Vodka Cranberry Orange Juice (Madras Cocktail)
This Vodka Cranberry Orange Juice cocktail - also known as a Madras - is one of the easiest 3-ingredient drinks you can mix at home. Sweet, slightly tart, and beautifully sunset-colored, it's the cocktail you reach for on summer afternoons, brunches, and holiday gatherings. Made with vodka, cranberry juice, and orange juice over ice, it's ready in under two minutes.
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Why You'll Love This Madras Cocktail
- Just 3 ingredients - vodka, cranberry juice, and orange juice. That's it.
- Ready in under 2 minutes - no muddling, no shaking, no special tools required.
- Endlessly versatile - light enough for brunch, festive enough for the holidays, refreshing enough for summer.
- Easy to scale - make 2 glasses or a full pitcher with the same ratios.
- Naturally beautiful - the cranberry juice gives it that signature sunset-pink color.
What Is a Madras Cocktail?
A Madras is a classic three-ingredient cocktail made with vodka, cranberry juice, and orange juice, served over ice in a highball glass. It's a cousin of the Cape Codder (vodka and cranberry) and the Screwdriver (vodka and orange juice) - combine the two, and you get a Madras.
The drink takes its name from the bright, jewel-tone red of Madras plaid fabric, which mirrors the cocktail's pink-orange hue. If you've ever ordered "vodka cranberry orange juice" at a bar without knowing what to call it, the bartender most likely poured you a Madras.
Ingredients
The full ingredient list with measurements is in the recipe card above. Here's what each one is doing and what to look for at the store.
Vodka. Use a smooth, mid-shelf vodka - Tito's, Ketel One, or Smirnoff all work beautifully. Because cranberry and orange juice carry the flavor, you don't need anything top-shelf, but skip the bottom-shelf bottles or the alcohol bite will come through.
Cranberry juice. Cranberry juice cocktail (Ocean Spray-style) gives you the classic balance of tart and sweet. If you prefer less sweetness, use 100% cranberry juice and add a splash of simple syrup to taste.
Orange juice. Fresh-squeezed is wonderful but absolutely not required. Any 100% orange juice - with or without pulp - will deliver the bright citrus this cocktail needs.
Garnishes (optional). Fresh orange slices, lime wedges, fresh cranberries, or a sprig of rosemary for the holidays.
How to Make Vodka Cranberry Orange Juice
This is genuinely a 30-second cocktail. Full step-by-step is in the recipe card above - here's the quick method.
- Fill your glasses with ice. Highball or pilsner glasses work equally well. The more ice, the slower it dilutes - fill them to the top.
- Pour the vodka. 1.5 ounces (one standard shot) per drink.
- Add the cranberry juice and orange juice. Two ounces of each per drink, poured in either order.
- Stir gently and garnish. A quick stir with a bar spoon or straw, then add an orange slice or fresh cranberries. Done.
Pro Tips for the Best Madras Cocktai
- Chill your juices ahead of time - warm juice melts the ice and waters down the drink.
- Use a 1.5 : 2 : 2 ratio as your starting point (vodka : cranberry : orange) and adjust to taste. More OJ for sweeter, more cranberry for tarter.
- Don't over-stir - cocktails with juice cloud up if you whip them. A gentle stir is enough.
- Glass matters more than you'd think. A clear highball lets the color show through; a tinted glass mutes it.
Variations & Substitutions
Bubbly Madras. Top with 1-2 ounces of club soda or lemon-lime soda for a fizzy version.
Sparkling Madras. Replace the orange juice entirely with chilled prosecco for a brunch-ready sparkling cocktail.
Frozen Madras. Blend the same ratios with a cup of ice for a slushie-style summer drink.
Mocktail Madras. Skip the vodka and add a splash of ginger ale or sparkling water - same gorgeous color, alcohol-free.
Holiday Madras. Garnish with fresh whole cranberries and a sprig of rosemary for Christmas tablescapes. For an even more striking holiday version, swap your regular ice for cranberry ice cubes - see [link to future Cranberry Ice Cubes for Cocktails post] for the full how-to.
How to Make a Pitcher (For a Crowd)
For 8 servings, multiply the ratios:
- 12 ounces (1.5 cups) vodka
- 16 ounces (2 cups) cranberry juice
- 16 ounces (2 cups) orange juice
Combine in a pitcher and refrigerate until ready to serve. Pour over ice in individual glasses - don't add the ice to the pitcher or it will dilute the whole batch.
What to Serve With a Madras Cocktail
The cranberry-orange flavor pairs beautifully with:
- Brunch: quiche, eggs benedict, fruit salad, or savory breakfast hash.
- Appetizers: bruschetta, charcuterie boards, brie with cranberry chutney.
- Holiday meals: turkey, ham, anything with stuffing or cranberry sauce.
- Summer cookouts: grilled chicken, BBQ smokies, anything off the grill.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Make-ahead. The juice mixture (cranberry + orange) can be combined up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Add the vodka and ice just before serving.
Leftovers. A pre-mixed pitcher (with vodka) keeps in the fridge for up to 3 days. Stir before pouring.
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Vodka Cranberry Orange Juice FAQ
What does a Madras cocktail taste like?
A Madras is light, refreshing, and lightly sweet - the orange juice softens the tartness of the cranberry, and the cranberry keeps the orange juice from being too sweet. It tastes more like a refreshing brunch cocktail than a stiff drink, even though it has a full shot of vodka per glass. If you like a Mimosa or a Cape Codder, you'll like a Madras.
What's the difference between a Madras and a Sea Breeze?
Both are vodka cocktails with cranberry juice, but the third ingredient changes the drink entirely. A Madras uses orange juice for a sweeter, brighter cocktail. A Sea Breeze uses grapefruit juice for a tarter, more bitter drink. If you prefer brunch flavors, go with the Madras; if you prefer something more grown-up and slightly bitter, try the Sea Breeze.
Is a Madras a strong drink?
A Madras is a medium-strength cocktail. With 1.5 ounces of vodka and 4 ounces of juice per drink, it's similar in strength to a Vodka Cranberry or a Screwdriver - noticeably alcoholic but balanced by the juice. For a lighter version, reduce the vodka to 1 ounce per drink and increase the juices proportionally. For a stronger version, add an extra half-ounce of vodka per glass.
Vodka Cranberry Orange Juice (Madras Cocktail)
Ingredients
For the Cocktail:
- Ice enough to fill 2 highball glasses
- 3 ounces vodka 1.5 oz per drink
- 4 ounces cranberry juice cocktail such as Ocean Spray (2 oz per drink)
- 4 ounces orange juice 2 oz per drink
For Garnish (Optional):
- 2 fresh orange slices or wheels
- Fresh whole cranberries a small handful
Instructions
- Fill the glasses with ice. Fill 2 highball or pilsner glasses to the top with ice.
- Pour the vodka. Add 1.5 ounces of vodka to each glass.
- Add the juices. Pour 2 ounces of cranberry juice into each glass, followed by 2 ounces of orange juice.
- Stir gently. Use a bar spoon or straw to gently stir until the drink is uniformly pink-coral throughout.
- Garnish and serve. Add an orange slice to the rim of each glass and a few fresh cranberries to the drink. Serve immediately.
Notes
Cranberry juice. Cranberry juice cocktail (the sweetened red kind) gives the classic flavor balance. For less sweetness, use 100% cranberry juice and add a splash of simple syrup.
Make a pitcher. For 8 cocktails, combine 12 oz vodka, 16 oz cranberry juice, and 16 oz orange juice in a pitcher. Refrigerate, then pour over ice in individual glasses (don't add ice to the pitcher - it dilutes the batch).
Make-ahead. The juice mixture can be combined up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Add vodka and ice just before serving.
Nutrition
