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Last Updated on November 30, 2022 by Alaina
This fun and festive red Christmas cocktail is the perfect flavor combination of sweet and tart with just a hint of fruitiness. Made with cranberry juice, lemon lime soda, grenadine and vodka, the Santa’s Little Helper vodka cocktail is perfect for enjoying under the mistletoe!

The turkey has been served, the decorations are up, and the holiday shopping is (hopefully) mostly done. It’s time to take a few minutes and actually enjoy the season!
So bring on the Christmas music, movies, crafts, cookies, candies, and don’t forget the drinks – because tis’ the season for a delicious Christmas cocktail!
This red Christmas cocktail has the most beautiful red hue, and a taste that you will absolutely love! Made with vodka, grenadine, Sprite and cranberry juice, this vodka Christmas Cocktail is sure to help make your holiday merry and bright!
This easy Christmas-themed cocktail is ideal for enjoying after dinner, at a gift exchange, a cocktail party, or whenever you feel like kicking the holiday spirit up a notch or two. And it’s so delicious, you’ll want to make it all year long (I may or may not have been known to do this).😉

HOW TO MAKE SANTA’S LITTLE HELPER CHRISTMAS COCKTAIL
This Christmas cocktail has a sweet and tart combination that goes down smooth and is hard to beat. It’s not too tart, nor is it too sweet, instead it is perfectly balanced with the barest hint of frmmmmmuitiness. De…licious!
You’ll find the complete list of ingredients and instructions in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Disclosure: this blog post may contain affiliate links for products or services I think you’ll like. This means if you make a purchase from one of these links, Bullock’s Buzz will make a small commission at no additional cost to you. As always, I only recommend products that I use and love.
BARTENDER’S TOOLS I USED

WHAT’S IN THE SANTA’S HELPER CHRISTMAS COCKTAIL?
Like many of the other festive cocktail recipes I’ve shared, the Santa’s Little Helper red Christmas cocktail is easy to make and calls for only a few ingredients.
To make this festive concoction you will need:
- vodka – any non-flavored type or brand will do.
- grenadine – gives this cocktail its sweetness and gorgeous red hue.
- cranberry juice – adds a bit of tartness and fruitiness as well as helps with the coloring.
- lemon-lime soda – blends smoothly into the sweet and tart flavorings from the above ingredients.
The final ingredient you will need is white granulated sugar which goes on the rim of the glass to give this cocktail it’s boo-tiful appearance.

CHRISTMAS COCKTAIL RECIPE INSTRUCTIONS
Making this Santa-themed Christmas cocktail is as easy as mixing the ingredients together in a cocktail shaker with ice, and then pouring it in to a martini glass.
But before you get started shaking, you’ll want to prepare the glass by adding a white sugar coating to the rim.
Step One: Add a Sugar Rim
- Place a fair amount of sugar in a large bowl or on a plate.
- Dab the rim of your martini glass with a sticky liquid such as some simple syrup or Karo syrup.
- Then gently roll the rim in the sugar until it is coated.
- Lightly tap or shake the glass while it’s still upside down to remove any excess sugar.
Step Two: Mix the Christmas Cocktail
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, add the cranberry juice, Sprite, grenadine and vodka.
- Shake until chilled.
Step Three: Serve
- Slowly pour the mixed cocktail into the glass being careful not to splash the sugar rim.
And that’s it! Your delicious holiday libation is ready to be enjoyed!

CAN I MAKE THIS CHRISTMAS COCKTAIL IN LARGE AMOUNTS?
In my experience, cocktails that have soda in them don’t really hold their taste that well for any length of time. Because of this, the Santa’s Helper Christmas cocktail is best made as needed instead of in large batches.
MORE HOLIDAY COCKTAILS
If you liked this holiday cocktail, then I think you will love my other cocktails that can be used for the holidays! Check them out below.


TRIED IT? LOVED IT? PLEASE SHARE IT!
Be sure to let me know if you like this red Holiday Cocktail recipe! And if you ever make any of my tasty drinks or treats, take a picture and tag me. I’d love to see it!
Let me know on Pinterest or Instagram and tag me with #BullocksBuzz on your Instagram photo! Or leave a comment below.
And if you want to try this holiday cocktail recipe later, be sure to save it on Pinterest so you’ll remember where to find it.
Speaking of Pinterest, you may also enjoy my Cocktails board, Mocktails board, and my Holiday Recipes and Crafts board!
Best Christmas Cocktail - Vodka Cocktail Recipe

Made with cranberry juice, lemon lime soda, grenadine and vodka, the Santa's Little Helper vodka cocktail is perfect for enjoying under the mistletoe!
Ingredients
- 2 oz. Grenadine
- 2 oz. vodka
- ½ cup cranberry juice
- 1 cup Sprite
Cocktail Glass Rim
- Simple syrup
- White granulated sugar
Instructions
- Coat the rim of your cocktail glass with corn syrup, then dip the rim into the granulated sugar.
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the grenadine, vodka, cranberry juice, and sprite.
- Shake lightly, then carefully strain into the rimmed glass.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
2Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 513Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 25mgCarbohydrates: 115gFiber: 0gSugar: 108gProtein: 0g
Nutritional information is automatically calculated with ingredients and serving size and may not be accurate. Please always double check with your own nutritional apps as well.