Food and Recipes Fruits Berries Cranberry Boozy Cranberries Be the first to rate & review! A seasonal garnish that might be better than the drink itself. By Marianne Williams Marianne Williams Marianne Williams is a recipe tester and developer who has been working in the Dotdash Meredith test kitchens since 2016. Her recipes are featured in Food & Wine, Southern Living, Real Simple, Rachael Ray, Health, Cooking Light, and in various other publications and digital platforms. Southern Living's editorial guidelines Published on December 13, 2023 Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen Recipe tested by Southern Living Test Kitchen The Southern Living Test Kitchen has been publishing recipes since 1970, four years after the first issue of Southern Living Magazine appeared on newsstands. The Southern Living Test Kitchen team includes a team of professionals with deep expertise in recipe development, from pastry chefs and grilling experts to nutritionists and dietitians. Together, the team tests and retests, produces, styles, and photographs thousands of recipes each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen facility located in Birmingham, Alabama. Learn more about the Southern Living Test Kitchen Rate PRINT Share Close Photo: Antonis Achilleos; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen; Food Stylist: Torie Cox Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 1 hr Yield: 1 cup Super bourbon-forward, these boozy cranberries are dangerously delicious. They're also the ultimate holiday cocktail garnish. Warmly-spiced simple syrup gets absorbed by dried cranberries, which plump up but maintain a bit of their signature chew. An orange peel in the syrup mixture adds a slight sweetness and a little bit of tang to reinforce the tart cranberries. Pro tip: It’s important to let the cranberries soak while the syrup is hot in order for them to properly plump and soften. You can use these boozy cranberries in old-fashioneds or any bourbon-based cocktail, and they’ll also last for months in the fridge. They would make a great gift for bourbon drinkers, too. Ingredients 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 1/3 cup water 3 (3- x 1-in.) orange peel strips plus 2 Tbsp. fresh juice (from 1 medium orange) 1 (3-in.) cinnamon stick 3 whole cloves 1/4 tsp. kosher salt 1 cup dried cranberries 1/4 cup bourbon Directions Stir together brown sugar, water, orange peel strips, juice, cinnamon stick, cloves, and salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, until sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, and add cranberries. Simmer over medium to medium-low, stirring occasionally, until cranberries start to soften, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in bourbon. Let stand, uncovered, 45 minutes. Transfer to a jar or resealable container. Store, covered, in refrigerator up to 1 month. Rate It Print