This is a great holiday cocktail recipe: easy to make by the pitcher, naturally colorful (bright red & green!), and flavorful enough to attract people who may not normally like cocktails.

There’s a little over 2 oz. of rum per serving, which is on the light side for a cocktail this size. Still, you might not taste it with the fruit flavors masking it, so keep that in mind if you have any lightweights about.

I’ve been bringing this to my friends’ annual Thanksmas party for a few years now – if  December has been mild enough I can often grab the last mint out of the garden for the fresh herbal flavor.

But if I don’t have mint or something else on hand, I like that I can also stop by a grocery store and pick up all the fixing on my way to the party just as easily.

Cranberry Mojitos

(6 servings)

• 1 bunch fresh mint (about 1 cup)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3-4 fresh limes, quartered (or 1/4 cup lime juice)
• 1 3/4 cup light rum
• 3/4 cup frozen cranberry concentrate
• 2 10 oz. bottles club soda.
• 6 cups ice

Trim the smaller leaves off the ends of the mint sprigs to use for garnish and place the larger leaves in the bottom of a large pitcher. Add in the sugar and fresh limes, if you have them.

Using a muddler or the back of a wooden spoon, mash 1 bunch trimmed fresh mint (about 1 cup) with sugar and fresh limes in bottom of large pitcher until the limes are juiced and the leaves are bruised.

Stir in light rum (and lime juice, if you don’t have fresh limes) until sugar is dissolved  Mix in 3/4 cup thawed frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate and two 10-ounce bottles of chilled sparkling water. Mix in 6 cups ice.

Serve with small slices of lime and sprigs of mint to garnish:

Original Source: Andrew Knowlton, Bon Appetit