Who Says Raspberry Cocktails Are Just for Summertime?

While a drink flavored with strawberry liqueur (which we swap for easier-to-find raspberry liqueur) and lime might not feel like an immediate choice for the holiday season, we guarantee one sip of the Rockin’ Around cocktail will change your mind.

For a second year of its Jingle Jangle holiday pop-up, the Dead Rabbit will be donating $1 from every holiday cocktail (like this one) sold between November 14 through January 2 to Another Round, Another Rally, a non-profit organization that provides emergency aid to hospitality workers facing unanticipated hardships, as well as providing educational scholarships and grants. —Lucy Simon

Frequently asked questions 

What is grenadine? 

Grenadine is a classic cocktail sweetener made with pomegranate juice that gets cooked down to a syrup with sugar. Since it's best known for its role in a Shirley Temple, a drink that is famously garnished with maraschino cherries, there’s often a misconception that grenadine is in fact cherry-flavored. What makes real grenadine (like the one used in this cocktail) so delicious, however, is the combination of tart pomegranate and caramelized sugar. 

What is Port wine?

While Port wine is often enjoyed as an after dinner drink or dessert wine, its fruity flavors play well with a variety of ingredients in a cocktail. To make port wine, a neutral grape spirit is added to wine as it ferments. The high alcohol content halts fermentation, allowing the grape sugars to persist so the wine maintains much of its sweetness. There are a few varieties of port wine like tawny port, white port, and fosé port, but ruby port is one of our favorite styles to mix into cocktails. 

What is the best vodka to use in a cocktail?

Whether you're making a simple Moscow Mule or Vesper, we've got you covered with the best vodka bottles to keep on your home bar.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

The port wine (we like ruby port for mixing into this cocktail), gives the Rockin’ Around cocktail a more layered depth of flavor, while the raspberry liqueur adds fruity notes and a rich texture. As the ingredients are shaken in a cocktail tin with ice, the drink aerates giving it a delightful frothy consistency. — LS