As traditional Christmas drinks go, this Christmas spiced cordial is up there as one of my favourites. We make it every year and it is always a hit at parties. It lends itself especially well to mocktails, so if you have a guest coming who would like a soft drink option or if you fancy a night off the sauce yourself but still want the evening to feel like an event, this spiced cordial recipe is a winner.
Made from Cranberries, orange and ginger, this Christmas spiced cordial for mocktails is delicious and easy and the best thing is that it freezes well so you can pop it in Tupperware and then scoop it out whenever needed. I mix it with ginger ale the most, but it also makes a great festive addition to a gin and tonic or a drizzled in some non-alcoholic champagne is delicious.
All you will need is a saucepan and a sieve, it is a very simple cordial recipe and because it freezes so well you can make it in advance to save time. Who has the time to be faffing around making spiced cordial on the day of a Christmas party? Not me. Throughout the festive season, I love to drink traditional Christmas drinks in the cold and dark evenings after I finish working, so having a Tupperware full of this Christmas spiced cordial in the freezer means I never have to worry about it. And if guests come over for party food, you have the cocktails sorted!
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this easy spiced cordial.
- Cranberries (fresh or frozen)
- Orange zest
- Ginger root
- White granulated sugar
- Water
- Cinnamon stick
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Zest your orange and slice the ginger root into small pieces. You do not need to peel the ginger as we are straining out the fruit and the skin of ginger root contains a lot of nutrition and flavour.
Place the cranberries and the water in a pan and bring to a boil. Cook for a few minutes until the berries begin to burst, then use a potato masher to crush them.
Remove from the heat and add the orange zest and ginger and a stick of cinnamon, then leave to combine for 2 hours.⠀
Now add the sugar and heat the mixture again until it is all dissolved.⠀
Strain the Christmas spiced cordial through a fine mesh sieve or muslin cloth.
Serve straight away or freeze in an airtight container to use as needed.
Storage
You can freeze and store this spiced cordial in an airtight container for up to a month.
Either is fine!
This is up to you, but as the cranberry taste is quite sharp, I believe sugar is necessary to make this cordial more palatable.
Yes, you can use half a teaspoon of ground cinnamon instead.
📖 Recipe
Christmas Spiced Cordial
Ingredients
- 700 grams Cranberries
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- 25 grams ginger root
- 350 grams white caster sugar
- 380 ml water
Instructions
- Zest the orange and slice the ginger root into small pieces. You do not need to peel the ginger as we are straining out the fruit and the skin of ginger root contains a lot of nutrition and flavour.
- Place the cranberries and the water in a pan and bring to a boil. Cook for a few minutes until the berries begin to burst, then use a potato masher to crush them.
- Remove from the heat and add the orange zest and ginger, then leave to combine for 2 hours.⠀
- Add the sugar and heat the mixture again until it is all dissolved.
- Strain over a bowl using a muslin cloth or sieve (but don't push the mixture through too much so that it stays clear.
- Serve straight away or freeze in an airtight container to use as needed.
Lizzie says
This worked so well for my party where my pregnant friend was there - she didn't feel left out at all and felt like she was having a cocktail with the rest of us!
Rowland says
The sober drivers at my party loved this - thank you for the recipe!