Homemade Cranberry Liqueur Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup water
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
- 3 Tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice
- 1 tablespoon grated orange rind
- 2 cups vodka (Use decent vodka but top shelf not required)
- For the Champagne Cocktail:
- 1 & 1/2 oz Cranberry Liqueur, chilled
- 4 oz Champagne, Cava or Prosecco, chilled
View Full Recipe at Creative Culinary
Adding to Planner
%20I%20bottled%20last%20week%20I%20decided%20this%20was%20one%20of%20those%20%E2%80%98have%20to%E2%80%99s.%E2%80%99%20Meaning%20I%20have%20to%20take%20some%20new%20photos,%20I%20have%20to%20re-post%20this%20article%20and%20then%20most%20importantly?%20You%20have%20to%20make%20it!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EI%E2%80%99ve%20mentioned%20I%20make%20my%20Christmas%20gifts%20and%20each%20year%20there%20is%20a%20greater%20challenge%20to%20make%20something%20more%20unique%20than%20the%20last.%20When%20I%20made%20this%20several%20years%20ago%20it%20was%20one%20of%20my%20first%20forays%20into%20the%20making%20of%20a%20liqueur.%20As%20it%20turns%20out%20they%20are%20pretty%20easy.%20Some%20inexpensive%20vodka,%20sugar%20and%20your%20choice%20of%20flavors%20and%20you%E2%80%99ve%20got%20your%20own%20brew.%20How%20cool%20is%20that?%20This%20favorite%20seasonal%20liqueur%20is%20simply%20cranberries,%20orange%20juice,%20orange%20zest,%20sugar%20and%20vodka.%20Simple%20ingredients%20but%20added%20together%20and%20given%20a%20couple%20of%20weeks%20to%20age%20and%20you%E2%80%99ll%20have%20something%20amazing%20to%20share%E2%80%A6or%20squirrel%20away%20if%20you%20must!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIn%20the%20past%20couple%20of%20years%20I%E2%80%99ve%20started%20making%20Homemade%20Cranberry%20Liqueur%20in%20time%20for%20Thanksgiving;%20it%E2%80%99s%20really%20perfect%20for%20the%20entire%20holiday%20season%20so%20you%20need%20a%20bit%20of%20a%20head%20start%20since%20it%20has%20to%20age%20for%20a%20couple%20of%20weeks%20(These%20cranberries%20were%20frozen%20from%20last%20year;%20I%20take%20NO%20chances%20on%20being%20able%20to%20find%20them%20in%20time!).%20I%E2%80%99ll%20store%20a%20bottle%20in%20the%20freezer%20and%20a%20small%20sip%20is%20the%20perfect%20after%20dinner%20drink.%20I%20save%20the%20cranberry%20fruit%20after%20the%20liqueur%20has%20been%20bottled%20and%20those%20little%20liquored%20up%20pieces%20of%20fruit%20are%20fantastic%20on%20top%20of%20some%20vanilla%20ice%20cream%20or%20pound%20cake%20with%20a%20drizzle%20of%20the%20liqueur.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EStill,%20the%20star%20attraction%20for%20me%20is%20this%20Sparkling%20Cranberry%20Cocktail.%20It%E2%80%99s%20seasonal,%20so%20simple%20and%20elegant%20and%20yet%20from%20the%20making%20of%20the%20liqueur%20to%20the%20final%20cocktail,%20it%20is%20so%20easy%20no%20one%20would%20imagine%20you%20only%20labored%20for%20a%20few%20minutes.%20Perfect%20right?%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EWith%20a%20touch%20or%20orange%20in%20the%20mix%20it%E2%80%99s%20such%20a%20great%20flavor%20which%20is%20sure%20a%20nice%20bonus%20when%20first%20impressions%20are%20all%20about%20how%20beautiful%20it%20is.%20Though%20I%E2%80%99ve%20labeled%20the%20cocktail%20as%20a%20champagne%20one,%20the%20truth%20is%20I%20most%20often%20use%20a%20Spanish%20Cava.%20Know%20what%20the%20difference%20is?%20Mostly%20$$$%E2%80%99s.%20Only%20sparkling%20wines%20made%20from%20the%20Champagne%20region%20in%20France%20can%20legally%20be%20called%20champagne%20but%20both%20Italy%E2%80%99s%20Prosecco%20and%20Spain%E2%80%99s%20Cava%20suit%20me%20just%20fine.%20Today%20I%20used%20Freixenet%20Cordon%20Negro%20Brut;%20the%20dryness%20of%20the%20sparkling%20wine%20balances%20so%20nicely%20with%20the%20sweetness%20of%20the%20liqueur.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EBarbServes%206%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EHandmade%20Cranberry%20Liqueur%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E30%20minPrep%20Time%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E10%20minCook%20Time%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E40%20minTotal%20Time%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ESave%20Recipe%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EIngredients%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EInstructions%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ECombine%20sugar%20and%20water%20in%20heavy%20saucepan%20and%20bring%20to%20boil.%20Simmer%20sugar%20syrup%20for%20three%20minutes,%20making%20sure%20all%20of%20the%20sugar%20has%20dissolved%20in%20the%20water.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAdd%20cranberries,%20orange%20juice%20and%20orange%20rind.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ERemove%20syrup%20mixture%20from%20heat%20and%20cool%20slightly.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAdd%20mixture%20to%20Cuisinart%20and%20chop%20just%20slightly%20to%20open%20up%20berries;%20cool%20completely.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAdd%20vodka%20and%20mix%20thoroughly.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPour%20into%20container;%20glass%20or%20plastic.%20Cover%20and%20store%20in%20a%20dark,%20cool%20location%20for%203%20weeks.%20(I%20put%20mine%20in%20the%20garage).%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EStir%20ingredients%20every%20couple%20of%20days.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EOnce%20the%20mixture%20is%20ready,%20strain%20through%20fine%20metal%20sieve%20lined%20with%20cheesecloth%20(I%20like%20butter%20muslin;%20it's%20much%20finer%20and%20is%20sure%20to%20catch%20every%20seed);%20saving%20the%20berries.%20Be%20careful%20and%20not%20eat%20the%20whole%20bowl%20full%20of%20these%20beauties;%20they%20are%20SO%20good!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPour%20liqueur%20into%20glass%20containers.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETime%20does%20not%20include%20the%203%20weeks%20for%20'brewing.'%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ETo%20Make%20the%20Cocktail:%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EPour%20the%20cranberry%20liqueur%20into%20chilled%20champagne%20glasses;%20top%20with%20your%20choice%20of%20chilled%20sparkling%20wine.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3ENotes%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E1.%20I%20found%20the%20bottles%20I%20used%20the%20first%20year%20I%20did%20this%20at%20The%20Container%20Store;%20I've%20since%20seen%20them%20at%20World%20Market%20too%20but%20all%20retail%20bottles%20get%20pricey%20if%20making%20this%20for%20gifts.%20Now%20I%20buy%20bottles%20from%20Specialty%20Bottle%20and%20use%20this%20style;%20great%20size%20and%20inexpensive%20for%20gift%20giving.%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E2.%20Butter%20Muslin%20is%20used%20in%20cheese-making%20and%20is%20a%20much%20finer%20weave%20than%20regular%20cheesecloth.%20Once%20you%20strain%20it%20you%20can%20wash%20it%20and%20use%20again.%20I%20usually%20strain%20twice%20to%20insure%20I%20get%20rid%20of%20any%20sediment!%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3E6.3%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3Ehttp://www.creative-culinary.com/cranberry-liqueur/%3C/p%3E%3Cp%3EAmanda%20is%20a%20friend%20on%20Twitter%20who%20lives%20in%20Australia%20and%20wanted%20to%20make%20this%20recipe.%20We%20might%20take%20cranberries%20for%20granted%20in%20the%20states;%20the%20majority%20of%20the%20world%20production%20of%20berries%20is%20from%20bogs%20in%20the%20US%20and%20Canada%20so%20typically%20they%20are%20only%20available%20as%20a%20frozen%20product%20in%20Australia.%20%20She%20and%20I%20conferred%20and%20I%20thought%20this%20would%20come%20together%20fine%20with%20frozen%20cranberries.%20Alas,%20seems%20Australia%20is%20suffering%20from%20a%20frozen%20cranberry%20shortage%20(Oh%20NO!!)%20so%20it%20was%20time%20to%20punt.%20She%20made%20her%20batch%20using%20dried%20cranberries%20and%20I%20wanted%20to%20share%20that%20link%20with%20you%20if%20you%20find%20yourself%20in%20her%20shoes.%20For%20a%20version%20using%20dried%20cranberries,%20please%20visit%20Amanda%E2%80%99s%20blog,%20Lambs%20Ear%20and%20Honey%E2%80%A6tell%20her%20Barb%20sent%20you.%20:)%20%20And%20cheers%20Amanda!%3C/p%3E){kind=link}