Christmas in Cape Cod is a holiday cocktail recipe that’s a take on an old classic– the Cape Codder. It’s a delicious cocktail to make with vodka, cranberry juice, a cranberry red wine reduction syrup, and lime juice. See the mocktail version to learn how to make this recipe alcohol-free.

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We’re well into the holiday season and I’ve yet to make a Christmas-y drink. I know. I’ve been wasting precious days. But I’m gonna try to make up for it. While a Cape Codder is not traditionally a holiday cocktail recipe, adding some cranberry red wine reduction syrup gives it that feel.

I’d been looking for ways to use up the last 1/2 oz of my cranberry red wine reduction syrup for several days before I thought of this Christmas in Cape Cod idea. The syrup is so good, y’all. So good. It was fantastic in The Bride Wore Red and in this mocktail recipe. But I wanted to really highlight the cranberry flavor in the syrup. There’s no more classic cranberry cocktail recipe than a Cape Codder.

The Cape Codder was also previously called the Red Devil. Apparently, the name change came about in the 60s because Cape Cod, Massachusetts is pretty well-known for its cranberries. My Instagram friend, @risajamesphotography, has a better theory. She said her guess is that’s because the drink was created during the Cold War, and Red Devil had too much of a Communist slant to it. I can’t help but think there could be some truth in that, too!

Risa is also the reason I served this cocktail in the glassware that I did. She told me that she loved my peacock glasses so much that she’d plan recipes around them. And then she proceeded to send me the link to a Cape Codder recipe saying “Make this drink in the peacock glass!” Well Risa, done & done. Thanks for the suggestion!

If you want to make a traditional Cape Codder, just leave out the lemon-lime soda and the cranberry red wine reduction syrup.

I also made a mocktail version of this. I’ve included both recipes below.

Ingredients for a Christmas in Cape Cod – Mocktail Version

• 2 oz cranberry juice
• 1/2 oz lime juice
• 2 heaping bar spoons of cranberry sauce
• 2+ oz lime sparkling water

How to Make a Christmas in Cape Cod – Mocktail Version

Add the cranberry juice, cranberry sauce, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, about 20 seconds. Strain into a highball glass that’s filled with ice. Top off the glass with the lime sparkling water.

Ingredients for a Christmas in Cape Cod

• 2 oz vodka
• 3 oz cranberry juice
• 1/2 oz lime juice
• 1/4 oz cranberry red wine reduction syrup (or 2 heaping bar spoons of cranberry sauce)

How to Make a Christmas in Cape Cod

Add the vodka, cranberry juice, cranberry red wine reduction syrup, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well, about 20 seconds. Strain into a highball glass that’s filled with ice.