Christmas Cranberry Margarita
This Christmas margarita is perfect for the ho-ho-holidays! It's cranberries muddled with tequila and a homemade rosemary simple syrup. It's easy to scale into a pitcher, and it's ready in just 15 minutes!
Cranberries make everything more festive! Try our Christmas mimosa with cranberries and our spiced cranberry hot toddy.
Table of contents
- Christmas margarita ingredients
- Rosemary simple syrup ingredients
- How to make a Christmas margarita
- How to make rosemary simple syrup
- How to make sugared cranberries and rosemary
- Make it a Christmas margarita pitcher
- FAQS
- What to serve with a Christmas margarita
- Christmas cocktails
- Favorite Margarita Recipes
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and as an adult that gets us excited for all the food, fun, and drinks! Every holiday needs a special cocktail and this Christmas margarita is refreshing, crisp, and bursting with cheer.
We love a good lime margarita, and we never tire of creating new versions of our favorite drink. This Christmas take on the classic margarita recipe is simple yet full of festive flavor, and might be our favorite yet.
It's made with fresh or frozen cranberries, tequila, and an easy-to-make rosemary simple syrup. You can easily make a few of the elements ahead of time so all you have to do when the time comes is mix and serve.
It's the perfect festive sip for Thanksgiving, Christmas parties, and holiday gatherings throughout the season!
Christmas margarita ingredients
Here's what you'll need for the cranberry margarita:
- White tequila – also called blanco tequila or silver tequila, it's characterized by its clear appearance. It's the first spirit produced with distilled agave juice, and is typically not aged like other tequilas.
- Cranberries – fresh or frozen cranberries work equally well.
- Rosemary simple syrup – just the right amount of rosemary flavor makes this holiday cocktail extra Christmassy.
- Lime juice – fresh lime juice is best for that classic margarita tang.
- Salt – for that classic salt rim.
Rosemary simple syrup ingredients
You only need three simple ingredients for the rosemary simple syrup:
- Water – a 2:1 ratio of water to sugar is the standard ratio for simple syrup.
- Sugar – regular granulated sugar will give this syrup a crisp, clear appearance.
- Rosemary – find fresh rosemary at the grocery store or snip some sprigs from your garden.
How to make a Christmas margarita
Christmas margaritas are everything we love about a classic margarita, with extra Christmas cheer! They're one of those holiday cocktail recipes you'll come back to again and again. Here's how to make it in a few simple steps:
- Start by salting the rims of your glasses. Run a cut lime around the rims, dip them in salt, and set them aside.
- With a cocktail shaker or 1-liter mason jar, add the tequila and cranberries and muddle until the tequila turns pink. Then add the simple syrup and lime juice, top with ice, and stir. Strain into the salt-rimmed glasses.
- Garnish with sugared cranberries and a sprig of rosemary.
Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.
How to make rosemary simple syrup
Rosemary simple syrup adds that sweet festive touch to seasonal cocktails and non-alcohol drinks, like our cranberry lemonade. We've even used it to moisten layer cakes and dress fruit salads. Here's how we make it in just one easy step:
- Bring water, sugar, and rosemary to a boil then lower to a simmer for about 5 minutes. Allow it to cool then remove the rosemary, pour it into a jar or container, and store it in your fridge.
Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.
How to make sugared cranberries and rosemary
Sugared cranberries and rosemary make a beautiful garnish, and they're easy to make! Here's how to make them:
- Dip the cranberries and rosemary into some of the rosemary simple syrup, then shake off any excess. Dip them into sugar, then set them aside to dry on a parchment-lined plate.
Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.
Make it a Christmas margarita pitcher
This Christmas margarita recipe is easy to scale into pitcher (aka party) size by using cups instead of ounces. The ratio for a pitcher of Christmas margarita is 2 cups of tequila, 1 cup of cranberries, 1 cup of rosemary simple syrup, and 1 cup of lime juice.
FAQS
Sugared cranberries and rosemary can be made a few days in advance. Store them uncovered at room temperature until you're ready to use them.
When stored in a sealed jar or container in the fridge, rosemary simple syrup will keep for 1-2 weeks.
Yes, you can definitely get a head start with this recipe. It's easy to prepare the simple syrup and the sugared cranberries and rosemary in advance. Just wait to muddle and stir the cocktail ingredients together until right before serving for the best taste.
We sometimes make ‘margaritas' for the kids by using water or bubbly water instead of tequila, which makes it taste more like lemonade. For a different non-alcoholic treat, try this Christmas punch (mocktail)!
What to serve with a Christmas margarita
Every holiday needs a special cocktail to serve to guests, and this Christmas margarita is that perfect drink. Serve it at Christmas, New Year's Eve, or anytime during the holiday season to kick off a festive gathering.
Appetizers that pair well with a Christmas margarita
- Red Wine Chorizo Bites
- Lemon Whipped Ricotta with Cranberry Honey
- Bacon Guacamole with Roasted Garlic and Tomatoes
Christmas cocktails
Christmas Cranberry Margarita
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Ingredients
Cranberry Margaritas
- 2 parts white tequila
- 1 part fresh or frozen cranberries, thawed if frozen
- 1 part rosemary simple syrup, recipe below
- 1 part lime juice, save one of the squeezed limes for rimming the glasses
- Salt for rimming the glasses
Rosemary Simple Syrup
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 small stems of rosemary , about Ā½ ounce
Sugared Cranberries and Rosemary
- Cranberries, 3 per glass
- Rosemary, 1 small twig per glass
- Rosemary simple syrup
- Granulated sugar
Instructions
Christmas Cranberry Margaritas
- Pour some salt onto a plate. Run a cut lime around the rim of a glass. Dip the rim into the salt then set the glass aside.Salt for rimming the glasses
- Add the tequila and cranberries to a shaker or 1-liter mason jar. Muddle the cranberries until they have broken down and the tequila is pink. Add the simple syrup and lime juice to the shaker then top with ice. Stir until cold then strain into glasses.2 parts white tequila, 1 part fresh or frozen cranberries, 1 part rosemary simple syrup, 1 part lime juice
- Garnish with sugared cranberries and rosemary.
Rosemary Simple Syrup
- Bring the water, sugar, and rosemary to a boil in a small pot over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Set aside to cool then strain the rosemary from the syrup. Store the syrup in your fridge for up to 2 weeks.2 cups water, 1 cup granulated sugar, 6 small stems of rosemary
Sugared cranberries and rosemary
- Dip the cranberries and rosemary into some rosemary simple syrup then shake off the excess. Place some sugar in a small bowl then dip the wet cranberries and rosemary into the sugar. Set them aside on a parchment-lined plate to dry.Cranberries, Rosemary, Rosemary simple syrup, Granulated sugar
Can you muddle tequila with craberries the night before for a large batch?
That would definitely work!
The Christmas Margarita was a hit this year. I substituted 1 part cran-raspberry juice for the cranberries for a slightly easier way to make the festive cocktail.
Will make/serve/drink again!
Is there a reason you specify frozen cranberries? Ā Iāve got some fresh ones that Iād like to use.
Thanks!
We rarely have fresh cranberries on hand. But if you have them, use them! They will work just as well. š
Is there a reason you specify frozen cranberries rather than fresh?
Fresh will work, too. Frozen is easier to find where we live.
Does it not need triple sec?
No, we use the rosemary simple syrup as sweetener instead. š
Do you think you could use lavender syrup? I made a bunch over the summer and I am one who think that rosemary and Lavender are very similar.
I agree … lavender and rosemary are very similar. I think it would work well!
Thanks for sharing! How far ahead of time can I make the simple syrup?
At least a week!
This looks so good! This is such a beautiful combination! How far in advance can I mix them?
If you’re having a party, you can make them during the day to serve in the evening. I often make a big pitcher this way. Or you can squeeze the juice a day a couple of days ahead and the simple syrup a week ahead. Hope that helps!
They look perfect! What are the measurements of each ingredient to make a standard pitcher? I want to make tomorrowĀ
When making pitchers of margaritas I measure 1 part as 1 cup. So with this recipe, you’ll want 2 cups tequila, 1 cup frozen cranberries, 1 cup rosemary simple syrup, and 1 cup lime juice. You’ll end up with 5 cups of cranberry margaritas. š
Is it fairly easy to make a huge batch of these(like a pitcher or more)? We are having a NYE party and I think Iām going to make this the signature drink.
It’s super easy! I often make big batches of margaritas (this cranberry one and regular lime margarita, too) for parties. You can even pre-mix several big jugs and keep them in your fridge until you’re ready to serve them.
Gorgeous!!
Awww thank you!!
I know it’s not Christmas but I found some cranberries in my freezer and wanted to use them. This was such a great recipe. The rosemary really takes it to the next level here. I’m happy I have a few cranberies left so I don’t have to wait unti the holidays to make this again!
There’s never a wrong time of year for margaritas!!