This vodka spritzer is the ultimate party drink: bubbly, berry-bright, and full of fruity flavor! It takes just minutes of hands-on time to make a big pitcher.
Some days call for a classic cocktail, others for a funky craft cocktail. But sometimes, you just need a fun and casual party drink that’s 100% delicious. In that case: try my bubbly and fruity Vodka Spritzer!
I’ve made hundreds of cocktail recipes and this one is one of my top crowd-pleasing drinks that I love to serve at parties. It has a subtle berry flavor: tangy, refreshing and sparkling all at once, with cranberry juice to give it a brilliant red color. It makes for the most satisfying party drink that you won’t want to end!
What Is a Vodka Spritzer?
A spritzer usually refers to a wine spritzer, a drink made with wine and soda water that originated in Austria. The name comes from the German word “spritzen,” meaning “to spray.” You can make a spritzer with any type of wine, like a white wine spritzer, red wine spritzer or rosé spritzer.
Turns out, you can also make a spritzer with spirits! A vodka spritzer is a mixed drink that combines vodka, soda water, and other juices or fruits. It’s a loose concept, so there are many ways to make this drink.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You can make this vodka spritzer with almost any fruit or juice you like! Here’s what’s in vodka spritzer recipe:
- Vodka: A clean, mid-priced vodka works best here: I typically use Tito’s
- Unsweetened 100% cranberry juice: Using all natural juice makes the best color and flavor
- Simple syrup: This balances the tartness of the cranberry
- Strawberries: You’ll slice real strawberries and allow them to marinate
- Lemon: Sliced into rounds for brightness
- Soda water: Add this when serving to make the bubbles: both club soda and sparkling water are both fine here. Skip tonic water, which is sweetened (plus, that would make it a vodka tonic!)
5 Star Reader Review
“Simple, beautiful, and delicious. A great drink for summer entertaining!” -Jamie
The Trick: Let It Marinate
You could serve this vodka spritzer as is and it would taste okay. But the trick to this drink is letting it marinate! Just place the vodka, simple syrup, and cranberry juice in a pitcher with sliced lemons and strawberries. Give it just 30 minutes, and it infuses the berries and tangy lemon right into the drink.
You can do this in advance too! Just try not to let it marinate for over 4 hours. Extending beyond that point makes the fruit get soggy. If you’re wanting to make it up in advance, simply refrigerate the cut fruit and measured liquids, then place them together 30 minutes before serving.
Use the Right Cranberry Juice
This vodka spritzer uses just a bit of cranberry juice to get a brilliant color and a bit of tangy flavor. But make sure to find the right kind of juice when you’re buying it! Not all cranberry juice is the same. Here’s what to know:
- Avoid sweetened cranberry juice aka cranberry juice cocktail. Classic cranberry drinks like the Vodka Cranberry were made with sweetened cranberry juice. It’s often labeled as cranberry juice cocktail, which includes sugar and sometimes high-fructose corn.
- Use unsweetened cranberry juice. It’s also labeled as 100% cranberry juice. The flavor is very sweet tart, and the color is very vibrant.
If all you can find is the sweetened stuff, you can cut the simple syrup in this recipe in half. Or, you can use the listed simple syrup for a sweeter drink. Speaking of…
How to Serve It
When you serve the drink, just add 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) of the drink mixture to a glass and top it off with soda water. You don’t have to measure in this case: just top off the glass!
Garnish with fruit from the marinade, fresh mint sprigs, and lots of ice. I like to top it off with fancy straws because…why not?
Upgrade It With Infused Simple Syrup
Want to step up this vodka spritzer? Try it with an infused simple syrup! Here are a few different simple syrups that would work well in this drink:
- Mint Simple Syrup Bring a minty fresh undertone to this vodka spritzer! This is our favorite pick for this drink: everyone will be amazed at the fresh flavor.
- Ginger Simple Syrup Another great pairing! Ginger brings a spicy nuance to this drink to step it up a notch.
When to Serve a Vodka Spritzer
The vodka spritzer is bubbly and refreshing. It works well for summer, but you can drink it anytime (and we do!). It’s great for serving as a:
- Summer drink
- Brunch drink
- Before dinner drink (aperitif)
- Cocktail hour drink
- Girls night drink
- Party drink
Frequently Asked Questions
A vodka spritzer is typically made with vodka, soda water, and a fruit juice or mixer. This version uses cranberry juice, simple syrup, fresh strawberries, and lemon, all marinated together before serving.
Yes! Combine the vodka, cranberry juice, simple syrup, and sliced fruit in a pitcher up to 4 hours before serving. Add the soda water only when pouring individual drinks so it stays bubbly.
A vodka soda is just vodka and sparkling water. A vodka spritzer adds juice, fruit, and often sweetener, resulting in a more flavorful, colorful drink.
Absolutely. Swap the vodka for a non-alcoholic spirit and keep everything else the same for a beautiful mocktail that works for all your guests. Or, omit the vodka and use ginger ale in place of the soda water for more flavor.
*Best* Vodka Spritzer
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This vodka spritzer is the ultimate party drink: bubbly, berry-bright, and full of fruity flavor! It takes just minutes of hands-on time to make a big pitcher.
- Author: Sonja Overhiser
- Prep Time: 35 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 6 drinks 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Cocktail
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 lemon
- 1 cup sliced strawberries
- 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) vodka
- 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) simple syrup
- 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) unsweetened 100% cranberry juice*
- Soda water, for serving
- Ice, for serving
- For the garnish: 1 handful fresh mint leaves
Instructions
- Slice the lemon into rounds. Thinly slice the strawberries.
- Place the lemons and strawberries in a pitcher with the vodka, simple syrup, and cranberry juice. Marinate at least 30 minutes (or up to 4 hours).
- To serve, pour 3 ounces (6 tablespoons) of the vodka mix over ice and top with a splash of soda water to taste. Garnish with the fruit from the pitcher and sprigs of fresh mint leaves.
Notes
*If all you can find is sweetened cranberry juice (often labeled as cranberry juice cocktail), use half the simple syrup specified in this recipe. Or you can use it as is for a sweeter drink!
More Vodka Drinks to Try
Sure, you can make classic cocktails with vodka like the Vodka Gimlet or the White Russian. But why not mix up fruity vodka drinks with a party vibe? Here are all our favorite party-style drinks that happen to be vodka cocktails:
- Mash up berries and mint to make a refreshingly fruity Berry Vodka Smash
- Add bubbles and citrus for a lemon lime Vodka Tonic or Vodka Soda
- Go for ginger beer and lime in the Classic Moscow Mule
- Or try ginger ale and lime in the Transfusion
- Mix up cranberry with lemon for a classy Cosmopolitan Cocktail
from A Couple Cooks https://ift.tt/ifEOdAo
