Welcome to the world of delightful cocktails, where tangy meets sweet in a symphony of flavors! This recipe for Cranberry Orange Vodka Slush effortlessly blends the tartness of cranberries, the citrusy zing of oranges, and the kick of vodka into a frozen sensation that will leave your taste buds dancing.
Best of all, you make this up in advance and keep a tub of delicious slush in your freezer. So it'll be ready whenever a cocktail emergency arises!
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Why You'll Love this Recipe
What I love about a slush cocktail is the fact that you make them up ahead of time and freeze overnight. Its so convenient to have on hand, ready to scoop and serve whenever needed.
The vibrant colors, the refreshing taste, and the icy texture of this cranberry orange slush make it a perfect choice for any occasion, from lazy summer afternoons to festive holiday gatherings.
Ingredients Needed
**Be sure to scroll to the recipe card for detailed quantities and directions**
The Origins of this Frozen Vodka Slush
Cocktail slushes are a favorite of mine. My parents used to make frozen brandy slush to have on hand during the summer, and in college we made daiquiri slush. I recently made a cranberry rum slush as a variation of that.
But during the holiday season, the cranberry-orange combination really speaks to me. So I decided to create a cranberry orange slush with vodka. And the result is quite delicious!
How to make Cranberry Orange Vodka Slush
The concept of a frozen cocktail slush is that you make up a batch and have in your freezer ready to scoop when needed. No blender needed, just a little time. It's the ultimate shortcut!
Choose a freezer-safe container with a lid, and add the ingredients: cranberry juice, vodka, and orange juice concentrate.
Stir long enough to melt the OJ concentrate and to evenly distribute all the flavors. Then cover and place in the freezer overnight.
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The next day (or whenever), the slush will be frozen but very easy to break into slushee form using just a spoon or ice cream scoop.
Scoop portions into your glasses. I like to fill each glass about half full with the slush. Then top with your choice of liquids.
You can use lemon-lime soda, or any other soda, or more of the cranberry juice if you want a stronger cranberry flavor. My favorite is to use a little of both: some cranberry juice for the flavor boost plus something carbonated to give the drink a little "fizz".
Garnish as desired - I use cranberries and orange slices to continue the flavor theme.
Serving Suggestions
This vibrant slush is a versatile delight. Serve it in chilled glasses or get creative with fun, festive drinkware.
For an extra flair, rim the glasses with sugar before pouring in the slush. Add a holiday twist by garnishing with rosemary or mint leaves or a slice of orange on the rim.
Storage
When you've scooped out a couple drinks, you can place the remaining slush back in the freezer. The mixture is good for up to 3 months frozen. (But I doubt it'll last that long 😁)
Frequently Asked Questions
Actually, this slush MUST be made ahead of time. It needs at least 6-8 hours in the freezer to form the slushee texture.
I top with sugar free soda or sparkling water to reduce the sugar. You can also use diet or sugar free cranberry juice to reduce even more. So far, I haven't found a good substitute for the OJ concentrate, but the research will continue!
📖 Recipe
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Cranberry Orange Vodka Slush
Ingredients
- 3 cups cranberry juice
- 12 ounces orange juice concentrate frozen
- 1 cup vodka
- lemon-lime soda, for topping
Instructions
- In a freezer-safe container, mix the cranberry juice, vodka, and orange juice concentrate. Stir to melt the frozen concentrate and evenly distribute the flavors.3 cups cranberry juice, 12 ounces orange juice concentrate, 1 cup vodka
- Place the container in the freezer for 8 hours, or overnight.
- To serve, scoop the slush into a glass. Fill about half way.
- Top the glass with more cranberry juice and/or lemon-lime soda or sparkling water.lemon-lime soda, for topping
- Garnish as desired and serve.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates only, using online calculators. Please verify using your own data.
Apryl
This looks really good! I love cranberry vodka’s so I’m going to try this with the other ingredients! Love the presentation. It would make a really festive Christmas or Thanksgiving drink.
Sula
I hope you try it soon!