Merry merry mistletoe manhattan! 

The mistletoe manhattan is a fun holiday spin on the classic manhattan cocktail! Sugared cranberries and rosemary make this super festive.

In the land of mistletoe margaritas and white christmas punch, I’m dropping by with a mistletoe manhattan!

We’re basically covering everyone’s preference here on the blog with a festive holiday cocktail, so if you’re a whiskey person, here is your glass. Get ready to chill it!

the start of sugared cranberries

We’ve got a little whiskey, some cherry, some cranberry, a dash of bitters and vermouth – garnished with sugared cranberries and a sprig of rosemary for fun. You can also sugar the sprig if you want! You know, I’m just over here trashing up one of the world’s favorite cocktails and giving it an elf-inspired name.

Forgive me. 

The mistletoe manhattan is a fun holiday spin on the classic manhattan cocktail! Sugared cranberries and rosemary make this super festive.

My mom always ordered manhattans when I was a kid and I would beg her for the maraschino cherry. So would my brothers! She never let us have the cherry until much later in life (um, it is completely soaked in booze, after all), but honestly, I liked it. I thought it tasted good, and I’ve always liked whiskey and bourbon. It’s definitely not LIGHT, it’s not what I drink when I want a light and refreshing cocktail. But this is almost… refreshing? 

Believe it!

Some people have a bad experience with whiskey (I’m looking at you Eddie) and can’t handle the flavor – and I get it. But shockingly I enjoy it and think it tastes GOOD. I’m obsessed with cooking and baking with it. And I’d almost always choose a bourbon cocktail over a vodka one, but it does sort of depend on my mood.

The mistletoe manhattan is a fun holiday spin on the classic manhattan cocktail! Sugared cranberries and rosemary make this super festive.

Right now, I’m in a major Christmas mood! Seriously, I may be driving my family nuts with the fun holiday experiences over here. I could be an extra (or, um, main character) in the movie Elf, minus the whole maple syrup addiction.

See, there is no better time for a festive drink than around the holidays. I know that I go absolutely CRAZY about fall and apple cider cocktails, but right now is such a FUN experience when it comes to hosting, entertaining and serving snazzy drinks.

Apologies for just using the word snazzy. 

But we have to live up to the festivities while we can! So serve a little mistletoe manhattan with cheer!

The mistletoe manhattan is a fun holiday spin on the classic manhattan cocktail! Sugared cranberries and rosemary make this super festive.

Mistletoe Manhattan

Mistletoe Manhattan

Yield: 1 person, is easily multiplied
Prep Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 10 mins
The mistletoe manhattan is a fun holiday spin on the classic manhattan cocktail! Sugared cranberries and rosemary make this super festive.
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5 from 20 votes
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Ingredients

  • 2 ounces whiskey
  • ½ ounce maraschino cherry juice
  • ½ ounce cranberry juice
  • ½ ounce sweet vermouth
  • 2 dashes angostura bitters
  • maraschino cherries, for garnish
  • sugared cranberries, for garnish
  • rosemary, for garnish

Instructions 

  • In a shaker cup filled with ice, combined the whiskey, cherry juice, cranberry juice, vermouth and bitters. Shake lightly or stir a few times until combined.
  • Pour in a chilled glass and garnish with a cherry, sugared cranberries and rosemary.
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American
Author: How Sweet Eats
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The mistletoe manhattan is a fun holiday spin on the classic manhattan cocktail! Sugared cranberries and rosemary make this super festive.

Twinkle lights for life.