Dickory Dock Cocktail Recipe

Notes of rosemary and cranberry mingle in this festive, party-ready holiday cocktail.

By
Carey Jones and John McCarthy
John McCarthy and Carey Jones are contributing writers at Serious Eats.
Carey Jones and John McCarthy
Writer Carey Jones met her husband, mixologist John McCarthy, in 2012 when she penned an article profiling his cocktail program. They have been collaborating ever since, most notably on their weekly drinks column "Liquor Cabinet Roulette" for Food & Wine, book Be Your Own Bartender (2018), and features for Serious Eats.
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Updated May. 28, 2019
20181213-holiday-cocktails-vicky-wasik-dickory-dock
Photograph: Vicky Wasik

Vodka-cranberry just got a lot more sophisticated. Lemon juice and orange bitters add citrusy flavor and a hint of bitterness, while a rosemary honey introduces an herbal note. If you think your guests might like something even lighter, top off the drinks with club soda or sparkling wine. And feel free to sprinkle some cranberries right into the punch bowl. Don’t be intimidated by the rosemary honey; it’s a two-​step process that only requires a minute of your time.

Reprinted with permission from Be Your Own Bartender: A Surefire Guide to Finding (and Making) Your Perfect Cocktail by Carey Jones and John McCarthy, copyright © 2018. Published by Countryman Press.

Recipe Details

Dickory Dock Cocktail Recipe

Active 5 mins
Total 85 mins
Serves 1 serving

Notes of rosemary and cranberry mingle in this festive, party-ready holiday cocktail.

Ingredients

For the Rosemary Honey:

  • 5 large rosemary sprigs (each about 5 inches)

  • 1/2 cup (120ml) honey

For the Cocktail:

  • 2 ounces (60ml) vodka

  • 3/4 ounce (20ml) 100% cranberry juice

  • 1/2 ounce (30ml) fresh lemon juice

  • 3/4 ounce (20ml) Rosemary Honey

  • 2 dashes orange bitters

  • Lemon wheel, for garnish

  • Rosemary sprig, for garnish

Directions

  1. Make the Rosemary Honey: In a heatproof, sealable container, pour 4 ounces (120ml) boiling water over the rosemary. Let steep, covered, for 20 minutes, then stir in honey until dissolved. Continue steeping until completely cool, about 1 hour. Strain before using.

  2. Make the Cocktail: Combine all ingredients except for garnishes in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with a lemon wheel and a sprig of rosemary, clapping the herb between your palms before adding it to the drink.

Special equipment

Cocktail shaker and strainer

Notes

To serve a crowd, in a 1-​quart sealable container, combine each listed ingredient, multiplied by 6. Seal, then shake hard to incorporate ingredients. Pour into a 2-​quart pitcher over 4 cups (500g) ice and give a quick stir, then set aside as you prepare glasses or garnishes; the drink will be sufficiently chilled and diluted within 10 minutes. Stir to reincorporate ingredients, then serve and garnish as directed.

Make-Ahead and Storage

To make a large batch in advance ahead of time, combine all ingredients in a 1-​quart sealable container and refrigerate until ready for use. When you’re ready to serve, shake hard and stir over ice in the same manner.

This Recipe Appears In

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
428 Calories
3g Fat
88g Carbs
8g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 428
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 3g 4%
Saturated Fat 1g 3%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 18mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 88g 32%
Dietary Fiber 21g 76%
Total Sugars 38g
Protein 8g
Vitamin C 374mg 1,868%
Calcium 245mg 19%
Iron 6mg 32%
Potassium 1041mg 22%
*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.)