I usually bring a bottle of wine to a dinner party, but this Christmas called for something more festive. If you follow my blog, you’ve probably figured out that I love a sweet martini. The sky is the limit when it comes to what you choose to infuse. Walk down the liquor aisle of your grocery store and you’ll be amazed by the number of flavored vodkas that are out there. But nothing on the shelf will compare to the flavor you can achieve by making your own infusions. Here’s how to start…

Step #1 Decide what to infuse

People make all kinds of infusions. For this batch, I wanted Christmas colors. I opted for the nostalgic Jolly Rancher and the more sophisticated cranberry-vanilla infusion Some other options…

Traditional

berries, pineapple, oranges, cherries, peaches, mangoes, cantaloupe, lemons, limes, grapefruits, cinnamon, ginger, herbs, garlic, peppers, mint, vanilla beans, almond, mint, chlli peppers, lemongrass

Creative (You may call them weird, I call them creative)

Skittles, Jolly Ranchers, bubblegum, candy corn, candy canes, caramel, Pop Rock, jalapenos, and even bacon. The last two don’t appeal to me, but maybe they will to you.

Step #2 Gather supplies

You first need a glass jar to infuse with. (See picture next to step#3)The key is to have something large enough with a tight seal. There are special infusion jars, but you probably have something in your kitchen already.

It is important to select the right kind of vodka. Don’t go cheap. Inexpensive vodka can leave a bad after-taste. There is also no need to spend the big bucks. Don’t waste your Grey Goose on infusions. Most of the flavor will come from what you’re infusing, so a medium grade vodka is your best bet.   

You also need to find bottles to show off your infusions. Crate and Barrel, Ikea, and Pier One are pretty much guaranteed to have something. I checked all of those places and then came across a website that was the cheapest even when I counted in the cost of shipping. The bottles I used were on a special sale at Save-On-Crafts.com  . Another great online site to checkout is SpecialtyBottle.com .

Step #3 Infuse

Mix the vodka and your infusion ingredient in your infusion jar. Shake once or twice and keep it in a cool place.

Step #4 Be patient

The next step is to wait while the magic happens. I shake my infusion mixture once a day. Most recipes will infuse between two and five days. Citrus fruits, candy, and strongly flavored ingredients tend to infuse more quickly. Softly flavored ingredients (vanilla, ginger) will need more time.

Once you think it is ready, try a taste. But, remember that some flavored vodkas will not taste very good straight. Jolly Rancher vodka definitely needs a mixer.  

Step #5 Strain Away

Now here comes the fun part – straining. Depending on what you infuse, this can be a very important step. Some candy will dissolve within a day or two. Most infusions will require you to strain with cheesecloth or the vodka will be cloudy. The cranberry vanilla vodka infusion required me to strain several times. I first separated the cranberries and kept the nice looking ones for garnish. I then used cheesecloth and strained a few more times. It was worth the time it took. The result was clear and a beautiful Christmas red color.

Step#6 Don’t Forget the Gift Tag

If you’re giving you’re infusion as a gift, attach a gift tag that provides the recipient with a recipe. I was thrilled when I came across vintage Christmas tags on Etsy. One of the tags had Santa toasting – perfect, or what? I paid a few bucks through Paypal and shortly after received an email with a pdf file of the tags attached. I cropped it in Photoshop and made multiple copies of the Santa Cocktail tag. I printed the recipes on the same size paper and then backed them on black heavy-weight paper. To add a little pizzazz, I dipped a small paintbrush in glue and painted a few of the details on the Santa tag. I then sprinkled Martha Stewart’s gold glitter on and shook off the excess, and set them aside to dry. To get the remaining sparkles off, I took a dry paintbrush and brushed over the tag.

Voila! That’s how easy it is! Cheers to a Merry Christmas!

See recipes below

Green Apple Jolly Rancher Infusion

30 Green Apple Jolly Ranchers

750mL bottle of medium-grade vodka (3 cups)

Combine ingredients in infusion jar and stir to break up the candy. Seal the jar and place in a cool location. The candy will dissolve within 1-2 days. Your infusion will be ready.

Holly Jolly Cocktail

Pour two shots of Jolly Rancher martini in a highball glass filled with ice. Mix this with ginger ale, 7up, or Sprite to taste

Cranberry-Vanilla Vodka Infusion

1 whole Vanilla bean, cut a slit down the length of the bean

Fresh cranberries

750mL bottle of medium-grade vodka (3 cups)

Christmas Cosmo Recipe

1 pt. cranberry liqueur

1 pt vodka, well chilled

1 pt. cranberry juice

1 pt. triple sec

Juice of one lime

Combine the ingredients in a martini shaker. Shake and pour.

Check out these sites for more vodka infusion recipes:

Infusions of Grandeur (A fun group of guys who love experimenting!)

Make Martinis at Home – Several recipes

Infused Vodka.com – More info. And products

Merriment Design – Shows you how to host a vodka infusion tasting party