugar.
Whole cranberries: You can use fresh or frozen cranberries to make this syrup.

For the full recipe, including ingredient amounts, be sure to check out the recipe card below.

Two copper mugs filled with a dark red drink, garnished with cranberries and rosemary, sit on a marble surface with scattered cranberries, lime wedges, rosemary sprigs, and a gold cocktail shaker nearby.

How to make cranberry simple syrup

Start by adding the water and sugar to a saucepan over medium heat. Give the mixture a stir occasionally as it heats to dissolve the sugar into the water.

Once the sugar has dissolved, add the cranberries. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Take the pan off the heat and cover. Let the cranberry simple syrup steep as it cools.

Once the syrup has cooled, strain it into a jar or bottle. I like to strain it through a fine mesh sieve or a piece of cheesecloth just to make sure I catch all of the tiny cranberry seeds.

Now your cranberry syrup is ready to use!

Two glasses with a geometric gold pattern filled with a red and clear layered cranberry bourbon smash recipe, surrounded by fresh cranberries and sprigs of rosemary on a light surface with a blue background.

Flavor variations

This recipe makes a very straightforward, classic cranberry syrup. But there are plenty of ways you can change and amp the flavor up even more!

Honey cranberry syrup: Swap out the granulated sugar for honey for a slightly different flavor profile to pair with the tart cranberries.
Cranberry thyme or cranberry rosemary syrup: Add a few sprigs of fresh thyme or a sprig of fresh rosemary along with the cranberries for an added herby note.
Cranberry orange syrup: Add a slice or two of fresh orange or a big piece of orange zest with the cranberries for a citrus note.
Spiced cranberry syrup: Add a cinnamon stick and/or other whole spices such as allspice berries, star anise, or cardamom pods for even more of a Christmassy feel.
Cranberry ginger syrup: Add a piece of fresh ginger or a couple of pieces of candied ginger along with the cranberries for a spicy note.

Finally, you can make a less sweet syrup by reducing the sugar to ½ cup but keeping the amount of water and cranberries the same.

Storage

Store cranberry simple syrup in a clean, airtight bottle or jar in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Using cranberry simple syrup

You can use this cranberry simple syrup all season long for festive cocktails and mocktails!

I love using it in my cranberry bourbon fizz and cranberry mule. You can also use it in a cranberry mojito or in a cranberry old fashioned.

You could even just add a bit to a glass of champagne for something super simple but with a bit of festive flair! Imagine setting it out as part of a mimosa bar alongside a Bloody Mary bar.

Add it to iced tea, lemonade, ginger ale, sparkling water, or lemon-lime soda for a simple non-alcoholic option.

But don’t stop there! It would be delicious drizzled over a stack of pancakes on Christmas morning.