Cranberry-Infused Vodka Recipe

The secret to leveling up your at-home cocktail bar is in making your own infusions. Though stunningly easy, fruit and herb-infused gins or vodkas can transform simple martinis into delicious works of art. When your guests will take a sip of their martini and wonder, "Exactly how did you make it taste this good?", you can smile smugly knowing it was just a jar and some cranberries. Then, maybe, you can give them our recipe.

This recipe developed with Michelle McGlinn infuses vodka with cranberries, orange peel, allspice, and ginger. More than just cranberry vodka, this infusion is layered with the spices of fall so that every sip is like a crisp apple pie. It blends seamlessly into martinis, adds flavor to spritzes, and delivers a sweet punch on its own, too. The best part is that it doesn't require more than a few minutes' prep and some patience. After a week, your fruit-filled vodka will be bursting with flavor and ready for all of your holiday parties.

You'll need a bottle of vodka for this recipe. Of course, you'll want something unflavored, but the choice of brand is otherwise your choosing. We recommend something decent, a higher shelf than the bottom, but not so expensive that filling it with cranberries will hurt. Choose something straightforward and good enough tasting on its own for the best results in your infusion.

To infuse, you'll want cranberries, allspice berries, fresh ginger, and orange peel. You can get creative with the spices used, but whatever you do, be sure to use whole spices — ground spices can't be strained out and will make your drinks grainy.

Add 2 cups cranberries to a food processor.

Pulse cranberries until roughly chopped.

Add crushed cranberries and remaining 1 cup whole cranberries to a large, sealable container. Cover with vodka.

Add allspice, ginger, and orange zest, stir, and cover. Let sit in a cool, dark place for 1 week, shaking once daily to agitate.

Line a fine mesh strainer with a paper towel and set over a large bowl.

Strain the vodka, using a spoon or spatula to press the liquid out of the cranberries, through the paper towel.

Transfer to a sealable jar to store. If desired, add another ½ cup fresh cranberries to the jar.

Theoretically, vodka can be stored indefinitely, being that alcohol is an antimicrobial that kills bacteria. Storage gets more complicated when you add fruit, unsterile containers, and different temperatures to the mix. If you add cranberries to the infusion, the cranberries will float and likely be exposed to air within the jar. If these cranberries grow moldy, the infusion will have to be thrown away. This can happen within a week at room temperature.

To help the infusion last longer, store the vodka in the refrigerator, strain away all cranberries, and store in a sterilized jar. This way, you can enjoy the vodka indefinitely — however, if you notice any "off" smells or floating debris, discard the vodka. And, if you still want that final touch of cranberries in your cocktail, it's best to opt for fresh ones at the time of serving; they'll both look and taste better.

Cranberries are sold surprisingly late in the season, though they stick around for a long time. While using fresh cranberries is always best, there's no reason you can't use frozen cranberries. For the best results, thaw the cranberries first, draining any resulting water. Using frozen cranberries provides year-round infusing options, as most stores sell cranberries in the frozen fruit section for use in smoothies. You can also plan ahead, freezing this year's fresh cranberries to use for next year's infusions (of course, you could also infuse the vodka now and store it, if you're hurting for freezer space).

The chopped cranberries become jammy in the infusion, which can be used to top desserts like ice cream or pie. To do this, add some sugar to sweeten the cranberries, which are bitter on their own. To use the whole cranberries, try sugaring them for decor on cheese boards or as cocktail garnishes. If you really like the taste of cranberries — which will have diluted slightly in the vodka — try them covered in chocolate.