Cranberry Cinnamon Whiskey Sour

Now Milton, let's not be greedy. Share it!

This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. Please read full disclosure for more information. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Get ready for fall with this simple delicious Cranberry Cinnamon Whiskey Sour that is both sweet and tart with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon spice. If you like Whiskey Sours, then you will love this fall whiskey cocktail.

When it comes to spirits, Whiskey is hands down my favorite. On its own, it is rich, full-bodied, and complex. Mixed into a cocktail it adds a delightful smoky backdrop that does not go unnoticed. If you were not a Whiskey drinker before, this Cranberry Cinnamon Whiskey Sour may just make you a believer. And If you like sours, be sure to try my Spiced Pomegranate Rum Sour, a fantastic fall cocktail to serve to your guests.

Which Whiskey is best for a fall Whiskey Sour?

While I could go into great detail about different brands, styles, and aging techniques my personal recommendation for mixed Whiskey drinks is to use your least expensive one. Something you like but won’t feel bad that you are losing the nuanced flavors you paid so much for. Some options you might try are Bulleit Rye or Jim Beam Bourbon, which is a great budget option.

What is a Sour?

A Sour is a mixed drink that consists of a base spirit, citrus juice, and a sweetener. The classic Whiskey Sour is a very popular drink, and this Cranberry Cinnamon Whiskey Sour does not fall too far from that tree. Now just imagine that tree is gracing an autumn landscape in New England with cranberry bogs in the distance and the smell of sweet cinnamon wafting from a nearby kitchen. Is your mouth watering yet?

While this fall Whiskey cocktail only requires 4 ingredients, there is one ingredient you need that I recommend you make from scratch: cinnamon vanilla syrup. It is wonderfully easy to make and tastes so much better than commercial syrup with preservatives or artificial flavors. Plus you can make a big batch and store it in the fridge for many more cocktails.

The cranberry juice is also an important ingredient. To get the most out of this flavor it needs to be pure cranberry (not cranberry juice cocktail) and ideally unsweetened.

Ingredients you will need for a Cranberry Cinnamon Whiskey Sour:

• Whiskey
• Cranberry Juice. This recipe uses unsweetened cranberry juice. If don’t have it or you can’t find it in your store you can use sweetened cranberry juice, just be sure to reduce the syrup by half so your cocktail remains balanced.
• Lemon Juice. Fresh squeezed is always preferred, but in a pinch bottled lemon juice will work too. I like Santa Cruz Pure Lemon juice that is not from concentrate.
• Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup. Recipe below.
• Cinnamon. This is the garnish on top which also serves to prepare your senses for what is about to come.

Tools you will need:

• Boston Shaker or Cobbler Shaker. I highly recommend the Yeti Rambler. If you know Yeti products you know this is high-quality. It’s great for making 1-2 cocktails at a time and has a phenomenal seal (a lot of cobbler shakers tend to leak).
• Measuring Jigger
• Cocktail Strainer. You don’t need this if using a cobbler shaker like the Yeti Rambler.
• Your favorite double old-fashioned or rocks glass. The smoked Buchanan glass from CB2 is one of my favorites and I love that you can stack them for easy storage.

How to make a Cranberry Cinnamon Whiskey Sour:

1. Add the whiskey, cranberry juice, lemon juice and cinnamon vanilla simple syrup to your mixing glass.
2. Fill with ice and shake vigorously.
3. Strain over fresh ice in your glass.
4. Garnish with cinnamon.

How to make the Cinnamon Vanilla Syrup:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4-6 cinnamon sticks

Instructions:

1. Add the water and sugar to a small saucepan. Bring the water to a boil and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Add 4-6 cinnamon sticks. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat then cover with a lid and let sit for a minimum of one hour before you use it. The longer you let it sit the more flavor you will get from the cinnamon.
4. Next, add the vanilla extract and stir to combine.
5. Transfer to a syrup bottle with a tight seal.
6. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Notes:  

• You can remove the cinnamon sticks if you want, but I prefer to leave them in so they continue to marinade and add more cinnamon flavor.
• The quality of vanilla extract you use will make a difference in flavor. Use the best quality you can find.

Can I substitute the Cranberry Juice?

If you need a cocktail to woo your guests asap, but don’t have the cranberry juice there are other options that will work. Luckily when it comes to mixing drinks just about anything is possible…just know that the end results will be different than my recipe. Below are some acceptable substitutions that I will endorse and they will still make a ridiculously good fall whiskey sour.

• Pomegranate Juice. This is sweeter so you might want to reduce the syrup by half.
• Cherry Juice. Tart cherry juice is perfect, but if using a sweeter version reduce the syrup to keep it balanced.
• Apple Juice. Again this is sweeter, so reduce the syrup by half.

More must-try Bourbon cocktails:

• Sweet Strawberry Bourbon Cocktail
• The Old Man’s Christmas Whiskey Cocktail
• Delicious Cranberry Old Fashioned
• Apple Cinnamon Bourbon Sour

Now Milton, let's not be greedy. Share it!