Festive Cranberry Margarita Drink Recipe

Cranberry juice, tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, and agave nectar combine to make the most delicious, festive cranberry margarita!

Also Known as a Christmas Margarita

This margarita is absolutely delicious. Ingredients like fresh lime juice, tequila, Grand Marnier, and agave nectar give a nod to the classic margarita, while cranberry juice and a few special garnishes make it super fun and festive.

Fancy and fun enough for your next holiday gathering but simple enough for a night-in, this cocktail will be a hit for anyone (over the age of 21!) who tries it.

What makes this cranberry margarita drink recipe so good?

The use of really fresh, simple ingredients always makes a huge difference when it comes to cocktails, and that’s proven to be true again with this recipe! I tend to steer clear of premade mixes and syrups when it comes to margaritas (and cocktails in general) and instead lean on ingredients like fresh lime juice and agave nectar to brighten and sweeten the drink.

Cranberry Margarita Recipe Ingredients

The ingredient amounts listed below are enough for two cranberry margaritas. If you’d like to make a larger batch, feel free to scale the amounts accordingly. Here’s everything you’ll need:

• Cranberry Juice – to start, you’ll need a ½ cup of cranberry juice.
• Tequila – a ½ cup of tequila goes into the mix also. I actually prefer to use a silver (or blanco) tequila in margaritas because it tends to have a milder taste, but any tequila you have on hand will work.
• Grand Marnier – to add a subtle hint of orange and vanilla, a ¼ cup of Grand Marnier gets added to the cocktail too. 
• Fresh Lime Juice – for a nice punch of acidity (and to give a nod to the classic margarita), you’ll also need a ¼ cup of fresh lime juice (about 2 limes worth of juice).
• Agave Nectar – if you like a sweeter margarita, you’ll also add 2 teaspoons of agave nectar. This ingredient is totally optional, though!
• Garnishes – to make these extra festive and special, garnish each glass with three sugar-coated cranberries (skewered on a toothpick) and star anise!

How to make a Cranberry Margarita

As with all of our cocktails, this recipe is super easy to execute. Here’s how you’ll do it:

1. Mix – add the cranberry juice, tequila, Grand Marnier, lime juice, and agave (if using) to a pitcher or jar (depending on how many margaritas you’re making). Mix everything together and taste for sweetness, adding more agave if needed.
2. Coat the cranberries – pour a few teaspoons of white sugar on a small rimmed plate. Then, skewer the cranberries on toothpicks in sets of three and roll them in the sugar.
3. Pour, garnish, and serve – fill each glass with ice and pour in the margarita. Garnish with the optional sugar-coated cranberries and star anise, serve, and enjoy!

Garnishes to Dress up Your Christmas Margaritas

For this margarita, Cassy used sugar-coated fresh cranberries and star anise as garnish. Feel free to get creative, though! You can use lime wedges, rosemary or thyme sprigs, or any other garnish that you love and feel would be a good flavor accompaniment.

Cranberry Margarita Variations

Though this recipe is dynamite as written, feel free to get creative and make swaps as you see fit!

Cranberry Margarita on the Rocks by the Glass

This recipe is already written to be a cranberry margarita on the rocks, but the ingredient amounts listed are for two margaritas rather than one. If you’d like to make one at a time, you’ll just need to cut each ingredient amount in half…

• ¼ cup cranberry juice
• ¼ cup tequila
• 2 tablespoons Grand Marnier
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 teaspoon agave nectar

Frozen Cranberry Margarita Recipe

To make frozen cranberry margaritas, you’ll need to…

1. Mix, pour, and freeze everything but the tequila – mix together the cranberry juice, Grand Marnier, lime juice, and agave, and then pour the mixture into silicone ice cube trays (THESE large ones are great), and freeze.
2. Blend – once the cranberry mixture is completely frozen in the ice cube trays, pop the cubes out, and add them to your blender with the tequila. Blend until smooth!
3. Pour, garnish, and serve – pour the frozen cranberry margaritas into glasses, garnish as desired, and serve!

Cranberry Margarita by the Pitcher

If you’re looking to serve a larger group, make a pitcher of margaritas! The amounts listed below will make 8 servings:

• 4 cups cranberry juice
• 4 cups tequila
• 2 cups Grand Marnier
• 2 cups fresh lime juice
• ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon agave nectar

How to Enjoy this Festive Holiday Margarita Year-Round

This cranberry margarita doesn’t have to be Christmas (or holiday) exclusive. Cranberry juice is available year-round at the grocery store, making it super easy to make a batch whenever you’d like. If you’re serving it at a different time of year, I’d stick to a simple garnish like lime wedges versus the festive garnishes listed in this recipe.

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