Cranberry Christmas Margarita over ice with a sugar rim, cranberries, rosemary, and lime.

This Cranberry Christmas Margarita is a sweet-tart tequila cocktail made with cranberry juice, fresh lime, and orange liqueur. Shake one in five minutes, finish it with a sugar rim and festive garnishes, or mix an eight-cocktail pitcher ahead for a holiday gathering.

It has the bright citrus character of a Classic Margarita, with cranberry juice bringing the holiday color. The pitcher option includes two ways to serve it, so you can choose how much bartending you want to do once everyone arrives.

Ingredients You'll Need

Cranberry juice, blanco tequila, triple sec, and freshly squeezed lime juice make the base; sugar, a lime wedge, and fresh ice finish the glass. The recipe card below has the exact measurements.

Cranberry juice: Choose the sweetness you prefer; sweetened and unsweetened juices need different balancing.
Blanco tequila: The tested tequila for this cocktail.
Triple sec: Adds orange flavor to the cranberry and lime.
Fresh lime: Juice for the shaker and a wedge to moisten the rim.
Superfine granulated sugar: For the rim.
Ice: For shaking and serving.
Optional garnishes: Fresh cranberries, rosemary, and a lime wedge or lime zest spiral.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

The cranberry juice determines how sweet this margarita tastes. If you use unsweetened juice, add simple syrup one teaspoon at a time to balance the tartness; sweetened juice produces a sweeter cocktail.

Another orange liqueur can replace triple sec. For the glass, use coarse salt in place of sugar or leave the rim plain. Use the optional rosemary as a fresh garnish.

Tools That Make It Easier

I use these tools when I make Cranberry Christmas Margaritas: a small plate, serving glass, cocktail shaker with lid and built-in strainer, jigger or liquid measure, tablespoon measure, citrus juicer, and a knife and cutting board for the lime. A peeler or zester is optional for a lime spiral.

For the eight-drink batch, use a pitcher holding at least 2½ quarts, a stirring spoon, measuring cups, and a cover. A sealed container handles refrigerated storage; use a freezer-safe container if freezing the mixture.

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How to Make Cranberry Christmas Margarita

Prepare the glass, shake the cocktail until thoroughly chilled, then strain over fresh ice and garnish just before serving.

Step 1 - Prepare the glass. Pour a thin layer of sugar onto a small plate. Rub a lime wedge around the glass rim, dip the moistened rim into the sugar, and fill the glass with fresh ice.

Step 2 - Shake until chilled. Combine the cranberry juice, tequila, triple sec, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Add ice, secure the lid, and shake for 10-15 seconds, until thoroughly chilled.

Step 3 - Taste and strain. Taste and add more cranberry juice if desired. Strain the cocktail into the prepared glass.

Step 4 - Garnish and serve. Add fresh cranberries, a rosemary sprig, a lime wedge, or a lime zest spiral as you like, and serve immediately.

A Few Mistakes to Avoid

Keep the ice used for shaking separate from the fresh serving ice, and leave ice out of a stored pitcher. Melting ice will continue to dilute the remaining batch.

When serving straight from the pitcher, add the measured cold water below. When shaking individual portions, omit that water so each serving gets its dilution from shaking with ice.

Keeping Leftovers Fresh

Refrigerate the mixed cocktail without ice or garnishes in a sealed container for up to 24 hours for the freshest flavor. Stir before serving and pour over fresh ice.

Can You Freeze the Mixture?

You can freeze the mixture without ice, added water, or garnishes for up to one month in a freezer-safe container with room for expansion. The alcohol may keep it from freezing solid; thaw in the refrigerator, stir well, and shake individual portions with fresh ice before serving.

Can You Make a Pitcher Ahead?

Yes-mix this eight-cocktail batch and refrigerate it covered for up to 24 hours, keeping the ice and garnishes separate.

4½ cups cranberry juice
1½ cups blanco tequila
1 cup triple sec
½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice, from about 4 limes
¾-1 cup cold water, optional, for serving directly from the pitcher

Stir the cranberry juice, tequila, triple sec, and lime juice together in the pitcher. Cover and chill; stir again before serving, then prepare eight glasses with sugar rims and fresh ice.

To pour directly from the pitcher: Stir in ¾ cup cold water to provide the dilution normally added by shaking with ice. Taste and add up to another ¼ cup water if desired, then divide evenly among the eight glasses.

To shake each serving: Omit the added water. Measure ¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons of the pitcher mixture per cocktail, shake with ice for 10-15 seconds, and strain into a prepared glass. Garnish just before serving.

What to Serve with Cranberry Christmas Margarita

Serve these margaritas with baked Brie, bacon-wrapped dates, jalapeño poppers, or a cheese and charcuterie board. For a holiday spread, try Bacon Wrapped Dates with Boursin & Hot Honey, Crispy Fried Jalapeño Poppers, and How to Make a Charcuterie Board.

Bacon Wrapped Dates with Boursin & Hot Honey

Fried Jalapeño Poppers

How to Make an Epic Charcuterie Board for a Crowd

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More Recipes You Might Like

For another tequila cocktail, try my Italian Margarita. For a holiday pitcher with a wine base, take a look at Christmas Sangria.

Classic Margarita

This classic margarita recipe is perfectly tart, smooth, and refreshing-great on the rocks or frozen! Made with fresh lime juice and good tequila, it's perfect for taco nights, happy hour, or any celebration!

Prickly Pear Margaritas

Bright, bold, and bursting with desert sweetness, these Hot Pink Prickly Pear Margaritas are easy to shake up and perfect for porch sipping, taco nights, or Texas-style happy hour.

Italian Margarita with Amaretto

A citrusy tequila cocktail with an amaretto twist for another margarita option.

Christmas Sangria

A festive wine-based pitcher drink for a holiday gathering.

Recipe

Cranberry Christmas Margarita

Print Recipe

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This Cranberry Christmas Margarita mixes cranberry juice, tequila, orange liqueur, and fresh lime for a sweet-tart holiday sip. Shake one or make a pitcher for eight.

Author: Jennifer
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
Category: Cocktails
Method: Shaking

Ingredients

Units Scale

4 ½ fluid ounces cranberry juice, plus more to taste
1 ½ fluid ounces blanco tequila
1 fluid ounce triple sec
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice, from about ½ lime
Superfine granulated sugar, for the rim
Lime wedge, for preparing the rim
Ice, for shaking and serving

Optional Garnishes

Fresh cranberries
Fresh rosemary sprig
Lime wedge or lime zest spiral

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Instructions

Prep

Pour a thin layer of sugar onto a small plate.
Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a serving glass. Dip the moistened rim into the sugar, then fill the glass with fresh ice.

Mix and Serve

Combine the cranberry juice, tequila, triple sec, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker.
Add ice, secure the lid, and shake for 10-15 seconds, until thoroughly chilled.
Taste and add more cranberry juice if desired. Strain into the prepared glass.
Add your choice of garnishes and serve immediately.

Notes

Cranberry Juice and Substitutions
Sweetened cranberry juice produces a sweeter cocktail. If using unsweetened cranberry juice, add simple syrup 1 teaspoon at a time to balance the tartness.
Substitute another orange liqueur for the triple sec.
Replace the sugar rim with coarse salt, or leave the rim plain.

Make-Ahead Pitcher - 8 Cocktails
4½ cups cranberry juice
1½ cups blanco tequila
1 cup triple sec
½ cup freshly squeezed lime juice, from about 4 limes
¾-1 cup cold water, optional, for serving directly from the pitcher

Stir the cranberry juice, tequila, triple sec, and lime juice together in a pitcher. Cover and refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Keep ice and garnishes separate.
Stir again before serving. Prepare 8 glasses with sugar rims and fresh ice.
To serve directly from the pitcher: Stir in ¾ cup cold water to provide the dilution normally added by shaking with ice. Taste and add up to another ¼ cup water if desired. Divide evenly among the prepared glasses.
To shake individual servings: Omit the added water. Measure ¾ cup plus 3 tablespoons of the pitcher mixture per cocktail and shake with ice for 10-15 seconds. Strain into a prepared glass.
Garnish just before serving. Avoid adding ice to the pitcher, which will dilute the remaining drinks as it melts.

Serving Suggestions and Pairings
Pair with baked Brie, bacon-wrapped dates, jalapeño poppers, or a cheese and charcuterie board.

Storage
Refrigerate the mixed cocktail without ice or garnishes in a sealed container for up to 24 hours for the freshest flavor. Stir before serving and pour over fresh ice.

Freezing
Freeze the mixture without ice, added water, or garnishes in a freezer-safe container for up to 1 month, leaving room for expansion. The alcohol may prevent it from freezing solid. Thaw in the refrigerator, stir well, and shake individual portions with fresh ice before serving.