Look, I’m gonna be honest—I never thought I’d be the person making fancy Christmas cocktails. I’m usually a “glass of wine from a box” kind of person. But then my sister-in-law showed up to Thanksgiving with this white Christmas margarita situation, and my entire world changed. Like, where has this drink been my whole adult life?
So obviously I begged her for the recipe, tried making it the next weekend, and completely screwed it up. Too sweet. Way too sweet. My husband took one sip and made a face like I’d handed him liquid sugar. Which, honestly, I kind of had. Turns out you can’t just dump in random amounts of white chocolate liqueur and hope for the best. Who knew? (Everyone. Everyone knew.)
But after tweaking the ratios and making this Christmas margarita recipe approximately seven more times (my neighbors benefited greatly from my testing phase), I finally got it right. And now it’s the only thing I want to drink from December 1st through New Year’s.
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What Makes This Easy White Christmas Margarita So Good
Here’s the thing about this festive margarita recipe—it tastes like Christmas and a beach vacation had a baby. You’ve got the creamy white chocolate situation happening, a hint of peppermint (not too much though, because some people go overboard and it tastes like toothpaste), and that classic margarita tang that reminds you it’s still tequila underneath all the holiday cheer.
The best Christmas margarita recipes hit that sweet spot where it’s festive enough for a party but not so dessert-like that you can only drink half before feeling sick. This one does that. You can easily have two and still feel like a functional human being.
I’ve made this for three different holiday parties now, and every single time someone asks “what IS this?” in that tone that means they’re about to have another one. My friend Katie literally texted me at 11 PM after my Christmas party asking for the recipe because she “needed it for emotional support reasons.” Relatable.
My First Attempt at This Holiday Margarita Drinks Disaster
Can we talk about how badly I messed this up initially? Because it was BAD. I didn’t have white chocolate liqueur (Godiva is my go-to now), so I thought “hey, I’ll just melt some white chocolate chips and add them to the blender.”
Disaster. Complete disaster.
The chocolate seized up and made these weird lumpy chunks that refused to blend properly. My blender made angry sounds. I made angry sounds. My husband came into the kitchen, took one look at the chunky mess in the blender, and slowly backed away without saying anything. Smart man.
I also tried making it with regular triple sec instead of the good stuff, and it just tasted… flat? Wrong? Like a margarita that was trying too hard to be something it wasn’t. Spring for decent orange liqueur. Your taste buds will thank you.
Ingredients for This White Margarita Cocktail
Okay, here’s what you need for this peppermint white Christmas margarita. Most of it you can find at any liquor store, though you might need to hunt for the peppermint schnapps if you’re shopping in July:
- 2 oz silver tequila (I use Espolón but any decent silver tequila works)
- 1 oz white chocolate liqueur (Godiva White Chocolate is chef’s kiss)
- 1 oz Cointreau or good triple sec
- ½ oz peppermint schnapps (go easy on this!)
- 1 oz fresh lime juice (NOT the bottled stuff)
- 1 oz heavy cream
- Ice
- Crushed candy canes for rim (optional but highly recommended)
- White chocolate shavings for garnish (if you’re feeling fancy)
Shopping tip: Don’t buy cheap tequila for this. You’ll taste it. I learned this after making a batch with bottom-shelf tequila that tasted like regret. Also, fresh lime juice is NON-NEGOTIABLE. That bottled lime juice from a plastic lime? Throw it in the trash. We don’t talk about it.
The heavy cream is what makes this creamy Christmas margarita actually creamy and not just alcoholic lime juice with a peppermint aftertaste. Some recipes use half-and-half, but I like the richness of heavy cream. You do you though.
How to Make This Simple Christmas Margarita Recipe
Step 1: Prep Your Glass (Don’t Skip This)
If you’re doing the candy cane rim (and you should, it looks cute and tastes good), do that first. Rub a lime wedge around the rim of your glass, then dip it in crushed candy canes on a plate. I use a Ziploc bag and a rolling pin to crush the candy canes because I don’t have a food processor and honestly that’s just extra cleanup.
Pro tip: Don’t skip the lime wedge step and just use water like I tried once. The candy canes won’t stick properly and you’ll have a sad naked rim with a few random peppermint pieces. Not cute.
Step 2: Blend or Shake (Your Choice)
For a blended version (my favorite): Throw everything—tequila, white chocolate liqueur, Cointreau, peppermint schnapps, lime juice, heavy cream, and a cup of ice—into a blender. Blend until smooth and frothy. Should take maybe 20-30 seconds.
For a shaken version: Add all the liquid ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake it like you’re angry at it for like 15-20 seconds until the outside of the shaker is super cold. Strain into your prepared glass over fresh ice.
I usually do blended because it’s easier and I like the slushy texture, but shaken works great too if you don’t want brain freeze.
Step 3: Garnish and Serve
Pour into your candy cane-rimmed glass. If you’re feeling extra, add some white chocolate shavings on top and maybe a small candy cane for stirring. I’ve also stuck a mini candy cane on the rim which looks adorable but is kind of impractical.
Serve immediately. This isn’t a cocktail that sits well—it starts to separate if you wait too long.
Tips for the Best Holiday Cocktail Recipes
Don’t over-peppermint. I know it’s tempting to add more peppermint schnapps because “it’s Christmas!” but ½ ounce is the sweet spot. More than that and you’re drinking liquid candy canes. Not in a good way.
Use fresh lime juice. I know I already said this but I’m saying it again because it’s THAT important. Fresh limes make such a huge difference in the taste.
Chill your glass. Stick it in the freezer for 10 minutes before making the drink. It keeps everything colder longer and makes you look like you know what you’re doing.
Make these in batches. For parties, I multiply the recipe by 4 and blend it all at once. Way easier than making individual drinks. Just don’t fill your blender too full or you’ll have a white Christmas margarita explosion all over your kitchen (been there).
Adjust the sweetness. Some people like it sweeter, some like it less sweet. Start with the recipe as written and then tweak. If it’s too sweet, add more lime juice. If it’s not sweet enough, add a tiny splash more white chocolate liqueur.
Variations on This White Christmas Cocktail
Coconut version: Sub coconut cream for the heavy cream. Tastes like a peppermint pina colada-margarita hybrid. Weird but good.
Extra chocolate: Add a drizzle of chocolate syrup in the glass before pouring. My chocolate-obsessed sister loves this version.
Frozen: Use more ice and make it super thick and frozen. Basically a boozy peppermint milkshake. Dangerous because you can’t taste the alcohol.
Non-dairy: I’ve used coconut cream or oat cream instead of heavy cream and it works fine. Not quite as rich but still delicious.
Serving Suggestions for These Festive Christmas Drinks
These Christmas party drinks are perfect for:
- Holiday parties (obviously)
- Christmas Eve while wrapping presents at midnight
- Girls’ night during the holidays
- Pre-dinner cocktails for Christmas dinner
- Random Tuesday because life is short
I usually make a pitcher for Christmas Eve and we drink them while watching bad Christmas movies. It’s become our tradition. My husband requests them now. “Are you making those peppermint things?” Yes. Always yes.
They pair well with pretty much any Christmas food. I’ve had them with cookies, with dinner, with cheese and crackers. They’re versatile. Though maybe don’t serve them WITH peppermint bark. That’s peppermint overload.
Why This Easy Holiday Margarita Works
The combination of creamy white chocolate, bright lime, and just a hint of peppermint creates this perfect balance that doesn’t taste too much like any one thing. It’s festive without being gimmicky. You know what I mean? Like, it doesn’t taste like someone liquified a Christmas tree or anything.
The tequila base keeps it from being too dessert-y. Some Christmas cocktails are basically melted ice cream with a shot of vodka. This actually tastes like a cocktail that happens to be Christmas-themed, not a holiday novelty drink.
And it’s pretty. The white color with the candy cane rim and maybe some chocolate shavings on top? Instagram-worthy. I’ve gotten so many likes on photos of this drink it’s almost embarrassing.
Storage and Make-Ahead Tips
Real talk: these are best made fresh. The cream and ice don’t love hanging out together for long periods. BUT you can prep a “margarita mix” by combining all the liquid ingredients (except the cream) ahead of time and keeping it in the fridge. Then when you’re ready to serve, just add the cream and ice and blend.
The candy cane rim glasses can be prepped a few hours ahead. Just keep them in the fridge so the candy doesn’t get sticky.
Don’t try to freeze these for later. Ask me how I know. (It was a bad idea. The texture was wrong. Just don’t.)
Final Thoughts on This White Christmas Margarita
This white Christmas margarita has become my signature holiday drink. People expect it now. My mom asked if I was bringing “those peppermint drinks” to Christmas this year. My neighbor texted me asking for the recipe after I posted a photo.
Is it the fanciest cocktail ever? No. Is it a little sweet for some people? Maybe. But it’s fun, it’s festive, and it tastes like Christmas in a glass without being overwhelmingly minty or artificially flavored.
Plus it’s way better than eggnog. There, I said it. Eggnog is gross and this is better. Fight me.
Let me know if you make these! And seriously, if you have any variations or tweaks, drop them in the comments because I’m always looking for new ways to jazz up my holiday drinks. 🍹❄️
