Cranberry-Orange Bourbon Smash

Wait… Don’t throw out the leftover cranberry sauce just yet! Put that sweet sauce to work in this Cranberry-Orange Bourbon Smash.

Why is it that I have a random bowl of cranberry sauce lingering after every holiday meal–every. single. year. Doesn’t anyone like cranberry sauce anymore? Is it so 1999? Is that the problem; it’s out of style?

All the questions.

Every year, like clockwork, I seem to forget that the cranberry sauce didn’t get eaten the year before and make it again. And, like the year before, I’m stuck with leftover cranberry sauce. Thankfully, I like me some booze, because cranberry sauce and bourbon are a brilliant combination.

So, don’t you dare trash that sauce, friends! Instead, we’re going to play professional–because that’s what we are–mixologist and smash that leftover tart sauce with a swig of bourbon, fresh-squeezed orange juice, and a sprig of fresh rosemary. The rosemary adds character and a hint of winter flavor.

Because we’re adults, and adults have refined palettes that require sophisticated ingredients. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. But, the truth is, I’d be just as happy with a cheap bottle of wine in a pitcher of fruity sangria.

This cocktail requires a bit of effort, hence the word “smash” in the title, but it’s nothing you can’t handle <—#willworkforbooze. All of the ingredients get added to a cocktail shaker and muddled together. Why muddle? Good question. The pressure of the muddler forces the essential oils from the rosemary to release and infuse the bourbon. Sounds magical, right? It is… It’s so very magical.

This cocktail is sure to impress your guests this holiday season. If you want to introduce more bourbon into your life, try this Apple Ginger Bourbon Fizz.

Head over to Food Fanatic to get the recipe for this Cranberry-Orange Bourbon Smash.