The Christmas margarita is the perfect holiday cocktail. It combines the festive flavors of cranberry and orange with lime and tequila.
The holidays are a great time for gathering with family and friends over good food and even better cocktails. This Christmas margarita brings out all of the flavors of Christmas. And it’s a great cocktail to make for parties.
What is a Christmas Margarita?
A margarita is a cocktail traditionally made with tequila, orange liquor, and lime juice. A Christmas margarita is essentially a cranberry and orange margarita. It combines the traditional recipe with classic holiday flavors. Cranberries and oranges are both in season during the holidays. Which makes them the perfect holiday cocktail ingredients.
This cranberry orange margarita contains tequila, Triple Sec (an orange liquor), lime juice, cranberry juice cocktail, and a splash of orange juice. It is served with a sugar rim rather than a traditional salt rim. The sugar provides a balance to the tartness of the cranberry cocktail.
Cranberry Juice vs. Cranberry Juice Cocktail
What is the difference between cranberry juice and cranberry juice cocktail? 100% cranberry juice does not contain any added sugar. So the flavor is more tart and a little bitter. If you use cranberry juice in a cocktail, be sure to add a sweetener!
I recommend using a cranberry juice cocktail instead. This is the traditional way most of us drink cranberry juice. It is still tart, but with plenty of added sweetener.
How to Add a Sugar Rim
Sugaring the rim of a cocktail glass enhances the flavor of this tart cocktail. Plus, it adds a special visual touch to the drink as well.
What You Need
- A shallow dish larger than the rim of your glass
- Lime
- Sugar
Fill the shallow dish with sugar, about 1/2 a centimeter deep.
Run a slice of lime along the lip of the cocktail glass. The lime juice gives the sugar something to stick to. Then place the glass upside down into the dish with the sugar.
The result is a lovely sugar rim. It’s the perfect garnish for a tart cocktail like this cranberry orange margarita.
This Margarita Pairs Well With:
- Charcuterie boards
- Taco Dip
- Hormel Chili Dip
- 5 Layer Dip
- Spinach Phyllo Cups
How to Make a Christmas Margarita
To make these Christmas margaritas, add tequila, triple sec, and juices to a cocktail shaker. Add a few ounces of ice as well. Give it a good shake. Then pour the margarita into short tumblers over ice.
Be sure to sugar the tumbler rims before adding the cocktail. Serve with a few cranberries and an orange slice for garnish. You could also add a twist of lime peel for another pop of color.
Make It In Bulk
If you want to make this cocktail for a large group of people, simply increase the recipe and mix it in a large pitcher. This recipe makes about 2 cocktails. So multiply the recipe by 10 to serve 20 people.
Can I Make This Cocktail in Advance?
Absolutely! You can mix all of the components for this recipe, except the ice, in advance! Simply mix all of the liquids and store the cocktail in the refrigerator until it’s time to serve. If storing for more than 24 hours, keep the cocktail in an airtight container. Do not store for more than 7 days.
You could even make a batch and keep it on hand for an evening cocktail throughout the week. Perfect for watching Christmas movies on the couch! These are a few of my favorite Christmas movies on Hallmark!
This cranberry orange margarita is the perfect Christmas cocktail for margarita lovers.
Christmas Margarita
Ingredients
- 3 oz Tequila Blanco
- 1 oz Triple Sec
- 2 oz lime juice
- 1 oz orange juice
- 4 oz cranberry juice
Instructions
- Add tequila, triple sec, lime juice, orange juice, and cranberry juice to a cocktail shaker.
- Shake until mixed
- Serve over ice in a sugar rimmed glass
- Garnish with cranberries and a slice of orange.
