Edible Gifts: Homemade Cocktail Mixers

Edible Gifts: Homemade Cocktail Mixers Recipe
Homemade Cocktail Mixers

by Rebekah Pepler

Homemade Cocktail Mixers: Cranberry Clove and Clementine-Brown Sugar Old-Fashioned

What happens when you combine the flavors of roasted cranberries with fragrant cloves and rich brown sugar with clementines? A festive homemade gift to inspire the cocktail lover in your life.

These holiday inspired cocktail mixers are fun, flavorful, a bit unexpected and begging for a chance to toast "Salud!" with loved ones. The technique to make them is simple and can be easily adapted to personal taste by swapping out any of the spices, citrus and fruits. Merely boil together equal parts water and sugar, add your chosen flavorings and steep for at least one hour and up to one day. Pour into pretty glassware and store for up to one month in the fridge.

We love to combine the Roasted Cranberry-Clove Mixer with champagne and a few whole cranberries for a festive toast during the holiday season. On the other hand, the Clementine-Brown Sugar Mixer is practically begging for a splash of bourbon, a low ball glass and a cozy night by the fire. Package these jewel-toned mixers along with a few handwritten cocktail recipes and you have the makings of a splendid holiday gift.

Roasted Cranberry-Clove Mixer

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 15 minutes

Yield: Makes 1 cup

Roasted Cranberry-Clove Mixer Ingredients

1 cup granulated white sugar

1 cup water

3/4 cup cranberries

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Roasted Cranberry-Clove Mixer Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425 F.

Sprinkle the cranberries with cloves and roast for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the sugar and water in a saucepan set over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves completely.

Remove from heat.

Combine the clove roasted cranberries with the sugar-water mixture and allow to steep for at least 1 hour.

Strain and pour into canisters.

Clementine-Brown Sugar Mixer

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 10 minutes

Yield: Makes 1 cup

Clementine-Brown Sugar Mixer Ingredients

1 cup light brown sugar

1 cup water

1 clementine, peeled and pith removed

Juice of 1/2 clementine

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Clementine-Brown Sugar Mixer Instructions

Combine the sugar and water in a saucepan set over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves completely.

Remove from heat.

Add the clementine peels and allow to steep for at least 1 hour. Stir in juice and vanilla extract.

Clementine-Brown Sugar Old-Fashioned Cocktail

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Yield: Makes 1 Cocktail

Clementine-Brown Sugar Old-Fashioned Cocktail Ingredients

1 ounce clementine-brown sugar mixer

Dash of Angostura Bitters

2 ounces bourbon whiskey

Clementine peel; for garnish

Clementine-Brown Sugar Old-Fashioned Cocktail Instructions

Combine Clementine-brown sugar mixer and angostura bitters in a rocks glass.

Fill halfway with ice and stir.

Pour in bourbon whiskey. Top with more ice and stir to combine.

Garnish with a Clementine peel.

Roasted Cranberry-Clove Champagne Cocktail

Prep Time: 2 minutes

Yield: Makes 1 Cocktail

Roasted Cranberry-Clove Champagne Cocktail Ingredients

1 1/2 ounces cranberry-clove mixer

Champagne or sparking wine

Whole cranberries; frozen

Roasted Cranberry-Clove Champagne Cocktail Instructions

Pour the cranberry-clover mixer into a champagne flute and top with champagne or sparkling wine.

Garnish with cranberries.

Rebekah Pepler is a writer for TheKitchn.com, a nationally known blog for people who love food and home cooking

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Homemade Cocktail Mixers - Edible Gifts

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