When I’m entertaining in the fall and winter, I like to offer seasonal drink recipes such as a Christmas margarita, cranberry moscow mule, poinsettia cocktail, Kinderpunsch, Thanksgiving punch and this delicious cranberry margarita. You simply can’t go wrong with a mixed drink, and these cranberry margaritas are a fun twist on the classic margarita recipe.
Cranberry Margarita Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need unsweetened cranberry juice, tequila blanco (silver tequila), triple sec (such as Cointreau), lime juice, grenadine, lime wedges, fresh cranberries, mint sprigs, sanding sugar and salt.
How Do You Make A Cranberry Margarita?
Place the salt and sugar on a plate and mix them together. Dip the rim of a glass in water, then place the rim of the cup onto the salt and sugar mixture. Turn the glass upright, and add some ice cubes. Pour in the cranberry juice, tequila and triple sec. Next, add fresh lime juice and grenadine. Gently stir everything together, then serve with garnishes such as fresh cranberries, lime slices and fresh mint.
Tips For The Perfect Drink
I prefer to use unsweetened cranberry juice in this recipe as it has a more intense flavor. You can use cranberry juice cocktail if you prefer a sweeter drink. This recipe makes one drink. You can easily scale up the ingredient measurements to fit the size of your group by changing the number of servings in the recipe card. Use freshly squeezed lime juice for the best results. Grenadine is a pomegranate syrup that adds a lot of color and flavor to mixed drinks. You can find it in the drinks aisle, or with the mixers in the alcohol section of your grocery store. If you can’t find grenadine, you could use simple syrup instead to sweeten the drink. This recipe does not use a cocktail shaker because many home cooks do not have them on hand. If you do prefer to shake your margarita, place the liquids in a cocktail shaker or sealed mason jar and shake to combine. Pour over the ice and serve with garnishes.
Flavor Variations
This recipe is great as-is, but you can customize some of the ingredients to suit your tastes.
Juices: Feel free to add other flavors with an ounce of orange juice, pomegranate juice or cherry juice. Liquor: You can use Mezcal instead of tequila blanco, and an orange liqueur like Grand Marnier in lieu of Cointreau. Garnishes: Try using some different garnishes such as orange peel, a sprig of rosemary, sugared cranberries or orange slices. Frozen: You can blend all the ingredients up in a blender to make a frozen drink.
This cranberry cocktail is a must-have for any Christmas party or fall gathering!
