Recipe Cranberry Liqueur, with Vodka, Lemon Peel, Clove

Mountain Cat

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I made this one up without reference to any other adult beverages out there. Just seemed right to me.

I use organic coconut/palm sugar (fair trade) - this stuff doesn't interfere with orangutan habitats, as a lot of the palm sugars and other palm resources might do. Also, I find that this sugar doesn't clump into a rock as quickly as even generic white sugar can do (at least in my mostly-sugar seldom-using home). You can indeed use regular, but note this is not as finely granulated as regular sugar, which may play with volumes. (I will be editing this post to reflect actual weights very shortly - I'm making a second batch for a pot luck next weekend, now that I got this down... This will help you adjust your sugar content accordingly.)

liq-serve6 one-.jpg


I do ask you use a decent brand of vodka - this doesn't need (and probably shouldn't be) top shelf, but I remember the brand, "Our House" which tasted like fingernail polish remover to me. Vodka should seriously not taste like acetone smells!

Created for the Cranberry Challenge.

Prep Time: 10 minutes.
Cook Time: 5 minutes.
Rest Time: 5 days!!!
Serves:
Cuisine: American, since cranberries are native here.
Leftovers: Yes.


  • 8 ounces fresh cranberries
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 0.375 cups / 90 mL organic coconut/palm sugar. (Actual weights used will be edited in soonest!)
  • Peel/zest - NOT pith, from one lemon
  • 5 whole cloves.
  • 2 cups vodka of at least a decent type
Add the sugar to a large Mason or Ball canning jar.

Place the cranberries in water into a small cooktop pot. Turn heat to medium, or a little above. Let cranberries come to a simmer, stirring occasionally. When most of them have split their skins (they make a nice, satisfying little "pop", turn off the heat and remove from burner. This should take 5 minutes or less.

If you overcook this, most of the cranberry flavor will be left behind in the water.

Using a slotted spoon, remove the berries to the above jar.

Allow to cool to room temperature.

Add the lemon zest and cloves, and follow up with the vodka. Cap and set aside (room temperature) for 5- 10 days. Shake every other day.

Decant through a sieve to serve, smashing the berries against the sieve with the bottom side of a spoon. Save this in a capped bottle until use. Should keep indefinitely.

Unfortunately, the berries themselves by this point will be devoid of flavor, and are thus now best composted. Once I let most of their alcohol evaporate, the chickens may love this, too.

Setting ingredients into jar, and prior to shaking:

cranberry-bev-1-.jpg


TO SERVE:

  • In a tiny liqueur glass, pour in a small amount of this liqueur as an after-dinner treat (much like you might do an after dinner tasting of Drambuie or some such).
There will be some leftover cranberry-flavored water from the simmering - I'd really like cooking and mixing this in with mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes, if you in the mood to do so.

EDIT: Totally sober, and I still can't spell VODKA!
 
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