Santa Clausmopolitan Cocktail
A Santa Clausmopolitan is a deep red, cranberry-forward cocktail made with citron vodka, cranberry juice, and triple sec. Shake it cold, then strain it into a martini glass with a white sugar rim. The finished drink is smooth and served without ice in the glass.
Citron vodka supplies the citrus note, so the main drink needs no lime juice. The lime wedge is for coating the rim with sugar. This recipe makes one cocktail, but the liquid ingredients can be mixed ahead for a gathering.
Ingredients for a Santa Clausmopolitan
- 1 1/2 ounces citron vodka
- 1 ounce red cranberry juice
- 1/2 ounce triple sec
- 1 to 2 tablespoons granulated or sanding sugar, for the rim
- 1 lime wedge, for the rim
- About 1 cup ice, for shaking
Optional: Up to 1/4 ounce simple syrup if the drink tastes too tart.
How to Make a Santa Clausmopolitan
- Prepare the glass: Spread the sugar on a shallow plate. Run the lime wedge around the outside edge of a martini glass, then dip and gently rotate the rim in the sugar. Keep the inside of the glass dry.
- Measure the drink: Add the citron vodka, red cranberry juice, and triple sec to a cocktail shaker. Do not squeeze the lime into the main version.
- Shake with ice: Add plenty of ice, close the shaker securely, and shake vigorously until it feels very cold to the touch.
- Strain and serve: Strain promptly into the prepared glass, leaving the ice behind. Serve immediately.
How to Keep the Sugar Rim Even
Use an even layer of sugar on the plate and moisten only the glass’s outside edge. Too much lime juice can make the coating patchy or carry sugar into the drink. If convenient, chill the glass before preparing the rim.
Adjusting the Citrus and Sweetness
If using plain vodka instead of citron vodka, add a small squeeze of lime juice to the drink if you want more citrus character. Cranberry juice varies in sweetness, so taste the finished cocktail before adding simple syrup. Use only a little if it needs it.
Making a Batch Ahead
Multiply the vodka, cranberry juice, and triple sec by the number of servings. Refrigerate the mixture in a covered pitcher without ice for up to 24 hours. Prepare the sugar rims close to serving time, then shake each portion with fresh ice and strain. Keeping ice out of the pitcher prevents the batch from becoming diluted.
For another seasonal martini, try this Gingerbread Martini with Whipped Cream. For a punch-style option, serve Candy Cane Christmas Punch with Peppermint.
Storage
A shaken Santa Clausmopolitan is best served immediately. Store only the unshaken, ice-free batch in a covered pitcher in the refrigerator, and use it within 24 hours. Do not store the cocktail over ice or reheat it.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per cocktail, including an estimated amount of sugar adhering to the rim: 180 calories, 0g protein, 0g fat, and 13g carbohydrates. Approximate nutrition per 100g: 165 calories, 0g protein, 0g fat, and 12g carbohydrates. Values vary with the cranberry juice, triple sec, and amount of sugar that sticks to the glass.
Santa Clausmopolitan Cocktail
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Martini glass
- Shallow plate
Ingredients
For the Cocktail
- 1 1/2 ounces citron vodka
- 1 ounce red cranberry juice
- 1/2 ounce triple sec
- About 1 cup ice, for shaking
- Up to 1/4 ounce simple syrup, optional
For the Rim
- 1 to 2 tablespoons granulated or sanding sugar
- 1 lime wedge
Instructions
- Spread the sugar on a shallow plate.
- Run the lime wedge around the outside edge of a martini glass, keeping the inside dry.
- Dip the moistened rim into the sugar and gently rotate the glass to coat it evenly.
- Add the citron vodka, cranberry juice, and triple sec to a cocktail shaker. Do not squeeze the lime into the drink.
- Add ice, close the shaker securely, and shake vigorously until very cold.
- Strain into the prepared glass, leaving the ice behind, and serve immediately.
Tips
- Chill the glass before preparing the sugar rim if convenient.
- Moisten only the outside edge of the glass to keep the sugar coating even.
- Taste the drink before adding simple syrup, since cranberry juice sweetness varies.
- Shake each serving with fresh ice rather than adding ice to a make-ahead batch.
Variations
- Plain Vodka Version: Use plain vodka instead of citron vodka and add a small squeeze of lime juice if you want more citrus character.