Cranberry Blood-Orange Spritz Recipe (With Video)

Prep Time:

10 mins

Cook Time:

5 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 15 mins

Servings:

8

Our vodka spritz recipe gets its tangy flavor and gorgeous color from an easy, homemade cranberry and blood orange syrup. Since it makes one large batch and the syrup can be prepared ahead of time, it is an ideal option for entertaining. You can use fresh or frozen cranberries for the syrup. Try to seek out a blood orange if you can, as its ruby color and floral flavor shine in this recipe, but don't hesitate to swap in a naval orange in its place—it'll still be delicious. To make this recipe non-alcoholic, simply swap in unflavored seltzer water for the vodka.

Cranberry blood orange spritzer — Louise Hagger

What Makes a Drink a Spritz?

A spritz always includes a carbonated ingredient such as prosecco, seltzer water, or ginger beer. It can be made with a variety of liquors, from the vodka used in this recipe to the pleasantly bitter Aperol in an Aperol spritz. Many spritzes tend to be lower in alcohol, though that isn't always the case. They can even be non-alcoholic when made with fruit shrubs or flavored syrups instead of liquor.

Make Ahead

The cranberry blood-orange syrup can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to one week. Remove the orange slices before refrigerating to keep the syrup from becoming overly bitter.

Directions

Make cranberry blood-orange syrup; chill:

Stir together sugar, cranberries, orange slices, and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium-high, stirring occasionally, until cranberries just start to burst, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool completely. Remove orange slices; discard. Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour and up to 1 week.
Assemble batched cocktail:

In a pitcher, combine syrup, vodka, lime juice, and ginger beer. Serve over crushed ice with mint and fresh orange slices.

More Uses for Cranberry Blood-Orange Syrup

The uses for this sweet-tart syrup go way beyond our vodka spritz. Try using it to sweeten hot or iced tea, add it to lemonade, brush it onto cakes, or drizzle it over pancakes or ice cream. You can also simply add it to seltzer water to make an easy and all-natural homemade soda.