100% juice doesn’t have any added sugar so it’s great for cutting back the sweetness in cranberry drinks.
For a less sweet drink with more apple brandy forward flavor, use 100% cranberry juice instead of a cranberry juice cocktail.
To serve cranberry calvados cocktail cold, simply skip warming it up and pour it straight from the pitcher into a tall glass with ice and garnishes. The drink needs to sit in the fridge for a day to achieve the best flavor.
Just an important reminder! This recipe needs to be made in advance.
Enjoy whatever is left in the bottle dry or over ice! Tips & Tricks As is, the flavor of Calvados is apple and floral forward but there’s no mistaken this stuff is a smooth brandy. The liqueur goes from an apple cider and further ferments into a brandy. Calvados is an apple brandy distilled in Normandy in northern France. If calvados is new to you, here is everything I know about it. My warm cranberry calvados cocktail is the perfect winter drink. Step 9: Ladle into mugs and serve with a few cranberries, a squeeze of lemon juice, apple slices, and a cinnamon stick I wrapped it in a scarf to make it look a little cuter, purely aesthetic reasons. (I actually have two, I use them all the time.) I use it for hot chocolate and coffee to bring to games, hot apple cider for parties, the gingerbread house party. Step 8: I can’t say enough good things about having an airpot. (I had no idea that you are supposed to add boiling water to the airpot before you fill it. Or gently warm on the stove over low heat. Step 7: To serve, add to a slow cooker and warm on a LOW setting. Hence, why I described it as dangerous, because it goes down reallllly easy. Everything marinates and it mellows the alcohol so when you drink it, it isn’t overpowering at all. Step 6: Add Calvados to a pitcher and let mixture chill for 24 hours. Pour into a large pitcher, straining out lemon peel and spices. S tep 1: Add sugar, lemon peel, ginger, cinnamon sticks, and cloves to a large Dutch oven or pot. To garnish: whole cranberries, lemon slices, apple slices, and cinnamon sticks.
Calvados (apple brandy) – is a type of brandy made from apples specifically distilled in Normandy (see below).
Cranberry Juice Cocktail – has quite a bit of added sugar and is indeed super sweet but once it’s combined with the apple brandy, it’s perfect.
Ginger (peeled and sliced), Cinnamon Sticks (broken), and Whole Cloves – infuse the perfect blend of warming spiced flavor.
Lemon Peel – The oils from the lemon peel infuse bright, citrus flavor into the drink.
Sugar – further sweetens the cranberry juice, cutting out any strong brandy flavor.
Keep it warm in an Airpot or slow cooker and let your friends and family help themselves! Ingredients // This tasty brandy and cranberry cocktail will surely impress your guests this holiday season. It doesn’t taste boozy at all thanks to a tip from my sister (more on that later). Within minutes, this warm cranberry calvados cocktail ( aka the Cranberry Cuddle) was born. I envisioned a warm and festive Christmas-y cranberry drink, so I called my sister for her input on getting this drink just right, and let me tell you, she knocked it out of the park. It started with apple cider cocktails and mulled wine (I sampled plenty between Halloween and Thanksgiving) and from there – I wanted to broaden my warm and cozy (and boozy) drink horizons. If you’re looking for something to serve to the grown-ups, this warm apple brandy, and cranberry cocktail is just what you’re looking for. This Cranberry Calvados Cocktail is the best big-batch cocktail to make during the holidays.