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If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you probably know that I am all about making fun, delicious moonshines in all sorts of flavors. Today I am super excited to share one of the most festive batches we’ve made yet- Cranberry Moonshine!
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At Sweet C’s, I add lots of tips in all of my recipes – so you can make this dish, understand why it works, and what each ingredient means to the flavor of a recipe – so even the most beginner home cook can become an expert and feel empowered in the kitchen. I want each reader to walk away with a solid knowledge of each recipe, with all of the tips I’ve gathered from extensive testing of each recipe. I also answer questions my friends and family have asked about my recipes, to help home cooks of any skill level better understand the processes we use and why!
Spunky Cranberry Moonshine
This cranberry moonshine makes a great group gift. I like to hand out flavored moonshines for Christmas gifts for my husband’s employees because I can make a large batch all at once, and they are so beautiful!
For this recipe you will need
- Cranberry juice – cranberry juice has a super sharp flavor that pairs well with the alcohol and makes this moonshine give drinks a sharp hit.
- White sugar – you need sugar to balance out the intensity of the cranberry flavor.
- Fresh Cranberries – fresh cranberries give this moonshine a beautiful look and a fresh intensity.
- 190 proof grain alcohol – I use everclear for this moonshine. It mixes well with the intensity of the cranberries.
How to make Cranberry Moonshine
- Bring all the ingredients except the alcohol to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved. Don’t let it heat for a long time or else the fresh cranberries will split into cranberry sauce.
- Cover and remove from the heat, let it cool. Sterilize your jars and prepare them while you are waiting.
- Mix the alcohol into the cooled mixture. Label it into the prepared jars, label them with the date, and let them sit for 2 weeks to 6 months.
Tips and Tricks
Tip 1 – We’re not actually sealing/canning the jars- just bringing all of the ingredients except the alcohol to a boil, letting it cool, and then adding them to sterile jars with Everclear. It is important to use Everclear for this recipe since it has such a high alcohol content. This helps keep everything from going bad!
Tip 2 – It’s best to make the moonshine ahead of time and let it sit, as the moonshine will sweeten and become more flavorful over time.
Tip 3 – Remember this moonshine is HIGHLY alcoholic- do not drive after drinking. It is not worth the risk- let’s keep the holidays happy! Please also keep well out of the reach of children. This is such an alcoholic drink it could be very dangerous if ingested by a child.
FAQs
This makes for delicious cocktails when mixed with sprite, ginger ale, or tonic.
Yes but make sure its 190 proof so the mixture keeps well.
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Cranberry Moonshine
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 gallons cranberry juice
- 3 cups white sugar
- 1 package cranberries, fresh
- 1 liter bottle of 190 proof grain alcohol, Everclear
Instructions
- Bring ingredients EXCEPT everclear to a boil.
- Cover and remove from heat. Let cool.
- Get sterile jars ready.
- Mix everclear into cooled juice mixture.
- Ladel into jars, let sit for 2 weeks or up to six months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Do you keep the moonshine in the fridge or will it keep on counter?
Made it and converted it to use one gallon of cranberry juice
And can’t wait to use it for Christmas gifts and the party we are having
How did the 1gal turn out.. 2 gal seemed like a lot, per one bottle of everclear.. I was thinking about doing just a gallon as well
What size jars and how many did you need for this recipe?
So to be clear, 1.you label it into jars once the mixture is cooled. 2.You leave in the cranberries and 3.Does this need to be refrigerated?
Help what kind of cranberries juice do I use