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The Mistletoe Martini blends the flavors of cranberry and elderflower. Because it uses a light fruit juice instead of all heavy liqueurs, the flavor is refreshing and stimulating.

So many Christmas drinks are super-sweet, creamy and heavy. Like Eggnog, which most people either love or hate, but which everybody definitely wants a break from it once a while.

This drink comes as a welcome refreshing alternative holiday cocktail. It features cranberry juice and elderflower liqueur along with vodka to give it a nice kick.

The result is a light, refreshing cranberry drink with just enough simple syrup to balance the tartness from the cranberries. The elderflower liqueur adds something magical to the flavor.

Check out our 12 Boozy Christmas Drinks for Your Holiday Party.

There are several cocktail recipes that use the name Mistletoe Martini, and they’re all pretty different. They’re usually pink or red and most of them involve some type of berry ingredient, but there the resemblance ends.

This is my personal variation on the Mistletoe Martini drink recipe.  It’s all about keeping the flavors simple and refreshing while still keeping some sort of Christmas-y feel to the drink.

What sets this one apart is the elderflower liqueur. I’m crazy about St-Germain Elderflower liqueur and have a bad habit of working it into about 9 out of 10 cocktail recipes I create.

But that’s because it’s got a flavor that’s really unique and hard to describe. St. Germain is laid back and a little bit flowery, but there’s also a brightness to it. like just a touch of lemon juice – not enough that you can identify it, just a hint.

The cranberries as a garnish add a nice touch, too. They give the drink a little texture, something to bite on. And the way they just pop in your mouth is delightful.

The overall flavor of the Mistletoe Martini is rich cranberry with hints of citrus. It’s a very simple and easygoing taste that most everyone will love.

This is a delicious and beautiful vodka cocktail you can serve at holiday parties. You can make it up in big batches before a get together, and even let guests pour and top off drinks for themselves.

And that means you get more time to visit with people, which is the point of a good party. Low maintenance cocktails are great because they help you to be more relaxed and attentive to your guests, which always makes a party more memorable.

If you’re serving this drink at a get-together and you want some nibbles, it’s great with a really good Christmas Chex mix recipe. All those seasonings make a nice contrast with the sweetness of the drink.

Another option is to make a terrific, balanced cheeseboard that really works, no matter what cheeses, meats and side items you prefer.

If you’re wanting to serve the Mistletoe Martini with a meal, it goes well with white meat. Specifically, a good juicy grilled chicken. Or grilled sea scallops, which are just amazing when done well.

When grilling isn’t a good option, pan searing is another great way to bring out the best in white meats without drying them out. It’s easy to do at home, indoors, in any kind of weather.

A note about sweetness in this drink: the recipe calls for a half ounce simple syrup. That’s supposed to be a conservative amount that’s just enough to help the elderflower liqueur counteract the tartness of the cranberry.

You can certainly use more, and you might need to do that, depending on what kind of cranberry juice you use. Some brands and some types of cranberry juice are sweeter than others.

If you look at the ingredients labels on cranberry juice blends, you’ll see they range anywhere from about 8 grams to 32 grams of sugar.

I use a cranberry blend. Knudsen is great, but so is Ocean Spray. Most brands are more than good enough for a cocktail.

If you like this cocktail, you should also try the Cranberry Kiss, which blends cranberry juice with all flavors of a margarita. And then there’s the Crystal Cranberry, which features vodka, amaretto, Crown Royal, cranberry juice and more for an amazing drink.

Mistletoe Martini Cocktail Recipe

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