How to Make a Cape Cod Cocktail in 6 Simple Steps

How to Make a Cape Cod Cocktail in 6 Simple Steps

If you love to knock back cranberry juice and any alcoholic beverage that has cranberry juice in it, then you have definitely come to the right place!

I love cranberry juice, and if it were up to me, I would have cranberry juice cocktails and cranberry margaritas all day long, virgin during the day of course! 😍

In the past, I only ever used to have my favorite cranberry juice drink, the Cape Cod cocktail, when I would happen to wind up at my favorite local bar. 

However, I was tired of having to wait to have a glass of this great drink.

So, one day, after a tiring workday, when all I wanted was to have this refreshing cocktail but was too tired to go out, I decided to learn how to make a Cape Cod cocktail!

Now, whenever I get the urge to have this delicious beverage, I head to my kitchen, take out the ingredients, and mix a Cape Cod cocktail for myself.

The best part is that the alcohol content is so low in a typical Cape Cod that I don’t worry about having it mid-week!  

Here is the easiest Cape Cod recipe ever!

How to Make a Cape Cod

The best part about the Cape Cod cocktail is that it is so easy to make. It hardly ever takes me more than 2 minutes to make it.

You need to pour all the ingredients over ice in your glass, stir the drink, garnish it, and then serve it.

You don’t even need to take out the cocktail shaker to make this easy and refreshing cocktail.  

So, here’s how you can make a Cape Cod cocktail:  

Things You Will Need

Here are a few things that you will need to make a Cape Cod:

• 1 ounce or 25 to 30 ml of Vodka
• 3 to 4 ounces or 100 ml of cranberry juice
• Lime wheel for garnish
• ½ to ¾ a cup of ice cubes
• Simple syrup (optional – to sweeten the drink if you use unsweetened cranberry juice)
• A bar spoon to stir the drink

These measurements are for one serving of the Cape Cod cocktail, so make sure to adjust the measurements accordingly if you plan on making more than one glass of this tart yet delicious drink. 

Instructions

Here’s how you can make this delectable cocktail:

1. First, carefully measure out the cranberry juice and vodka.
2. Fill a highball glass or a rock glass with ice cubes.
3. Pour the cranberry juice and vodka in it.
4. If you have used unsweetened juice, then make sure to add at least half an ounce of simple syrup to your drink. Add more if you like our drink to have a sweet flavor.  
5. Gently stir the ingredients with a bar spoon for about 20 to 30 seconds. This will mix the ingredients and dilute your drink. It will also help the ice to chill your drink just perfectly.
6. Take a thin lime slice and squeeze it into your drink. You can also throw it into the glass as is or wedge it into the rim when serving it to guests.    

That’s pretty much it! You can now sit back and sip on this revitalizing glass of Cape cod cocktail. 

You make also like these tips:

• How to make an old fashioned
• Mexican Martini recipe
• Cranberry Moscow Mule recipe
• Cranberry margarita recipe

What Goes in a Cape Cod

Typically, the Cape Cod cocktail drink has two ingredients in it – 1 part vodka and 1 to 4 parts cranberry juice, according to your taste.

The drink is served in a highball glass and often on the rocks. You can also add a thin slice of lime to it or daintily wedge the lime into the rim of the glass. 

Tips and Tricks

Here are some tips and tricks to remember when making and serving a Cape Cod cocktail:

• If you plan to use unsweetened cranberry juice, then make sure to add some simple syrup to your drink. Otherwise, your drink will have an overpowering tart flavor due to the tartness of the cranberries. 
• If you want your Cape Cod to have even more of a kick, then you can add a splash of your preferred clear soda to it. My favorite is definitely ginger ale. 
• If you want a more potent drink, then make sure to increase the quantity of vodka that you put in it. Likewise, for an even lighter drink, reduce the amount of vodka.
• Even though traditionally, a vodka cranberry drink is not shaken, you can easily make this variation of the drink. Just add the ingredients – vodka, cranberry juice, and ice – into a cocktail shaker and shake until the barrel feels refreshingly cold. It will hardly take around 20 seconds of your time. After shaking it, you can strain it into a coupe or martini glass and serve it with a twist of line peel. 
• If you don’t have a bar spoon to stir your drink, then make sure to use the tallest spoon you have to gently stir your drink before serving or tossing it down.
• If you want to serve this drink the way it’s served in bars in Cape Cod, then garnish it with a few muddled or whole cranberries.
• If you’re feeling eventful and want to change things up a bit, then you can even add an ounce of Triple Sec to your Cape Cod cocktail and shake your drink in a cocktail shaker. Strain it into a martini glass, and voila, you’ll have a delectable Cosmopolitan at your hands!
• Want to turn your vodka Cranberry drink into a Jolly Rancher? Just make sure to switch your regular vodka with your favorite apple vodka and throw in a little peach schnapps to enjoy that ever-famous candy flavor.

✔If you want to learn how to make a Cranberry Moscow Mule, then click here!

Why Is It Called a Cape Cod?

The ever-popular vodka cranberry drink is called the Cape Cod or the Cape Codder as a way to pay homage to America’s unofficial cranberry capital Cape Cod.

When it comes to growing and harvesting cranberries, the Massachusetts peninsula is inarguably the most popular American region.

So, it stands to reason that a drink that has cranberry juice in it as its star ingredient is after a place renowned for growing the tart berries.  

The Bottom Line

A Cape Cod is just the perfect cocktail to have after a tiring workday. However, you don’t always have the energy to head to the bar and enjoy this delightful drink, especially not on a weekday.

However, from now on, whenever you are craving this delectable cranberry cocktail, you can make it yourself!  

Just follow this guide on how to make a Cape Cod cocktail in 6 simple steps.

Do make one at home, and don’t forget to experiment with the different variations of the classic vodka cranberry drink that I have mentioned in the tips. 

So, what are you waiting for? Go and make yourself a refreshing glass of the Cape Cod cocktail now! 

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