Make this Vodka Pomegranate Cocktail with just 5 ingredients in 5 minutes to celebrate Christmas or New Year's Eve It's sweet and tart with a beautiful ruby color!
How to Make a Pomegranate Cocktail with Vodka
- Combine the vodka, grenadine, and juices in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, cover, and shake well until the outside of the shaker is very cold.
- Pour the mixture into a cocktail glass and garnish it as desired. (TIP: If you want, you can also rub the inside of a lime peel around the rim of the glass, giving your cocktail drink an extra citrusy freshness and flavor.)
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Vodka: You may use dry gin if you want.
- Grenadine: This pomegranate syrup sweetens our pomegranate cocktail and gives a beautiful red color when mixed with vodka and juices. You may use a superfine sugar or simple syrup instead but it will alter the final color of your drink.
- Fresh lime juice: If you prefer, replace it with fresh lemon juice.
- Pomegranate juice: Either fresh, frozen and thawed, or bottled.
- Ice cubes
Pomegranate Cocktail Recipe
As I explained in both our Vodka Champagne Cocktail and Beef Lentil Soup posts, Brazilians are superstitious and love to incorporate good luck rituals into their New Year celebration (réveillon).
Although pomegranate is an ancient fruit originating in the vicinity of Iran, it was introduced into Brazil by Portuguese settlers centuries ago. The state of São Paulo is its largest producer in Brazil. As the fruit has numerous seeds, tradition links it with prosperity.
There is a good luck ritual (simpatia) that calls for one to eat the pulp of seven pomegranate seeds and afterward store the dry seeds in one's wallet to attract wealth. 🙂
If it doesn't work, you will at least have a delicious and refreshing pomegranate cocktail to drink and share with friends.
In addition, pomegranates contain vitamins A, B, and K, potassium, folate, and antioxidants.
The Greeks considered it as a symbol of love and fertility... The pomegranate was considered sacred to the goddess Aphrodite, as much credence was placed on its aphrodisiac powers.
For Jews, the pomegranate is a religious symbol with deep meaning in the ritual of the Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah) when it is always wished that the coming year will be better than the last.
As this year fades away, we welcome the New Year with a vodka pomegranate cocktail, wishing in a brand new year.... A time filled with many blessings such as prosperity, health, peace, and many, many others.
FAQ's
Grenadine is a sweet and tart syrup made by reducing pomegranate juice and sugar until thick and concentrated. It sweetens pomegranate cocktails and non-alcoholic drinks, giving depth of flavor and a deep reddish color.
Other Cocktails Made with Vodka
PIN AND ENJOY!
BEST Vodka Pomegranate Cocktail
Equipment
- 1 cocktail shaker
- 1 glass
Ingredients
- 1 ounce vodka OR 2 tablespoons. SUBSTITUTE: Dry gin
- ½ ounce grenadine OR 1 tablespoon. Use more for a sweeter cocktail. SUBSTITUTE: It sweetens our pomegranate cocktail and gives a beautiful red color when mixed with the vodka and juices. You may use a superfine sugar or simple syrup instead but it will alter the final color of your drink.
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice OR 1 ½ tablespoons -- SUBSTITUTE: lemon juice
- 3 ounces pomegranate juice OR ⅓ cup.
- Lime wedge for garnishing OPTIONAL (You may use a twisted limen peel, or a few pomegranate seeds instead)
- Ice cubes
Instructions
- Combine the vodka, grenadine, and juices in a cocktail shaker. Fill the shaker with ice, cover, and shake well until the outside of the shaker is very cold.
- Pour the mixture into a cocktail glass and garnish it as desired. (TIP: If you want, you can also rub the inside of a lime peel around the rim of the glass, giving your cocktail drink an extra citrusy freshness and flavor.)
Nutrition
** Nutrition labels on easyanddelish.com are for educational purposes only. This info is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate, since the nutrition content of recipes can vary based on ingredient brand or source, portion sizes, recipe changes/variations, and other factors. We suggest making your own calculations using your preferred calculator, based on which ingredients you use, or consulting with a registered dietitian to determine nutritional values more precisely.
Please note that health-focused and diet information provided on easyanddelish.com is for educational purposes and does not constitute medical advice, nor is it intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult with your doctor or other qualified health professional prior to initiating any significant change in your diet or exercise regimen, or for any other issue necessitating medical advice.
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This post was first published on December 29, 2013.
This drink is so pretty and looks delicious, too! Perfect for a celebration. Happy New Year!
Thanks, Amy! May your new year be a wonderful one...
Happy New Year, you sweet, sweet woman! This drink almost screams Happy New Year, doesn't it? The color and I'm sure the taste would get everyone prepped for the best year ever.
Thanks a lot, Maureen! Wishing you and your family an amazing year!!!! xx
This drink looks fabulous! Happy New Year my friend!
Thanks a lot, Jodee!!! Wishing you a new year filled with blessings...
You, too, my friend,...you, too! I love the new site design...great look!
Happy New Year Denise! May 2014 bring you prosperity, happiness and much joy!
Thank you , my friend! The warmest wishes for a marvelous 2014 to you and your family. xx
So interesting to learn about pomegranates being part of New Year's traditions. Your cocktail sounds delicious. Wishing you all the best in the New year.
Thanks, Karen! May your New Year bring you the best!
What a fun, delicious and beautiful drink Denise. Wishing you a happy and blessed New Year!
May 2014 bring you all that is wonderful, Chris! Thanks for stopping by!
Happy New Year Denise! What a charming drink to welcome the new year!
Thanks a ton, Deb! Wishing you a new year filled with many blessings...
Happy new Year Denise..!!!
Thanks, Nydia! Wishing you and your family a very happy 2014!
I'm with Liz. What a gorgeous and tasty way to ring in the new year. Best wishes to you and yours for a wonderful 2014!
Thanks so much, Jean! Wishing you and your family a New Year filled with many, many blessings...
Best wishes for the New Year Denise! May you and your family have a happy, succesful and above all healthy New Year!
Thank you, LCT, for your valuable support! May the New Year bring you and your family everything that is good...
Amazing, did you know I had no idea of this pomegranate ritual? What a lousy Brazilian i am!
in my family we had to swallow a big spoonful of lentil soup - I hated it growing up...
Happy New Year! Looking forward to more and more of "From Brazil to You"
Sally: Thanks a lot! I am not doing rituals on reveillon because I do not believe in them but I had to inform my readers about them... 🙂 Well, wishing you and Phil a very happy 2014...May everything that is good come to you!!! xx
My mom practices a lot of New Year rituals too - so the story behind the pomegranate seeds is very interesting for me - thanks for sharing the info and this recipe!
Happy New Year Denise!
I am not superstitious but my people is... 🙂 Wishing you a very happy 2014, Shashi!!! Thanks for having stopped by.
What a gorgeous and delicious way to usher in the new year! And now I have another recipe for my nearly full bottle of cachaça Happy New Year to you and yours, Denise!
Thanks a lot, Liz! Happy New Year to you and your family as well...
I love a good caipirinha! And with pomegranate? Sounds totally wonderful. Great drink, and Happy New Year!
Thanks, John! Wishing you a very happy 2014!
Wow, light and refreshing drink!!!!
Happy New Year Denise......
Thanks, Dedy! Likewise!!!!