Spicy Sweet Holiday Storm Cocktail Recipe

As the holiday season approaches, we're all in search of that perfect drink to warm our spirits and add a touch of festive cheer to our gatherings. The Spicy Sweet Holiday Storm Cocktail is a delightful fusion of heat and sweetness that'll leave your taste buds tingling.  

A blend of sweet cranberry juice, a shot {or two} of vodka, and floral St-Germain elderflower liqueur serves as the base for a splash of tangy lemon, a dash of aromatic bitters, a {generous} drizzle of spicy-sweet jalapeño honey, and a pour of ginger beer to top it off.   

We recommend serving Spicy Sweet Holiday Storm Cocktails in cocktail glasses, such as NUDE Drinkware Coupe Glasses. Rim your glasses with sugar, pop a couple of sugared cranberries into the cocktail, and accent your glass with a few mint leaves to complete the look.  

Shake up your traditional holiday drink menu and add this spicy and sweet cocktail to your next holiday Happy Hour.  

A Few Key Ingredients for a Spicy Sweet Holiday Storm Cocktail 

• Cranberry juice: Cranberry juice has a mildly fruity undertone and a tart sweetness that lends itself to being a versatile drink base.  

• St-Germain elderflower liqueur: This liqueur adds a distinctively sweet, floral taste to the cocktail.  

• Bitters: While this recipe calls for original bitters, you can shake things up and try flavored bitters to add a unique taste to your cocktail. 

Shake up your traditional holiday drink menu and add this spicy and sweet cocktail to your next holiday Happy Hour. 

Spicy Sweet Holiday Storm Cocktail 

Yields 6-8 drinks 

Ingredients: 

• ½ cup honey 
• 1-2 jalapeño, sliced 
• 6 slices fresh ginger 
• 1/3 cup cranberry juice 
• 2 oz vodka 
• ½ oz St. Germain 
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice 
• 1-2 dashes bitters 
• 1 can ginger beer 
• Sugared cranberries, for serving 

Instructions: 

FOR THE JALAPENO HONEY SYRUP: 

• 1. In a pot, bring 1/2 cup water, the honey, jalapeños, and ginger to a boil over high heat.
• Boil 2-3 minutes, then remove from the heat.
• Let cool, then strain the syrup into a glass jar. This makes enough for 6-8 drinks. The longer you allow the jalapeños to sit, the spicier the syrup.  

FOR THE COCKTAIL: 

1. Rim your glass in sugar, then fill with ice.
2. Combine the cranberry juice, vodka, St. Germain, lemon juice, bitters, and 1-2 tablespoon jalapeño honey in a cocktail shaker.
3. Stir to combine.
4. Strain into your glass.
5. Top with ginger beer and garnish as desired with cranberries and mint.
6. Enjoy!

FOR THE SUGARED CRANBERRIES: 

1. 1. In a pot, bring 1/2 cup honey and 1/3 cup water to a boil.
2. Cook 2 minutes, then remove from the heat.
3. Add 2 cups fresh cranberries.
4. Let sit 10-15 minutes.
5. Strain the cranberries, then add them to a parchment-lined baking sheet. 
6. Toss the cranberries with 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar until all the cranberries are coated.
7. Allow the cranberries to dry, in a single layer, for at least one hour.