Blizzard Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail
Looking for a unique bourbon drink to enjoy during Thanksgiving, Christmas and other winter holidays? This slightly sweet Blizzard Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail is perfect for the chilly winter months. Makes 1 drink.
Love this bourbon cocktail? Don’t miss Cherry Bourbon Slush, Toasted Pecan Old Fashioned and Kentucky Mule!
For the longest time, I swore up and down that I would never be a whiskey (or bourbon) girl because the smell was off-putting to me.
Because of this mindset, it took me I was 26 to even give whiskey/bourbon a try.
Fittingly so, my first grown-up whiskey drink was at Whiskey Kitchen in Nashville, and I fell head over heels for it.
So when Winston and I were discussing what recipe to kick off The Cocktail Chronicles with, we pretty much came to a unanimous decision to start with a bourbon drink. Then after flipping through the recipes, we decided this one was calling to us. And that was a good thing, y’all.
Why I love this recipe:
The cranberry cocktail is nicely balanced, and no flavor overpowered the others. Additionally, the bourbon wasn’t too strong—a problem I have found with some drinks like this.
Winston echoes my opinion and said the drink, itself, wasn’t fruity or too sweet, which was a plus for him.
It’s refreshing and delicious, and it would make a fantastic party drink since it calls for cranberries as a garnish.
Other bourbon and whiskey cocktails: Irish Mule | Peach Bourbon Slush | Vegan Bourbon Pecan Milk Punch | Sparkling Bourbon Pumpkin Apple Cider Punch | Blueberry Mint Juleps
Looking for a unique cocktail? My cocktail recipe index has some fun ideas just for you!
What do I need to make this bourbon cocktail?
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In addition to these tools, you’ll need the following ingredients to make this bourbon cocktail:
- Simple syrup, either homemade or store-bought
- Bourbon—a good, drinkable one (and not the type that’s the bottom shelf stuff, please)
- Unsweetened cranberry juice—not cranberry cocktail, please and thank you
- Lemon juice—preferably fresh squeezed
- Lemon slices and cranberries, for garnish
How to make this Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail at home
Make The Simple Syrup
Please note that if you’re using storebought simple syrup, you can skip on to the mixing of the drink. 😉 I personally like to make my own simple syrup because it keeps well, and it’s awesome to have for random mixed drink making.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat the water and sugar over medium-high heat. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Do not boil.
When the sugar has completely dissolved into the water, remove from the heat and set aside. Store in a mason jar in the refrigerator until time to use the syrup.
Make The Blizzard
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the bourbon, cranberry juice, lemon juice and simple syrup.
Place the lid on the cocktail shaker, and shake vigorously. I do this until the shaker is almost too cold to hold onto.
Place an ice sphere or whiskey stones into an old fashioned/rocks glass. Pour the drink over the ice cube/whiskey stones.
Garnish with a slice of lemon or a couple of cranberries, and enjoy immediately.
The Cocktail Chronicles
This bourbon cocktail was originally made as a part of the Cocktail Chronicles, a drink series where my husband and I made classic cocktails out of a cocktail book we own and rated them.
Here’s our rating of the Blizzard:
Five cheers! We highly recommend The Blizzard. Not only was this drink delicious, but it was good enough for us to want to sip it again!
Other Cocktail Chronicles drink recipes: Southern Champagne / Bloody Mary / Mustique / Kingston / Rum Sidecar / Tom Collins / Cosmopolitan / Cutty Sark on the Rocks
Now, who’s ready for a cocktail?
Let me show you how easily you can mix one up in the new VIDEO, then scroll down to get the ingredients for yourself!
I promise you, you’re gonna want to do this:
The Blizzard (Cranberry Bourbon Cocktail)
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ oz. bourbon
- 1 ½ oz. unsweetened cranberry juice
- ½ oz. freshly squeezed lemon juice freshly squeezed
- 1 oz. simple syrup
- Lemon slices and cranberries for garnish
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Pour the bourbon, cranberry juice, freshly squeezed lemon juice and simple syrup into the cocktail shaker.
- Place the lid onto the cocktail shaker, and shake vigorously.
- Place spherical ice or whiskey stones in an old fashioned glass.
- Pour the drink over the ice cube/whiskey stones.
- Garnish with a slice of lemon or a couple of cranberries, and enjoy immediately.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The photos and recipe for this Blizzard cocktail were originally published on January 18, 2013. The photographs, along with the text of this blog post, were updated on November 8, 2016. A video was added on October 8, 2017.
About the Author:
Erin Parker is a Southern gal living in Texas with her husband and two daughters. She started The Speckled Palate to share what she was cooking as a newlywed… and over the years, it’s evolved to capture her love for hosting. Specifically, the EASIEST, lowest key entertaining because everyone deserves to see their people and connect over good food. Learn more about her…
Oh, Girl. This looks AWESOME. My husband and I recently started doing the same sort of thing. I got him (me) a book of over 1000 cocktails for Christmas. Our new years resolutions were to start drinking more veggie juice… oh, and to drink our way through the cocktail book. You know, just keeping it balanced. haha. I look forward to ogling your cocktail adventures. We did a whiskey sour last week. I am in love. Whiskey is divine… who knew?
Can I just say that I LOVE that y’all are not only juicing… but that you’re drinking through your own cocktail book? That balancing act… superb job! And I agree: Who knew whiskey was so lovely? Certainly not me. (Glad I’m not the only one who jumped on the whiskey bandwagon a little, uh, late.)
I want one right now even though I’m at work. (Oh who am I kidding, I want one right now precisely because I’m at work!)
Seriously it sounds delish.
I’m doing some writing at home, and I want one, too. At 5 o’clock, let’s both make one to kick off the weekend right!
This cocktail looks great! Love cranberries!
Thanks, Natalie! I love cranberries, too, and they are such a lovely touch in this cocktail!
Yum, great looking cocktail!
Thanks, Kristi! It’s a delicious one, too!
I tried bourbon for the first time this year and I was kind of a baby about it. It burns! You make this drink look pretty and delicious though!
As someone who hardly ever drinks bourbon straight, I can see why you’d kind of be a baby about it. Because it DOES burn. (Though some of the good stuff I have had the opportunity to sip did taste pretty delectable… though that’s another story for another time.)
If you decide to try it again, give this drink a shot. It’s well-balanced, and the bourbon isn’t overpowering. Have a great Sunday, Maria!
Do you use pure tart cranberry juice or cranberry juice that’s already sweetened?
Alisa, just saw your comment. I couldn’t find the pure tart cranberry juice in my grocery store here, so I used the already sweetened juice.
I used cruising – dried cranberries- they plump up, and are better eating than a fresh cranberry!
So happy to hear dried cranberries worked beautifully in this drink, Barb! Enjoy!
I just pinned this! Looks like a drink I could enjoy. My husband loves bourbon and has quite the collection, but I do not enjoy it over ice like he does.
Hey! I just found your blog from Pinterest. This drink looks amazing. I’m definitely a whiskey girl! I can’t wait to try this drink this holiday season. Thanks for sharing!
This is quite yummy! I’ve recently started enjoying whiskey and bourbon as well and this reminds me of a New York Sour, one of my new favorite drinks. I wonder how this would be with lime juice rather than lemon? Cranberry and lime go so well togther…
I totally get that! It does have a strong and unpleasant smell. I love what you did with it here!
I have recently become a whisky fan, if it has the right mixer it can be a great cocktail.
I never liked bourbon until recently. So good, and your recipe is fab! Perfect for the holidays!
The perfect holiday cocktail!! Can’t wait to try it!! Cheers!
This one is going on my MUST TRY list! I’m always up for trying new cocktails!
I’ve been looking for a new holiday cocktail and this looks amazing! Plus I’m loving that gigantic ice cube!
I love the rich color – great pics!
Can this cocktail be batched for a party?
You can definitely batch this cocktail or turn it into a pitcher, Christy!
To make a 6-drink pitcher, here are the measurements:
13 ½ oz. bourbon
9 oz. unsweetened cranberry juice
3 oz. lemon juice, freshly squeezed
6 oz. simple syrup
Just stir them in your pitcher together, and keep cool in the fridge until it’s party time. Serve over ice (instead of adding ice to the pitcher) so that the drink doesn’t get watered down.
Love the site and this cocktail was a huge hit for Thanksgiving. Thank you!
So happy to hear this, Matt! Thank YOU! I hope y’all had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Forget the simple syrup. Up the whiskey to 4oz & the cranberry juice to 2oz. Lemon juice is OK @ 1/2oz. Tighten your seatbelt.
Wow! Glad this worked for you, Jerry. Cheers!