Cranberry Margarita (Christmas Margarita)
This Cranberry Margarita (Christmas Margarita) is perfect for enjoying throughout the Christmas season. It’s made on the rocks with tequila, fresh lime juice, cranberry juice, and Cointreau!
After you enjoy a few Christmas Margaritas, be sure to ring in the New Year with this Frozen Champagne Margarita!
The Perfect Christmas Drink
Bring all of your winter parties to life with this seasonally fun Cranberry Margarita! Bursting with fresh flavor that’s perfectly tart yet sweet and finished off with festive garnishes to fit the occasion!
Make a single drink or mix up a large batch! Enjoy it at home by the light of the Christmas tree or at the annual holiday party.
I find this margarita goes down best while munching on appetizers with friends and family!
Rebecca’s Recipe Review
Taste: Deliciously tart yet sweet.
Texture: Smooth and crisp.
Ease: 2/10
Pros: A great winter sip that’s easy-to-make.
Cons: If you don’t like cranberry, this may not be the drink for you.
Would I Make This Again? Yes!
Cranberry Margarita Ingredients
- Ice
- Tequila
- Fresh Lime Juice
- Pure Unsweetened Cranberry Juice
- Cointreau
- Simple Syrup
- Coarse Salt or Sugar for the rim
- Lime Slice
- Cranberries
- Fresh Mint
100% Cranberry Juice Vs. Cranberry Cocktail
The difference between the two lies in where the sugar comes from in each. 100% cranberry juice uses the sweetness of other fruits to balance out the tart cranberry flavor. Cranberry cocktail is made with high-fructose corn syrup and added sugars to sweeten it. For this recipe, I actually recommend using Pure Unsweetened Cranberry Juice, which is more concentrated than 100% and will give you a deeper flavor and red color. If you use 100% in this recipe, you will want to increase it to 2 ounces.
How To Make A Cranberry Margarita
- Pour tequila, lime juice, cranberry juice, orange liqueur, and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker with ice. Then shake vigorously until it becomes cold.
- Add simple syrup to a shallow plate, and add salt or sugar to a separate small plate. Dip the rim of the glass in the syrup first and then in the salt or sugar.
- Add ice to the glass and then strain the cocktail into it. Garnish the margarita with a slice of lime, cranberries, and a sprig of fresh mint.
Rebecca’s Tips
- Chill The Ingredients – Margaritas are best served cold, and this holiday margarita is no exception to that! Therefore, you’ll want to place all of your ingredients in the fridge beforehand to allow them to chill.
- Get The Most Out Of Your Limes – You always want to use fresh lime juice in margaritas! To easily get the most juice out of your limes, first, microwave them on high for about 20 seconds. Then firmly roll them on the counter using the palm of your hand to encourage the limes to release their juices. Afterward, slice the limes in half and use a citrus juicer!
- Simple Syrup – This easy ingredient sweetens this drink up perfectly! Though you can buy it at the store, I’d recommend just making it at home. All it takes is 2 ingredients and 5 minutes following this easy recipe on How To Make Simple Syrup!
- Garnishes – It just can’t be a seasonal drink without some fun garnishes to take it the extra mile! For this margarita, I like to finish it off with a salt or sugared rim, a slice of lime, and Easy Sugared Cranberries that are made with only 3 ingredients!
- Make It Sparkle! – Want a sparkling cranberry margarita? Add a splash of cranberry or lime seltzer or club soda to the glass after your strain the contents of the cocktail shaker in.
- Cocktail Shaker – Instead of using a cocktail shaker, you can use a mason jar with a lid, a blender bottle, or two glasses – one smaller than the other. Investing in a cocktail strainer or a fine mesh sieve (affiliate links) allows you to use almost any container with a lid.
Make It A Large Batch For Parties!
This Easy Cranberry Margarita Recipe is perfect for all of your holiday parties! But the last thing you want to do is be a bartender when you want to mingle with friends and family.
Therefore, the best way to serve these margaritas for a party is to make a large batch! To do so, gently stir together 2 cups of tequila, 1/2 cup of Cointreau, 1 cup of lime juice, 1 cup of pomegranate juice, 3 ounces of simple syrup, and 1 1/2 cups of 100% cranberry juice.
This Cranberry Margarita can be prepared and served in a large pitcher or punch bowl. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour and then serve over ice!
Cranberry Margarita Slushie
You can make a Frozen Cranberry Margarita by adding the ingredients to a blender with ice and blending. Usually, for frozen margaritas, I recommend increasing the cranberry juice a bit so that the flavor stands out a little more with all the ice.
More Christmas Drink Recipes:
- Jingle Juice Recipe – Made with three types of alcohol in 5 minutes!
- Christmas Punch (Alcoholic or Not) – The most popular recipe on the blog!
- DIY Hot Cocoa Bar – A fun setup that the whole family can enjoy!
- Sparkling Vodka Cranberry – Garnished with sugared cranberries and rosemary!
- Peppermint Hot Chocolate – A sweet, minty twist on the classic drink!
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If you’ve tried this recipe, please let leave a review in the comments below. I love hearing from you! Don’t forget to tag me – @sugarandsoulco – on Instagram and Pinterest with your photos, or join our Sugar & Soul Show-offs Community and share them there.
Cranberry Margarita
Ingredients
- Ice
- 2 ounces tequila
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1½ ounces pure unsweetened cranberry juice
- ½ ounce Cointreau or other orange liqueur
- 1 tablespoon simple syrup plus more for the rim
- Coarse salt or sugar for rim
- Lime slice for garnish
- cranberries for garnish
- fresh mint for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail shaker about halfway with ice.Ice
- Pour in the tequila, lime juice, cranberry juice, orange liqueur, and simple syrup and shake until cold, about 15 seconds.2 ounces tequila, 1 ounce fresh lime juice, 1½ ounces pure unsweetened cranberry juice, ½ ounce Cointreau, 1 tablespoon simple syrup
- Add simple syrup to a small plate and add salt or sugar to a separate small plate, dip the rim of the glass in the syrup then in the salt or sugar.1 tablespoon simple syrup, Coarse salt or sugar
- Add ice to the glass and strain the drink into the prepared margarita glass. Garnish with a slice of lime, cranberries, and a sprig of fresh mint.Lime slice, cranberries, fresh mint
Notes
- Always use fresh lime juice in margaritas.
- Agave may be used in place of simple syrup.
- Make sugared cranberries for an extra festive finish.
- For this recipe, I recommend using Pure Unsweetened Cranberry Juice, which is more concentrated than 100% and will give you a deeper flavor and red color. If you are using 100%, you may want to increase the juice to 2 ounces.
- Want a sparkling cranberry margarita? Add a splash of cranberry or lime seltzer or club soda to the glass after your strain the contents of the cocktail shaker in.
- To make a large batch for parties (8 servings):
- 2 cups tequila
- 1 cup lime juice
- 1 1/2 cups cranberry juice
- 3 ounces simple syrup
- Prepare in a large pitcher and chill for 1 hour; serve over ice.
Nutrition
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