Cranberry Margaritas

in Beverages, Christmas, Cinco de Mayo, Citrus, Cranberries, Fruit, Holiday Favorites, Lime, Margaritas, Mexican & TexMex, Thanksgiving

Cranberry Margaritas

‘Tis the season – cranberry margarita season! It’s what comes between Raspberry Margarita Season and Grapefruit Margarita Season 🙂

We’re big margarita people so finding new seasonal fruits to blend with tequila has become our Friday night hobby. Sometimes we get a little too serious about getting a recipe just right with “official testing,” complete with notepads, pencils, and a scoring system. Other times we can eye a recipe and just know it’s a winner. Like this one.

I had a cranberry margarita at a Christmas party last year and loved it. So I had a few more 🙂 Cranberries, cranberry juice, orange, lime, and tequila are blended together and served over ice. I’m not big on the peppermint-y cocktails that are usually served at holiday dinners so to me, this is the perfect holiday cocktail.

Cranberry Margaritas

A festive cranberry margarita recipe perfect for holiday dinners and parties.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup 100% cranberry juice* (see note below)
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup sugar, divided* (see note below)
  • 1 1/2 cups (6 oz) fresh or thawed cranberries
  • 3/4 cup fresh lime juice (5-6 limes)
  • 3/4 cup tequila
  • 1/2 cup orange liqueur

Instructions

  1. Pour the cranberry juice into the blender, reserving 1 Tbsp.
  2. Sprinkle 3 Tbsp sugar onto a small plate.
  3. Use the cranberry juice to coat the rims of 4 to 6 glasses (6 to 8 oz each) and then dip the glasses into the sugar. Fill with ice and set aside.
  4. Reserve 12 cranberries and place the rest in the blender along with the water, sugar, lime juice, tequila, and orange liqueur.
  5. Blend 30 seconds, or until smooth.
  6. Pour through a strainer to catch the cranberry pulp.
  7. Pour the strained margarita into glasses and garnish with reserved berries.

Notes

Yields: 4 servings

Slightly adapted from Sunset Magazine

Estimated time: 10 minutes

* I use 100% cranberry juice – it doesn’t have added sugar so it’s not the stuff a normal person would drink straight – and add a little water to lighten it up. It keeps the margarita tart and not too sweet. If you can’t find 100% cranberry juice (check the label), go with your favorite cranberry juice “cocktail” and consider adding only half the sugar at first and then blending in the rest to-taste. Your margarita will be a lighter color. But festive nonetheless 🙂

31 comments… add one
  • I wasn’t a tequila person for a long time after one evening of ummm…overindulgence, but I’ve recently been getting back into it in the form of margaritas. A cranberry version sounds amazing, and these look so perfect for Thanksgiving/Christmas!

  • These are absolutely GORGEOUS! It’s only Monday, ok technically Tuesday, but I got home after 14 hours and needed one PRONTO! So appropriate for the festive season too 🙂 I’m ready for winter break and more delicious eats! Oh, and I love the way you taste tested/graded these. That’s how you ID a real foodie! 😀

  • Mmm these are fantastic sounding! So red and pretty.

  • ummm… these are GENIUS! I am making these… STAT. 🙂

  • Gorgeous. I love margaritas and I love cranberries! I also host a weekly post on my blog called Happy Hour Friday…please come and link up your cocktail(s) and share!

  • Ummm yes. This sounds festive and yummy!

  • Everything about this would be great for a holiday party! Can’t wait to try it.

  • Ashley L

    Oh wow! I thought I had my Thanksgiving drink figured out but it will definitely be this now!

  • I love this idea. Thank you for sharing!

  • Oh my. These are beautiful. And I imagine they taste beautiful. I never knew you could merge fall flavors and margaritas. You may be my new hero for showing me this path!

  • Love the idea of a cranberry margarita, yum! Thanks for sharing!

  • angela

    is there a brand name you use for ‘orange liquer’?

  • These are so pretty, and I bet they taste amazing! Have to give these a go 🙂

  • These are gorgeous, and festive, and wonderful. I love finding new uses for cranberry juice!

  • I like my margaritas to be on the tarter side so I know I would adore this!

  • Oh, hello perfect cocktail for Thanksgiving! I am so excited about these!

  • Carolyn

    A new margarita…. YES PLEASE!!! Can’t wait to try!

  • Thanks for sharing this recipe! This is such a nice idea for a wintery Mexican cocktail that can be had with almost any kind of Thanksgiving or Christmas meal. I re-blogged this on my blog, “A Mexican Fiesta”, I hope you’ll check it out!

    A Mexican Fiesta
    http://www.mexfoodrecipes.com
    @mexfoodrecipes

  • I would love one of these on Thanksgiving!

  • I will definitely be giving these a try for a Christmas party I’ll be hosting next month!

  • Oooh, this is officially on the holiday party menu! Fun!

  • Liz

    What kind of tequila do you recommend?

  • These beautiful and delicious cocktails started our Thanksgiving feast off on just the right note! SOOO good! Thanks for sharing it. Hope you had a great Thanksgiving!

  • You are awesome! I made this on Christmas, and they were a big hit. I dyed my sugar bright green and it gave a cute contrast, here’s a picture: http://i.imgur.com/jWkSp.jpg

    Thank you!

  • I made these for a Christmas dinner party (for like 5 men) and they LOVED them. Thanks for sharing!

  • Liz Parker

    I made these last year for my family Thanksgiving. A large pitcher and I was a very happy camper. We are having a Friendsgiving on Saturday and this is the star of the alcohol show! YUM!

  • Mandy

    Shawnda, I want to make these for Thanksgiving, but we live in PA and are going to MA…thus, it won’t be my kitchen, and my dear mother can get fussy about others being in her kitchen. 😉 So, do you think if I made them at home and brought them they would still be good? I have been wanting to try these–I was pregnant last year when you posted them! Thanks!

    • I’d have no reservations about making them 1-2 days before and putting them in the fridge (and cooler for travel). I’d save the alcohol to add before serving.

  • Linda

    Want one now! If they taste as festive as they look….bring it on!

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