I’ve never been a big fan of cocktails due to how sweet most of them are made. The only thing worse than a hangover is an alcohol and sugar hangover, don’t you think? I’ve had a few bad experiences in my younger years drinking those cheap, 2-litre bottles of sickly sweet coolers. The thought of drinking something so sugary now makes me a bit queasy. Since I’ve become more sensible in my years (or at least my mom says so), I now enjoy coming up with cocktail recipes that aren’t loaded with sugar and other junk. My go-to drink is usually a vodka soda with lime and sometimes a splash of cranberry juice. Simple, yet flavourful. It just lights up a room!
All without a lick of food dye. Best of all, it takes seconds to throw together. Thankfully, you don’t have to make a simple syrup for this cocktail, so you can get back to the party and out of the kitchen. If you’re like me and you usually leave the drinks to the last minute, you’ll appreciate how easy this comes together without anyone being the wiser.
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Sparkling Cranberry Lime Cocktail
Yield
1 (16-ounce) glass
Prep time
Cook time
0 minutes
Total time
Festive, low in sugar, and super quick to throw together, this is a great last-minute holiday drink option for a party! Often referred to as a "Cape Codder", this mix of cranberry + lime + vodka is sure to please the folks who aren't crazy about sweet drinks. I love adding club soda instead of using all cranberry juice to give it a bit more bite and a pretty sparkle. The recipe below makes one large (16-ounce) glass, so feel free to increase the servings as you see fit. This cocktail comes in at under 100 calories and just 6 grams of sugar (or, if you omit the agave, only 3.5 grams of sugar).
Ingredients
- 1 ounce vodka (about 2 tablespoons)
- handful fresh cranberries (or thaw frozen)
- 2-3 lime slices
- ice
- 1/4 cup 100% pure unsweetened cranberry juice
- 1 cup club soda
- Agave nectar or other liquid sweetener, to taste (I use 1 teaspoon agave)
Directions
- Add the vodka into a 16-ounce tall glass. Now add a handful of cranberries and a couple lime slices. Add the ice on top.
- Pour in the cranberry juice followed by the club soda.
- Add a squeeze of lime juice (if desired) and agave to taste. Stir to combine.
- Enjoy immediately!
Tip:
Note: 1) For a mocktail, simply omit the vodka and add a couple extra tbsp of cranberry juice. 2) For a fun variation, try pomegranate juice + arils instead of cranberry juice and cranberries.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)
Our first snowfall of the season arrived just in time for my photo shoot earlier this week. What luck. Mind you, I almost bailed on the wet snow while desperately clutching my camera for dear life, but that serves me right for going on the deck in my slippers. I’ll never learn.
Have a great weekend!
This is such a fun recipe! I usually end up making a juice for my holiday cocktails. My favorite is really similar, I juice cranberries,apples and a little but of lemon and mix it with a splash of club soda. I also like to make a green juice with spinach, pears, lemon and ginger and mix it club soda. That way I can serve a festive red and green drink!
I tend to stick to soda water with ice and a slice so it looks like an alcoholic drink (I’m not a big drinker). I’d try this, but I can’t find 100% unsweetened cranberry juice for love nor money, it’s all got sugar and or water added :-(
I find it in the natural food section of Superstore and Sobeys. I live in New Brunswick, which is the land of lack of choices and natural foods! It is expensive, mind you! I now make my own in my juicer…so much easier and cheaper! :-)
Yes I find it in the natural section too or other natural food grocers. It’s expensive, but a little bit goes a LONG way! Feel free to make it in a juicer like Maura does and I imagine you could make it in a Vitamix too and then strain it through a sieve. :)
Emily – you can buy Biona pure organic cranberry juice in the UK. You can get it in some health food shops or online from sites like Vit Shop or Goodness Direct
Looks delicious! I rarely drink but hate standing around empty handed at Holiday parties. This is perfect!
Angela – Your slipper ventures were worth it! I love how the cranberries are reflected in the glass in the last pic!
And…YUMMMM!
hah thanks!! Eric and my mom both commented on that to me too. :)
perfect pictures! makes me want one now (and it’s 9:30 am!)
I love cranberry juice, especially in a cocktail! I agree a sugar and alcohol hangover is the worst especially from those oh to sweet coolers.. Remember your boots for the next shoot in the snow :)
I switched to gin and tonic for exactly the reasons you’ve named here — everything else just had too much sugar. Awful, awful hangovers. I’ll have to try this cocktail as well this season!
Hi Kate,
Sorry, not meaning to burst your bubble, but tonic water actually has quite a bit of sugar in it…. one can has 33 grams of sugar, compared to 42 in a can of Coke. I LOVE gin & tonic as well, and I remember being blown away when I found out just how sugary a seemingly water-like drink actually is…. it just doesn’t seem fair!
WOW. Well, thanks! Now I’ll know better…that will teach me to do my research before spouting off, I guess :) Probably my hangovers ended due to a combination of the clear liquor and the fact that I don’t like gin and tonics as much as what I was drinking before, so I drank fewer of them.
I love the cranberry/lime combination and the fact that you don’t need a simple sugar for this, because I’m too lazy to make one and I’d rather be enjoying time with my friends :) I also like that it can easily be made non-alcoholic for those who can’t/don’t drink! Everybody wins!
Love it! Holiday cocktails are the best! Great pictures too :)
This is so pretty and perfectly festive. I know what you mean about sugary cocktails – I used to love them in my university days, but I just can’t stand them now.
I had the PERFECT Cosmo on a cruise last year – it was so bright and fresh – the bartender actually juiced the lime fresh, as well as the cranberry juice (I watched, it was amazing) and then shook the juices with the liquors. It was brilliantly pink and tart. Siiiigh.
Oh, I pre-ordered your book :) So excited to receive it in the mail next year.
that sounds lovely! Making fresh cranberry juice is an option here too – just adds a couple more steps and more clean up, I suppose.
Thanks for your pre-order Jennie!
Ooooo! That makes my lips pucker just thinking about it! Sounds really tart and delicious! I like cocktails that make me feel like I’m being *almost* healthy. ;-)
Yum! I love vodka and cranberry together.
This looks sooo delicious! I have printed the recipe and totally bringing it to Christmas dinners!
Thanks for always having such awesome recipes :)
I make a similar cocktail but use ginger ale in place of soda!
I think unsweetened pomegranate juice would make for a promising substitute if you can’t find cranberry!
I haven’t drank in over a year and half now…but this looks gorgeous!!! I think it might be time!
I have been an admirer of your blog for over 2 years now. Your pictures are beautiful, and todays picture is just so perfect and clean looking that I felt I had to leave a comment just to let you know. Btw I have made alot of your recipes and my husvand loves them, especially your protein bars, he is obsessed with them. Thank you for your beautiful blog and great recipes. :)
Hi Monica, Aw, thank you! That means a lot to me :) Thanks so much for reading and trying out the recipes :) Sounds like your husband and mine would get along real well (he also loves the bars I make).
What a great twist on an old classic. Would love one right now.
Stunning photography and you’re making me very thirsty! And you’re so right…hangovers with a sugary detour are even worse than just your standard hangover! lol
Love that you made this without even a drop of food coloring. Nature’s got the best colors, doesn’t she! pinned
This looks wonderful, I want one now too! Thanks!