Vodka Cranberry Syringe Shot

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 05/13/21
Vodka Cranberry Syringe Shooter

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 shot

Think of all the fun you can have at your Halloween party with this funky and super easy syringe shot! The vodka cranberry syringe shot takes the fruity flavor of the popular cocktail and adds the sparkling flavor lemon-lime soda as a chaser.

The shot is incredibly simple to make. It combines a cranberry-flavored vodka with a citrus soda. The key, however, is in the vessel. There's no need to grab ​a shot glass because you're going to drink it out of a syringe. It's a fun party novelty and can work for any occasion.

The recipe is written for a single syringe, but you'll definitely want to share, so fill as many syringes as you need.

Ingredients

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Vodka Cranberry Syringe Shooter
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  2. Fill a pint glass (or other tall glass) half-way with chilled soda and draw 1 ounce of vodka into a syringe.

    Vodka Cranberry Syringe Shooter
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

  3. Place the vodka-filled syringe into the soda. To take the shot, the drinker shoots the syringe directly into their mouth then chases it with the soda. Or, the shot can be injected into the glass of soda and everything is drunk quickly. Enjoy.

    Vodka Cranberry Syringe Shooter
    The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

Tips

  • Cranberry vodka is made by a few different brands; some are red while others are clear.
  • You can also make your own cranberry-infused vodka with fresh or frozen cranberries. It's best to chop the berries either by hand or in a food processor to maximize the flavor. Use about 1 1/2 cups of cranberries for a 750-milliliter bottle of vodka and let it infuse for 3 to 4 weeks before straining out the berries.

Recipe Variations

  • Make this shot without cranberry vodka. Use regular vodka (or any flavor) instead and mix it with an equal part of cranberry juice. It will cut the alcohol content in half while retaining the vodka cranberry flavor.
  • Will you have a black light at the party? Switch the soda out for tonic water. Quinine is the essential ingredient in tonic and it makes the soda glow under black light. Displaying the syringes in glowing water is a pretty cool effect that will add to the party's atmosphere.

Syringe Shots

The vodka-filled syringe is the best part of this shot and the syringes are readily available. Most party stores will carry them, particularly around Halloween, because they have become a popular alternative to serving jello shots in plastic cups.

The syringes that are designed specifically for party shots are larger than those for medical uses and there are no needles, so they're perfectly safe. Most will hold between 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 ounces and many have caps so you can fill them before the party. Because this shooter is liquid and not gelatin, that's a very important feature to look for in the syringes you buy; without the lid, the vodka will drip out.

Be sure to rinse the syringes before using them to remove any manufacturing particles. Also, the sooner you clean them out after taking the shot, the easier it will be. During the party, consider having a bowl or bucket of water to drop them into and let them soak once your guests are done.

How Strong Is a Vodka Cranberry Syringe Shot?

Similar to "bomb" shots, with the vodka cranberry syringe shot you're drinking a straight shot of vodka then chasing it. Most flavored vodkas are bottled at 70 proof, so that will be the strength of the shot on its own. However, the soda will dilute it (either in your stomach or the glass, depending on how to shoot it), so the effect could be more like drinking a 7 percent ABV (14 proof) drink.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
72 Calories
0g Fat
16g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 72
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 13mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 16g 6%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 16g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 2mg 12%
Calcium 4mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 20mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)