If you have leftover cranberry sauce from Thanksgiving, this cranberry red wine reduction for cocktails is the perfect use for it. It’s an easy syrup recipe made with red wine, cranberry sauce, turbinado sugar, cloves, and cinnamon.
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One of the best parts about Thanksgiving are the leftovers. But all the other leftovers run out long before the cranberry sauce does. Instead of tossing out that tart and sweet goodness, try using it in your cocktails.
You can definitely use it as is in a drink. Just sub it in for jam in a Jam Cocktail. Or take it up a notch and make this decadent cranberry red wine reduction. It’s sweet– very sweet– with amazing complexity and warmth to it. It tastes phenomenal with whiskey cocktails and also with gin. You could even use it in place of red wine in a New York Sour for added sweetness.
Ingredients for a Cranberry Red Wine Reduction for Cocktails
How to Make a Cranberry Red Wine Reduction for Cocktails
Add all ingredients to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes until the syrup has reduced. Pour into a small lidded container, using a strainer to strain out the spices and any cranberry pieces. You’ll need to press on the cranberries with the back of a spoon to really squeeze every drop of the reduction out. Let the syrup cool before storing in the fridge. The syrup should keep for about 2 weeks in the fridge.
Cranberry Red Wine Reduction for Cocktails
This cranberry red wine reduction syrup is perfect for using up that leftover cranberry sauce. It's delicious in whiskey cocktails, gin cocktails, and anything else you want to add depth and complexity to.
Add all ingredients to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes until the syrup has reduced.
Pour into a small lidded container, using a strainer to strain out the spices and any cranberry pieces. You'll need to press on the cranberries with the back of a spoon to really squeeze every drop of the reduction out.
Let the syrup cool before storing in the fridge. The syrup should keep for about 2 weeks in the fridge.
Keyword cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, cranberry, cranberry red wine reduction for cocktails, cranberry sauce, red wine, red wine reduction, turbinado
Cinnamon simple syrup is an easy way to add warmth and complexity to a cocktail. Try substituting it for traditional simple syrup in your favorite recipes and see how it subtly transforms an entire drink.
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If you’ve read any of my other simple syrup posts, you’ll know that I prefer to make small batches so that I can use them up before they go bad. Feel free to double this cinnamon simple syrup recipe.
Add all ingredients to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and allow the syrup to cool for 20 minutes. Pour the syrup into a lidded container like a major jar. You can store it with or without the cinnamon stick. Storing it with the cinnamon stick will mean it infuses even more cinnamon flavor as it sits in the refrigerator. Store in the fridge; it should keep for 1-2 weeks.
Cinnamon Simple Syrup
An easy way to add warmth and complexity to cocktails, coffee, and baked goods.
Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat and allow the syrup to cool for 20 minutes.
Pour the syrup into a lidded container like a major jar. You can store it with or without the cinnamon stick. Storing it with the cinnamon stick will mean it infuses even more cinnamon flavor as it sits in the refrigerator.
Store in the fridge; it should keep for 1-2 weeks.
This rosemary sage simple syrup recipe is an easy way to add some herbal warmth to your favorite cocktails. Simply use it in place of traditional simple syrup to put your own fall spin on a classic cocktail.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like!
I mentioned in my last post that one of the easiest ways to put your own twist on a cocktail recipe is to switch out the simple syrup.
Seriously, once you master making your own simple syrups, the sky’s the limit for your cocktail concoctions.
I created this rosemary sage simple syrup specifically to use in the Cowboy Cure-All, but I think it would bring some amazing autumnal warmth to classics like the Gimlet and the Lemon Drop.
When it comes to making simple syrups, I prefer to make it in smaller batches so that I’m able to use it all up before it goes bad. Most simple syrups last 2-4 weeks in the fridge but you can also add a splash of vodka to them to help them last a little longer.
I’ve always got several different simple syrups hanging out in the door of my refrigerator. Jars like these make it easy to store them all.
Add sugar and water to a small saucepan. Heat until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Add the sage and rosemary. Allow the herbs to steep for 15-20 minutes. Once the syrup is cool, pour the syrup into a small, lidded container. You can remove the herbs from the syrup or leave them in for added flavor. The syrup should keep for about 2 weeks in the fridge.
Rosemary Sage Simple Syrup
This rosemary sage simple syrup recipe is an easy way to add some herbal warmth to your favorite cocktails. Simply use it in place of traditional simple syrup to put your own fall spin on a classic cocktail.
This cherry simple syrup is made with cherry pits. It has a delicate, delicious flavor– far from any artificial cherry flavor you might be familiar with. And don’t worry, it’s nontoxic.But more on that later on.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you buy a product via my affiliate link, I will receive a commission. This is at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products I actually like!
When I bought fresh cherries last week, I was only planning on making brandied cherries. But as I started seeing the cherry pits pile up, I knew I couldn’t let them go to waste. I recalled that a friend of mine told me he used cherry pits in his homemade Luxardo cherry recipe. I considered adding the cherry pits to my brandied cherries and then figured I’d try to make a cherry simple syrup instead.
In the back of my mind, I felt like I remembered something about cherry pits being toxic. If that was true, how was my friend able to use them in his recipe? Hmm… A quick Google search helped me sort that out.
Cherry pits, like the pits of other stone fruits such as peaches and plums, contain kernels inside called noyaux. The noyaux contain amygdalin, which turns into cyanide when it’s consumed or digested. This sounds a little scary, huh? The good news is that even if you swallow a few cherry pits on accident, you’re in the clear. This is because the amygdalin-ridden noyaux is safely nestled inside the casing of the pit. The outer shell of the pit is meant to withstand stomach acids. This is so that the precious kernel (where the amygdalin is) is protected even if an animal eats the fruit. The only way to expose the kernel is if you crack the pit open.
So, it is totally safe to use whole cherry pits. As long as you don’t crush, crack, or chew on the pits, no harmful toxins will be released. But, if you accidentally add a cracked cherry pit to the saucepan, it’s fiiine because we’re boiling the syrup anyway.
Yes, it is safe to use the kernel itself if you cook it. Noyaux is used commonly in Europe to flavor ice creams and other various sweet treats. If the noyaux is toasted or boiled prior to use, it renders the amygdalin harmless.
Hopefully, you’re feeling confident that this cherry simple syrup made with cherry pits is indeed safe. Like 100% safe. If you want more information, or if you’re wanting to hear this information from a more certified source, check out Poison.org’s article.
Now that I’ve cleared the air about cherry pits being poisonous, we can move on to talking about the cherry simple syrup.
Pitting cherries is a pain in the B-U-T-T so to make this chore easier, I invested in a cherry pitter. I loooove this one because it has a built-in splatter shield. It made the process a lot cleaner. If you’re gonna be pitting a whole bag of cherries, be kind to yourself and invest in a cherry pitter.
The great thing about using the cherry pits to flavor the syrup is that they impart a delicate almond flavor. Bits of the fruit flesh will cling to the pit and will flavor the syrup as well.
When I was making the syrup, I noticed that the syrup color was more brown than red so I threw in 3 or 4 cherries. This created the gorgeous maroon color like you see in the photos.
Wondering how you can use this cherry pit simple syrup? You can add some to your iced tea, use it in baking, drizzle it over some pancakes or waffles, make a mocktail with Sprite or sparkling water, or of course, in a cocktail. This would go beautifully in an Old Fashioned. I also think it would make an interesting Cherry Gimlet.
Let me know in a comment below how you plan on using this cherry simple syrup.
Ingredients to Make Cherry Simple Syrup Made with Cherry Pits
1/2 cup cherry pits (this will come from about 3 cups or 1 pound of fresh cherries)
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
3 cherries (optional)
1/4 oz brandy (optional– to preserve it)
How to Make Cherry Simple Syrup Made with Cherry Pits
Add the cherry pits, sugar, water, and cherries to a small saucepan. Simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain the contents into a mason jar or other sealable container. Add the splash of brandy and allow the syrup to cool before placing the lid on. Store in the fridge for 1-2 months.
If it begins to look cloudy, toss it. You can also freeze some of the syrup. Just keep in mind it may not freeze all the way due to the high sugar content and the small amount of brandy.
½cupcherry pits(from ~3 cups or 1 lb. fresh cherries)
1cupsugar
1cupwater
3fresh cherries(for added color)
¼ozbrandy or vodka – optional(to preserve)
Instructions
Add the cherry pits, sugar, water, and cherries to a small saucepan.
Simmer for 5-10 minutes, stirring ocassionally.
Remove from heat and strain the pits and cherries out. Pour into a mason jar or other sealable container.
Add the splash of brandy and allow the syrup to cool before placing the lid on. Store in the fridge for 1-2 months.
Notes
Should last 1-2 months in the fridge. If it begins to look cloudy, toss it. You can also freeze some of the syrup. Just keep in mind it may not freeze all the way due to the high sugar content and the small amount of brandy.
Perhaps you’ve seen Demerara syrup in a cocktail recipe floating around Pinterest or Instagram, or maybe this is the first time your eyes have ever read this word. If you’re like me, you have to stare at it for a second and sound it out real slow, syllable by syllable. And in case you ever plan on saying this ingredient out loud, it’s pronounced deh-mer-are-uh. I’m kinda known for mispronouncing words so I make sure I Google things now.
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Thankfully I never said the ingredient orgeat out loud before I learned how to say it correctly. In my head I pronounced it as “or-geet” with a hard G. Turns out it’s pronounced “or-zhjaht”. Or just listen to it here. Now you know why I’m afraid of doing any live videos on my Instagram or Facebook page. 😅
Compared to orgeat, Demerara is a breeze to say. It’s also really fun. Demerara. Oh darling, I just made the most amazing cocktail with Demerara and a dash of rosewater. Feels fancy, right?
And I guess Demerara syrup kind of is fancy. At least in the world of simple syrup. Demerara is a simple syrup made using, you guessed it, Demerara sugar instead of white sugar.
Demerara sugar is large-grain cane sugar that is either unrefined or partially refined so that it still retains some of the molasses. It’s got a delicious toffee flavor and a dark color when it’s melted down into a syrup.
Alternatives for Demerara Sugar
I used turbinado sugar, which is slightly different than Demerara sugar (most turbinado sugar has finer grains and is less sticky) but the Dulce Caña brand at Aldi has large grains and is pretty sticky. I think this brand is a great affordable alternative to true Demerara sugar as it tastes the same. If you want to be authentic though, you can snag this bag of Jamaican Choice Demerara Sugar on Amazon.
You can also use cane sugar or a mixture of half white sugar, half brown sugar. I’ve made the latter and used it in drinks and it was divine.
As I’ve mentioned in my other simple syrup recipe posts, I prefer making small batches of syrup so that I can use it all up before it goes bad. It should keep for about a month in the fridge. When it doubt, toss it and make a new batch. It’s too easy, after all!
Ingredients for Demerara Syrup
1/4 cup Demerara Sugar (or 1/8 cup brown, 1/8 cup white sugar)
1/4 cup water
How to Make Demerara Syrup
Add the sugar and the water to a small saucepan. Heat until the sugar grains are thoroughly dissolved. Pour into a small container. Allow to cool completely before putting a lid on it and sticking it in the fridge.
Heat until the sugar grains are thoroughly dissolved.
Allow it to cool before using and/or pouring into a lidded container. Store in the refrigerator.
Notes
To get a similar flavor to Demerara, you can use a rich Turbinado sugar like Dulce Caña brand or you can use 1/8 cup brown sugar and 1/8 cup white sugar.
