The Best Cranberry Margarita Recipe

A delicious and refreshing cranberry margarita recipe! This is the perfect drink for the holidays, made with cranberry juice and delicious simple syrup. Whether you’re celebrating Christmas, or New Year’s, or want something different to drink, make some cranberry margaritas, they’re sure to please!

I love a good margarita any time of the year, which is why we have developed a fall pumpkin margarita, a carrot margarita for spring, and a cinnamon pomegranate margarita for the holidays!

A margarita is a classic cocktail that is perfect for adding seasonal flavors to it. I also really enjoy the flavors of cranberry around the holiday. Cranberry and orange are one of my favorite combinations. We use it in our cranberry Moscow mules and they are delicious!

If you’re looking for more margarita recipes, try our golden margarita, coconut margarita, cucumber margarita, and honeydew margarita recipe.

Why You’ll Love This Festive Cranberry Margarita Recipe

• The perfect balance of ingredients.

• Made with simple ingredients you can find at your local grocery store.

• Easy to make and can be altered to your liking.

How to Make a Cranberry Margarita

This cranberry margarita recipe is refreshing and festive, perfect for the holiday season. The cranberry juice and simple syrup give it a delicious flavor, and the lime juice keeps it refreshing.

Here’s everything you need to know to make the best cranberry margaritas!

Tools

Cocktail Shaker and Cocktail Jigger

Margarita Glass

Citrus Squeezer

Ingredient Notes

The full recipe is in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

Cranberry Juice – Use sweetened cranberry juice. The unsweet is too tart for this recipe.

Tequila – You can use gold tequila or tequila Blanco.

Cointreau – This orange liqueur adds a nice flavor to this margarita. You can use any orange liqueur you like, such as triple sec.

Cranberry Simple Syrup – This is easy to make at home, and you can find the recipe below.

Lime Juice – Freshly squeezed lime juice gives this drink the best flavor.

Orange Zest – There is nothing better than fresh orange zest! The fragrance and flavor go perfectly with cranberries. You’ll need a zester to make a fine zest.

Course Salt – If you want to salt the rim of the drink, you’ll need a plate or course of sea salt or margarita salt.

Fresh Cranberries – These are used to garnish the cocktail. You can also add a sprig of fresh rosemary for a festive spin.

Cranberry Simple Syrup

This is easy to make! It’s made with water, sugar, and whole cranberries. Follow our cranberry simple syrup guide and you can use this to make several cocktails! Store it in the refrigerator for up to one week.

How To Rim a Glass with Salt

One of the most important parts of making a margarita is to rim the glass with salt. A salted rim adds even more flavor and it’s classic to a margarita.

To rim a glass with salt, simply run a lime wedge or lemon wedge around the rim of the glass. Then, turn the glass upside down and dip it into a plate of salt.

I like to use margarita salt because it’s a little bit finer than regular salt, and it doesn’t dissolve as quickly.

Tips for Making The Best Cranberry Margaritas

Here are a few tips to help you make the best cranberry margaritas:

Use fresh lime juice for the best flavor.

Use good quality tequila for the best flavor. You can use any type of tequila you like, reposado tequila or silver tequila.

Make the cranberry simple syrup ahead of time so it’s ready to go when you’re ready to make the margaritas.

Rim the glasses with salt for a classic margarita look and taste.

Make sure to shake the cocktail for 20 seconds with ice.

If the drink is too strong, top it off with some club soda.

Cranberry Margarita Variations

• You can use agave or maple syrup instead of cranberry simple syrup.

• Switch out the Cointreau for orange juice.

• Add a dash of cinnamon for some spice.

• Use ginger simple syrup instead of cranberry for a cranberry ginger margarita.

• Add jalapeno for a spicy cranberry margarita.

• Use cranberry jam instead of simple syrup.

Non-Alcoholic Version

If you’re looking for a non-alcoholic version of this cranberry margarita, simply omit the tequila and use orange juice instead of Grand Marnier or Cointreau.

We also have a margarita mocktail recipe that is so tasty!

When to Serve a Cranberry Margarita

This drink is perfect for the holidays! Christmas, New Year’s, or any holiday party would be a great time to serve cranberry margaritas. Serve them as a:

• Thanksgiving Cocktail

• Friendsgiving Drink

• Themed Holiday Party Cocktail

• Wreath Making Party

• Valentine’s Day Cocktail

What to Serve with a Cranberry Margarita

If you’re looking for something to serve with your cranberry margaritas, try these delicious recipes:

Baked Brie – This easy recipe is a great appetizer to serve with margaritas.

Festive Cheese Platter – We love to serve this for our holiday parties.

Cranberry Muffins – These muffins are the perfect treat to enjoy with your margarita.

Easy Queso Blanco Dip – Goes perfectly with chips and guacamole.

Frequently Asked Questions

Best Margarita Recipes

If you’re looking for more of our favorite drinks, here is a list of some fun margaritas to make any time of year!

Hibiscus Margarita Recipe – Also has a vibrant pink color and tart flavor.

Strawberry Margarita Recipe – A sweet, fruity margarita made with fresh strawberries.

Blackberry Margarita Party Punch – Perfect for a crowd!

Lemon Margarita Recipe – A refreshing margarita made with lemon juice instead of lime.

Check out all of our best tequila cocktail recipes!

Let us know what you think!

Now that you know how to make delicious cranberry margaritas, let us know what you think!

Leave a comment and review below and tell us how much you love this cranberry juice cocktail.

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