• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Fearless Dining
  • New? Start Here
  • Recipe Index
  • Cookbooks
  • GF Resources
    • Pantry
  • Welcome! Are You Ready To Start Living Gluten Free?
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Start Here!
  • Recipes
  • My Pantry
  • Cookbooks
  • About
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Start Here!
  • Recipes
  • My Pantry
  • Cookbooks
  • About
×

Home » Recipes » Cocktail Recipes

Sparkly Rum and Cranberry Cocktail with Homemade Simple Syrup

Published: Dec 1, 2017 · Modified: Sep 2, 2020 by Sandi Gaertner · 24 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

  • Facebook
  • Yummly
Jump to Recipe

If you love cranberry, this homemade cranberry simple syrup is so easy to make! Drizzle this cranberry syrup on ice cream, waffles, or use it in a cranberry cocktail recipe like this rum and cranberry cocktail.

If you are entertaining this holiday season, you may want to try serving this Grinch Cocktail too :-).

Two glasses of a cranberry rum cocktail on a slate tile. Round lime wedges garnish the glasses.
Jump To:
  • Instructions:
  • Recipe
  • Comments

Are you as excited about the holidays as I am? I love how the holidays can bring family and friends together. Do you have any special holiday traditions?

Our family has a fun tradition that is centered around cranberries. That probably sounds odd, but we try to come up with a new cranberry recipe every year. Something that can be enjoyed by everyone.

This is the first year we decided to make a syrup out of cranberries. My kids thought a syrup would be fun on gluten-free waffles. Mr. Fearless Dining even suggested making a cranberry ice cream. Personally, I love cranberries in this amazing gluten free banana bread recipe!

I saw this homemade cranberry syrup idea as a delicious way to make cocktails (and mocktails!) for our friends who come to visit :-). Either way, we all win with this easy to make cranberry reduction sauce!

A can of 7UP next to a cranberry syrup mocktail. An orange slice is garnishing the glass.

(This is a sponsored conversation written by me and on behalf of 7UP®. All opinions and gushings are all my own.)

Cranberries are a symbol of the holidays. These tart little berries are versatile, and work with all sorts of recipes from sauces to baked foods! They are high in antioxidants, and their tart flavor works beautifully with 7UP.

You are going to love this sparkling cranberry cocktail for holiday entertaining!

Cans of 7UP lined up with holiday lights.

Given the tartness of this cranberry simple syrup, I chose 7UP to add sweetness to this cranberry rum cocktail recipe. I know you can find 7UP anywhere, but my go-to grocery store is our local Safeway.

The flavor of 7UP works well in so many cocktail recipes. Try pairing 7UP with liquors like:

  • Bourbon
  • Vodka
  • Amaretto
  • Gin
  • Rum

Are you ready to see how easy this sparkling cranberry rum and 7UP cocktail is to make?

Instructions:

Cranberries cooking in a pot. A bottle of 7UP is behind the pot
  • Add fresh cranberries, sugar, cinnamon, vanilla, 7UP, and water to a pot.
  • Cook on medium heat until the cranberries pop. (You will actually hear them pop, it is really fun!)
  • Use a spoon to mash the cranberries up against the side of the pot.
  • Allow the cranberry mixture to simmer for another 15 minutes. The sauce will be thick with the cranberry chunks.
Put some cranberry mixture into a mesh strainer

Use a mesh strainer to strain out the cranberry pulp. I kept a container underneath so I could capture all of the delicious syrup. You should end up with a bowl of syrup and a bowl of cranberry pulp.

This cranberry pulp is delicious used in recipes like gluten-free cranberry muffins...or you can make a chutney out of it and serve it with chicken or pork!

7UP soda being poured into a cranberry rum cocktail

Add the cranberry simple syrup into a glass. For a cocktail, add rum and 7UP. For a mocktail just skip the rum.

The top view of a cranberry rum cocktail. Cranberries and a red Christmas ornament are in the background.

We had fun making this sparkling cranberry cocktail in different glasses so we could decide which made the drink look the fanciest for entertaining. What do you think?

A glass of cranberry rum cocktail. Cranberries are around the base of the glass.

Recipe

Cranberry Rum Cocktail Recipe

Sandi Gaertner
An easy cranberry rum cocktail that features a cranberry syrup.
4.91 from 30 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save RecipeSaved!
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 20 mins
Total Time 30 mins
Course Cocktail Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 6
Calories 102 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 12 ounces fresh cranberries
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ½ cup 7UP®
  • 2 cups water
  • 3 ounces rum per drink

Instructions
 

  • In a pot, add all ingredients and bring to a boil.
  • Turn heat down to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes. 
  • Use a spoon so smoosh cranberries into the side of the pan. 
  • Remove from the heat. 
  • Use a ladle to spoon some of the mixture into a mesh strainer. Use a spoon to press the mixture down, which forces the juice out of the mixture. Do this until the mixture is firm and has little moisture.
  • Allow the syrup to cool.
  • Add 3 ounces rum to a glass. Pour ¼ cup syrup into the glass. Top off with 7UP®.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 102kcalCarbohydrates: 18gSodium: 7mgFiber: 2gSugar: 13g
Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @FearlessDining or tag #FearlessDining!

Nutrition Disclaimer

Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.

the cover image of my lemon e-cookbook.

If you love the recipes you find on my blog, I would love for you to sign up for my newsletter (and get my free gluten free lemon dessert e-cookbook!)

More Cocktail Recipes

  • Easy Fall Apple Bourbon Cocktail
  • Simple Prickly Pear Margarita Recipe
  • The Ultimate Guide to Prickly Pears (aka Cactus Fruit) And The Best Recipes!
  • Prickly Pear Cocktail with Bourbon
  • Facebook
  • Yummly

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Angela

    December 17, 2017 at 5:57 pm

    5 stars
    Hi! What kind of rum do I use?

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      December 17, 2017 at 6:20 pm

      Hi Angela, the rum doesn't really matter. I would use any clear rum. Do not use spiced or dark rum. Have a great day!

      Reply
  2. Hilary Duesenberg

    December 16, 2017 at 4:25 pm

    Hi Sandy!

    This may be obvious, but when making the cranberry syrup do I add the 7up and rum, and then add more 7up and rum later?

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      December 16, 2017 at 7:14 pm

      Hi Hilary, you are right, it can be confusing. I add 7Up while cooking. The rum is poured over the ice with the completed syrup. I add more 7Up on top for a fizz. I hope that helps. Have a wonderful holiday!

      Reply
  3. Megan Frey

    December 09, 2017 at 1:43 pm

    HI, in the commentary it mentions vanilla but it's not in the recipe. How much vanilla do I add? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      December 09, 2017 at 1:47 pm

      Hi Megan, add one teaspoon to the cooking cranberries. Enjoy 🙂

      Reply
  4. Debra C.

    December 06, 2017 at 6:46 pm

    5 stars
    What a wonderful cocktail, this is perfect for the holidays!

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      December 07, 2017 at 9:15 am

      Thank you so much Debra...we love to have a party every year for New Year's Eve and this is on the menu 🙂

      Reply
  5. LadyJ

    December 01, 2017 at 3:05 pm

    5 stars
    Oh yes, I am all about the cranberries! I love them and stock up on them every year to keep in the freezer to hold me over for the year. This is definitely going on my list to try. It is so simple and sounds delicious. I think this will be a good base for many adult beverages. Thanks for sharing = )

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      December 02, 2017 at 11:42 pm

      That is a great idea to freeze cranberries to enjoy them all year long 🙂

      Reply
« Older Comments
Newer Comments »

Primary Sidebar

  • Amazon
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
A picture of my face standing in front of landscape bushes

Welcome to my blog! I am so glad you are here. I have created hundreds of delicious, family-friendly gluten free recipes with easy step-by-step directions. Many recipes are also dairy-free. A gluten free lifestyle has never been easier!

More about me →

GF Resources:

  • Living Gluten Free and My Best Tips
  • My Gluten Free Pantry Essentials
  • My Best Gluten Free Baking Tips
  • The Best Gluten Free Flour
  • Gluten Free Living on a Budget
  • Safe Gluten Free Dining And How To Stay Safe

More Resources!

A glass bowl filled with my gluten free flour blend.

Try My DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend Recipe! It is also gum-free!

a photo that states

Trending Gluten Free Recipes:

  • The Best Gluten Free Bread Machine Bread {Dairy Free Too!}
  • How to Make a Homemade Gluten Free Pie Crust
  • Grandma's Chicken Soup From Scratch
  • The Best Flaky Gluten Free Biscuits

Footer

^ back to top

About

  • About Me
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up!

Contact

  • Contact
  • Work With Me
  • Web Stories

Copyright © 2014-2023 Fearless Dining