Cranberry Elderflower Cocktail with Apple, Orange & More

That Christmas Spirit

This has been a tough year, no doubt. Without the festive holiday parties and fun family gatherings, it may be a bit harder getting into that Christmas spirit.

If you’re anything like me though, you are hanging tough and you’re not going to give up without a fight. The tree is up, carols are playing, and I’m reminded of what is really important this Christmas—to be grateful for the health and safety of myself and my loved ones.

While you might not be able to share this cocktail with your extended friends and family this holiday season, it does make sitting on the couch watching your favorite Christmas movies a little extra special. I hope it brings a bit of sparkle to your holidays at home!

Why We Think This Is The Best Holiday Cocktail

No added sugar. This recipe uses cold-pressed juice from cranberry, apple, orange, pear, lemon and fennel, completely balancing out the tart and sweet flavors. The St Germain elderflower liqueur does contain 11g of sugar per ounce, but I have not been able to confirm if this is a natural sugar from the flowers or a refined sugar—so the jury is still out on that.
No simple syrups or corn syrup. A lot of cocktail recipes call for simple syrup, which is a mixture of sugar and water made into a thick syrup. Many store bought juices contain high fructose corn syrup, which is yet another way of adding that unwanted processed sugar.
It is pretty healthy. Aside from the elderflower liqueur, it is really great for your body. Full of antioxidants and Vitamin C, it also supports the immune system. Maybe it balances out? I like to think so. At least better than sipping an alcoholic beverage with NO nutritional benefit.
It’s a low calorie cocktail. Only 75 calories per serving, how many cocktails can boast that?
The liqueur is made from fresh elderflowers. The all natural St Germain Elderflower Liqueur is a French liqueur made with fresh elderflowers that are hand-picked once a year. With subtle notes of peach, pear and grapefruit, it pairs nicely with our cranberry juice recipe, making it the best holiday drink, ever!

Health Benefits

Antioxidant
Supports Immune System
Reduces Inflammation

Ingredients

orange	3.5 oz	99 g	2/3 medium orange
cranberry	1.65 oz	47 g	41 cranberries (about 1/2 cup)
apple (red)	8 oz	227 g	1 1/4 medium apple
pear	5.7 oz	162 g	1 medium pear
fennel	0.83 oz	24 g	1/10 bulb
lemon	0.83 oz	24 g	1/5 medium lemon
St Germain elderflower liqueur	3 oz	85 g	about 1 shot per serving
rosemary (fresh)	3 sprigs	4 g	for optional garnish

Directions

Wash and prep the produce by peeling the orange, removing the green fronds and stalks from the fennel, and weighing out all the ingredients.

Quarter the lemon (leaving skin on) and place directly into the press. If you don't have a juice press, peel the lemon and juice with the rest of the ingredients.

Run the remaining ingredients through the grinder and press.

Add the juice and the elderflower liqueur to a cocktail shaker, fill with ice and shake until cold.

Pour into martini glasses and garnish with a cranberry and a sprig of rosemary. Makes about three 4 oz servings.

Pro Tips

The recipe is written for three cocktails, but can easily be adapted to large quantities.
If you want something a tad stronger, add a little vodka.
You can juice the fennel stalks and fronds, but with them being green, it will alter the color of the juice and not be as pretty.

Equipment note: We used the M-1 commercial juice press to make this recipe, but you can use pretty much any type of juicer. Just keep in mind that the quality will always be higher when using a juice press. Learn more about the industry-leading commercial juicers we use to make our recipes.

The information shared in this post is a combination of my personal experience, research, and knowledge as a certified holistic health coach, and is intended for educational purposes only. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease or to be considered a substitute for professional medical advice.

Cranberry Elderflower Cocktail with Apple, Orange & More

That Christmas Spirit

Why We Think This Is The Best Holiday Cocktail

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