The Scarlet O’Hara Cocktail is both sweet and tart. I use Southern Comfort, cranberry juice and a bit of lime juice. That’s all – three simple, but delicious ingredients.

It isn’t the holidays unless we have a Scarlet O’Hara Cocktail. My mom and I used to drink this starting on Thanksgiving day all the way through to New Year’s Eve. They became a tradition for our holidays and, in fact, it recently occurred to me that we only make them during this time of the year. Now that my Mom has passed on, I still make our signature Scarlet O’Hara Cocktail and toast to fond memories of all of my family holidays.

One of my other fond memories of this drink is that my Dad always quoted Gone With the Wind as we Mom and I enjoyed every sip. You know the line – “Frankly Scarlet….” I know, it’s corny but doesn’t everyone mutter that line when we think of “Scarlet O’Hara”?

what is southern comfort?

I always thought that Southern Comfort was a smooth whiskey. But I recently learned that its’ not a whiskey or a bourbon. It’s actually a whiskey flavored liqueur. I also recently learned that the word liquor is a more generic term that refers to types of distilled beverages. A liqueur is a liquor that has been sweetened with fruits, juices, and other flavors and has to have a minimum percentage of sugar.

Can I use another type of whiskey liqueur in the scarlet O’Hara cocktail?

You certainly can. But, while I’m not what you would call a “whiskey expert”, what I do know is that this cocktail works because Southern Comfort is sweet and the sweet whiskey paired with the tart cranberry is what makes it absolutely delicious!

don’t forget the garnish

If you are going to make a signature craft cocktail like this one, garnishes are a MUST! You know they say that you eat with your eyes first. Well, you drink with your eyes first too. My Sugar Cranberries make the perfect garnish for this drink or any holiday cocktail.

If you’re still thirsty for delicious holiday cocktails, try some of these: