Cocktails
Christmas Cranberry-Cardamom Gin Sour
Shake 60 ml gin, 45 ml cranberry juice cocktail, 20 ml lemon juice, a quick cardamom-honey syrup and 15 ml aquafaba for a foamy Christmas gin sour. Makes one drink in 12 minutes, about 185 kcal and 16% ABV before ice dilution.
A Christmas Cranberry-Cardamom Gin Sour is a tart, jewel-red holiday cocktail with an aromatic twist: two cracked green cardamom pods steep briefly in honey syrup before the drink is shaken. Gin supplies the botanical base, cranberry juice cocktail gives the ruby color, and lemon keeps the sweetness in check. Unsalted aquafaba (the liquid from canned chickpeas) creates the pale pink foam without raw egg. This is an alcoholic drink for adults.
Includes 5-minute cardamom steep, rapid cooling, shaking and optional garnishing; no cooking required.
Have ingredients already? Find cocktails you can make with My Bar.
WHAT YOU NEED
Ingredients
METHOD
How to make it
- Make the cardamom-honey syrup. Lightly crack 2 green cardamom pods with the back of a spoon. Combine the pods with 1 teaspoon honey and 1 teaspoon hot water in a heat-safe cup. Stir until the honey dissolves, steep for 5 minutes, then strain out and discard the pods. Cool the syrup quickly by setting the cup in a bowl of cold water for 1–2 minutes.
- Chill the glass. If using the optional rim, combine 1 teaspoon sugar and 1/2 teaspoon crushed freeze-dried cranberries on a saucer. Moisten only the outside of the coupe rim with a few drops taken from the measured lemon juice, dip the rim into the mixture, and chill the glass. Set aside the optional four fresh cranberries and rinsed rosemary sprig for garnish.
- Dry-shake for foam. Pour the gin, cranberry juice cocktail, remaining lemon juice, cooled cardamom-honey syrup and 15 ml unsalted aquafaba into the shaker without ice. Seal and shake firmly for about 10 seconds to aerate the aquafaba.
- Shake cold. Open the shaker, add about 1 cup ice cubes, seal again and shake vigorously for 12–15 seconds until thoroughly chilled.
- Strain and garnish. Double-strain into the chilled coupe, discarding the ice. Let the pink foam settle briefly. If desired, rest the cranberry pick across the rim and add the rosemary sprig; remove the pick and rosemary before drinking. Serve immediately.
Recipe notes
Approximately 185 kcal for the measured liquid cocktail, excluding the optional sugar-cranberry rim (about 20 kcal). At 40% gin strength, 60 ml gin contains 24 ml alcohol; divided by roughly 150 ml liquid including aquafaba and syrup gives about 16% ABV before shaking, usually 13–14% after dilution. Use unsalted chickpea liquid and check chickpea allergy. Whole cranberries, rosemary and cocktail pick are decorative only. Not yet physically tested or tasted by the owner.
TASTED THIS RECIPE?
Rate this drink
Something wrong or not matching?
More in this article 4 sections
What does this Christmas gin sour taste like?
The first impression is cranberry and fresh lemon, followed by the resinous botanicals of gin and a soft cardamom finish. Cardamom should be an accent, not a dominant perfume: two pods in a teaspoon-sized honey syrup are enough for one serving. The foam changes the mouthfeel without adding cream or dairy. A sugared rim makes the first sip sweeter, but it is entirely optional.
Can I make the syrup or cranberry mixture ahead?
You can prepare a larger batch of cardamom-honey syrup using the same ratio, cool it promptly and refrigerate in a clean sealed container for up to three days. Keep the cranberry juice and gin chilled separately. For the best foam, add aquafaba and shake each cocktail only when serving. Do not store a pre-shaken foamy sour: it will separate and lose its texture. If you cannot use chickpeas, omit aquafaba and expect less foam; the drink will be slightly stronger before dilution.
How is this different from a cranberry spritz or a tequila sour?
The Christmas Cranberry Rosemary Spritz is a light, bubbly sparkling-wine drink built directly in the glass. This sour instead uses gin, a cardamom infusion, lemon and a two-stage shake to make a cold, foamy cocktail without bubbles. The Christmas Pomegranate-Rosemary Tequila Sour uses tequila and pomegranate for a different fruit and spirit profile. For a matching family table, prepare the completely alcohol-free Chocolate-Strawberry Snowman Shake for Kids with clean, separate equipment.
Calories, ABV and ingredient notes
The measured liquid cocktail is approximately 185 kcal, estimated from 60 ml of 40% ABV gin, 45 ml sweetened cranberry juice cocktail, 20 ml lemon juice, 5 ml honey and 15 ml aquafaba. The optional sugar-cranberry rim adds roughly 20 kcal; decorative cranberries and rosemary are excluded. Before shaking, 24 ml pure alcohol in approximately 150 ml liquid gives about 16% ABV; melting ice typically lowers the served strength to roughly 13–14%, depending on dilution. Use unsalted chickpea liquid, check for chickpea allergy, and never confuse aquafaba with the salty brine from pickled vegetables. This is an editorial recipe and has not been physically tested or tasted by the owner.
Browse the Christmas drinks collection for more seasonal recipes.
Reader comments
Loading comments…