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This festive Cranberry Shrub combines sweet and tart notes with vibrant orange for unexpectedly delicious flavor. Just add sparkling water to create a refreshing holiday beverage everyone will love.
Cold processed shrubs like this one take about a week to make, so plan ahead. You won’t regret it!
Pair your shrub with appetizers like my Bacon Wrapped Dates or Cranberry Sauce Meatballs.
I absolutely love this Cranberry Shrub during the holiday season because it’s one of those drinks that surprises your guests. It’s got this bright, punchy, sweet flavor with hints of orange that is so addicting and unexpected. Pair that with bubbly sparkling water and you have the perfect drink.
A lot of shrub recipes out there are hot processed, which means they’re made on the stove. This one is unique because it’s cold processed in the refrigerator. Cold processing really allows flavors to build but mellow out over time. It is the simplest method, but does require some patience which I guarantee is worth it!
If you’re loving the sound of this, try making my Pear Shrub too.
Cranberry Shrub Ingredients
Here’s everything you will need to make the shrub base and a drink. I did include a couple important notes, so keep reading.
- Cranberries: Make sure they’re fresh and clean. You’ll also want to roughly chop them so they infuse the most cranberry flavor.
- Apple Cider Vinegar: You’ll want to choose a brand that includes the “mother” or your shrub can be lacking in flavor and tanginess. I use Aldi’s because it has wonderful flavor, comes in a glass bottle, and has the mother.
- Granulated Sugar: Don’t leave this out, it’s essential for balancing the flavors and helps speed up the fermentation process.
- Orange Zest: Before zesting your orange, make sure it’s clean and dry. Also make sure you avoid the white pith as you zest, it’s very bitter.
- Something Bubbly: This is to mix with the shrub once it’s finished. I like plain sparkling water, but you can also use tonic water or club soda. You could even go with options that are complementing in flavor.
How to Make a Cranberry Shrub
1. Mix and Refrigerate. In a large jar, add the chopped cranberries, granulated sugar, apple cider vinegar, and orange zest. Give it a stir and seal with a clean lid and ring. Refrigerate for 7 days, stirring gently once a day.
2. Strain and Store. After the time has passed, strain the shrub away from the chopped cranberries. Place the shrub in another jar or airtight bottle and store in the refrigerator for up to three months.
3. Pour Yourself a Drink! Combine 3 tablespoons of cranberry shrub with 4 ounces of sparkling water. Garnish with dried orange slice and a sprig of rosemary, like I do.
Find the complete recipe instructions with measurements below.
Holiday Serving Tips
Plan to prep your cranberry shrub ahead of time. Don’t forget this recipe takes a week for the flavors to fully develop, so you’ll want to plan accordingly.
Set up a self-serve station. Have drink glasses set out with pre-measured amounts of the cranberry shrub. Next to it have an array of mixer options like neutral and flavored sparkling waters, ginger ale, or even champagne. Your guests will appreciate the options.
Make it festive with garnishes. Give this shrub a beautiful holiday presentation with dried orange slices, sprigs of fresh rosemary, sugared cranberries, or dried spices like cinnamon, and star anise.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s)
More Cranberry Holiday Recipe To Try
Cranberries are the epitome of fall and winter. But here are a few holiday inspired cranberry recipes we love.
Cranberry Shrub
EQUIPMENT
- jar - 24 ounce
- fine mesh strainer
- jar - or bottle, 16 ounce
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups cranberries - fresh, roughly chopped
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
- 4 ounces plain sparkling water - tonic water or club soda
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a large jar, combine the chopped cranberries, granulated sugar, apple cider vinegar, and orange zest. Seal the jar with a clean ring and lid, place in the refrigerator for 7 days. Gently stir once a day to help the sugar dissolve and flavors to meld together.
- After 7 days, use a fine-mesh strainer to separate the shrub from the solids. Transfer the shrub into a clean jar or bottle and refrigerate for up to 3 months.
- When ready to serve, combine 3 tablespoons of cranberry shrub with 4 ounces of plain sparkling water. Stir gently and taste test. Add more shrub to make it stronger and more sparkling water to make it lighter.
Metric conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this information.
