Cranberry Margarita – Easy Holiday Recipe

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Put a holiday spin on a summertime favorite with this easy Cranberry Margarita!  You get all the sweet-tart flavors you love about a classic margarita with the delicious taste and color of rich red cranberries!  Rim the glass with sugar or salt and get ready to celebrate with a festive holiday cocktail!  

A cranberry beverage with ice garnished with a slice of lime, cranberries and a sprig of rosemary next to a bowl of cranberries and limes.

I love a good margarita so I am happy to include this festive drink on my list of favorite party cocktails.  It is right up there with my Italian Margarita and very popular Apple Cider Margarita.  This is the perfect party drink for the holiday season but it is so refreshing that you can serve it any time of year.  

You will love that these delicious cranberry margaritas can be made ahead.  If you are having a Christmas or New Year’s party, make a pitcher of margaritas, set out a plate of salt or sugar for rimming the glasses, and let your guests help themselves.

A bottle of tequila, cointreau, limes, cranberry juice, a bowl of cranberries and a bowl of salt.

Simple Ingredients You Need for this Cranberry Margarita Recipe:

Tequila: The type of tequila you use is up to you. I like to use blanco tequila (silver tequila) in mixed drinks. Of course you will want to use a good quality tequila but since you are mixing it with other liqueurs and juices, there is no need to spend more on gold tequila like reposado or anjeo, which are usually reserved for sipping on their own.  

Orange liqueur:  Feel free to use any orange-flavored liqueur such as Triple Sec, Cointreau or Grand Marnier.  

Fresh lime juice:  This is one time I would recommend using fresh squeezed lime juice so that you get the best flavor rather than using store-bought.  

Tart cranberry juice: You can use either unsweetened cranberry juice or cranberry juice cocktail.  If I am going to use a sugar rim on the glass then I prefer to use unsweetened cranberry juice because the cranberry juice cocktail already has sugar in it. This will give your drink the perfect balance between sweet and tart.

Sugar or kosher salt for rimming the glass.

A cranberry margarita garnished with lime, cranberries and a sprig of rosemary surrounded by limes and cranberries.

How to Make a Single Drink or a Batch of Cranberry Margaritas

  1. For a single drink follow the measurements in the recipe card:  Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, add all of your ingredients, shake vigorously, and strain into a prepared glass filled with fresh ice.
  2. To make a pitcher of 8 cocktails:  In a large pitcher combine:
    • 3 cups of  Cranberry Juice
    • 1 1/2 cups of Tequila
    • 1 cup Orange Liqueur
    • 1/2 cup Lime Juice

​How to Serve the Perfect Holiday Cocktail

To make your cocktails special for holiday parties set out some garnishes that your guests can use in their drinks.  Of course, a lime wedge goes with the classic cocktail, but for a more festive cocktail add some rosemary sprigs, fresh cranberries, and even cinnamon sticks. 

Don’t forget to rim the glass.  Simply place coarse salt or sugar on a flat plate.  Run a lime wedge around the rim of a glass to dampen it.  Then dip the rim of the glass in the salt or sugar and swirl it around.  

A cranberry drink with a sugared rim garnished with limes, cranberries and rosemary.

Other Cocktails You Will Love

Some of our favorite boozy drinks include The Blue Motorcycle AKA the AMF Drink, and my husband’s famous Long Island Iced Tea. My Italian Hugo Spritz and Grapefruit Cocktail are the perfect summertime drinks for sipping by the pool.

If you want something more sophisticated and refined, you will want to try a Sicilian Kiss or a Sicilian Manhattan.

I love to get your feedback so if you tried this Cranberry Margarita Recipe or any other recipes on this website, please leave me a comment below.  I hope you enjoy our recipes and look forward to hearing from you!

You can also follow me on FacebookInstagram, and Pinterest for more recipes your family will love!

A cranberry drink with a sugared rim garnished with limes, cranberries and rosemary.

Cranberry Margarita

The perfect holiday cocktail! Make one or make a batch for your next party. Cranberry juice turns your favorite summer cocktail into a festive seasonal drink!
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Cocktail, Happy Hour
Cuisine American
Servings 1 cocktail
Calories 185 kcal

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Ingredients
  

  • 3 oz Cranberry juice
  • oz Tequila
  • ½ oz Cointreau or Triple Sec
  • ½ oz Lime juice fresh
  • Salt for rim

Instructions
 

  • Combine all of the ingredients except the salt in a shaker glass filled with ice. Shake well and strain the cocktail into a prepared serving glass filled with ice.

How to Make a Salt Rim

  • Pour salt on a small plate. Run a slice of lime around the rim of a glass then place the glass rim down on the salt.

Notes

To make a pitcher of 8 cocktails:  In a large pitcher combine: 
    • 3 cups of  Cranberry Juice
    • 1 1/2 cups of Tequila
    • 1 cup Orange Liqueur
    • 1/2 cup Lime Juice

​How to Serve the Perfect Holiday Cocktail

To make your cocktails special for holiday parties set out some garnishes that your guests can use in their drinks.  Of course, a lime wedge goes with the classic cocktail, but for a more festive cocktail add some rosemary sprigs, fresh cranberries, and even cinnamon sticks. 
Don’t forget to rim the glass.  Simply place coarse salt or sugar on a flat plate.  Run a lime wedge around the rim of a glass to dampen it.  Then dip the rim of the glass in the salt or sugar and swirl it around.   

Nutrition

Serving: 1cocktailCalories: 185kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 0.4gFat: 0.2gSaturated Fat: 0.03gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.02gSodium: 4mgPotassium: 87mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 15gVitamin A: 45IUVitamin C: 12mgCalcium: 9mgIron: 0.3mg
Keyword alcohol, cranberry juice, teguila, salt rim, festive, holiday cocktail, christmas cocktail
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5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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