Christmas margarita is literally the only reason I survive my in-laws’ holiday party every year. Don’t get me wrong—I love them—but when you’ve got 30 relatives crammed into one house arguing about politics and asking when you’re having another baby, you need a good cocktail. A really good one.
I made my first batch of these back in 2021, and honestly? I kinda winged it. Threw some cranberry juice in with regular margarita ingredients, added some rosemary because it looked Christmassy, and hoped for the best. My sister took one sip and said “You need to make a whole pitcher of these.” Best compliment ever.
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Why This Holiday Margarita Actually Works
Look, I’ve tried a LOT of Christmas cocktail recipes over the years. The ones with too many ingredients, the ones that require infusing tequila for three weeks (who plans that far ahead?), the ones that taste like liquid Christmas tree. No thanks.
This Christmas margarita recipe is perfect because it’s basically a regular margarita with cranberry juice and some festive garnishes. That’s it. You don’t need special equipment or weird ingredients from fancy liquor stores. Just tequila, triple sec, lime juice, cranberry juice, and some sugar for the rim.
The cranberry gives it that gorgeous red color that screams Christmas, plus that tart sweetness that balances perfectly with the lime and tequila. And here’s the thing—you can make a huge pitcher of these in like 10 minutes. Perfect for parties when you don’t want to be stuck playing bartender all night.
What You Need for Easy Christmas Margarita
For the Cocktail
- 2 oz silver tequila (I use Espolòn but any decent silver tequila works)
- 1 oz Cointreau or triple sec (Cointreau is smoother but triple sec is cheaper)
- 3 oz cranberry juice (Ocean Spray is fine, unsweetened or regular)
- 1 oz fresh lime juice (don’t use the bottled stuff, seriously)
- ½ oz simple syrup (optional, depends how sweet you like it)
- Ice
For the Sugared Rim
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt
- Lime wedge
Garnish
- Fresh cranberries
- Fresh rosemary sprigs
- Lime wheels
Quick story—I once made these with the pre-squeezed lime juice from a bottle because I was being lazy. My husband took one sip and made a face like I’d poisoned him. Fresh lime juice is NON-NEGOTIABLE. Trust me on this one.
How to Make This Cranberry Christmas Margarita
Step 1: Prep Your Glass
Mix your sugar and salt together on a small plate. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass, then dip it in the sugar-salt mixture. I like doing half salt, half sugar—gives you that perfect sweet and salty combo.
Fill your glass with ice. Big ice cubes are better than crushed—they melt slower so your drink doesn’t get watery.
Step 2: Make the Margarita
Add your tequila, Cointreau, cranberry juice, and fresh lime juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. If you want it a little sweeter, add that ½ oz of simple syrup too.
Shake it like you mean it for about 15 seconds. You want it really cold and well-mixed.
Strain into your prepared glass over fresh ice.
Step 3: Garnish and Serve
Drop a few fresh cranberries into the drink. Stick a sprig of rosemary in there—it looks pretty and smells amazing. Add a lime wheel on the rim if you’re feeling fancy.
That’s it. Seriously. Done.
Christmas Margarita Cocktail Tips
Make a pitcher: For parties, multiply the recipe by however many drinks you need. Mix everything except the ice in a big pitcher and keep it in the fridge. When someone wants a drink, just shake it with ice and pour.
Adjust the sweetness: Cranberry juice varies in sweetness. Taste your mix before shaking—if it’s too tart, add simple syrup. Too sweet? Add more lime juice.
Don’t skip the fresh lime: I know I already said this but it’s SO important. Bottled lime juice tastes like… I don’t even know, like sadness? Just squeeze some fresh limes. Takes 2 minutes.
Use good tequila: You don’t need the expensive stuff, but don’t use the bottom-shelf garbage either. Silver/blanco tequila is what you want—gold tequila will change the color.
Frozen version: Throw everything in a blender with 2 cups of ice instead of shaking. Makes a frozen Christmas margarita that’s perfect for warmer climates. (Looking at you, Florida and Texas people celebrating Christmas in 80-degree weather.)
Holiday Margarita Pitcher Recipe
Want to make a batch for your Christmas party margarita situation? Here’s what I do:
- 2 cups silver tequila
- 1 cup Cointreau or triple sec
- 3 cups cranberry juice
- 1 cup fresh lime juice
- ½ cup simple syrup (taste and adjust)
Mix everything in a large pitcher and keep refrigerated. This makes about 8-10 drinks depending on how heavy-handed you pour. When serving, shake individual portions with ice or just pour over ice and stir.
Festive Margarita Recipe Variations
White Christmas Margarita: Swap the cranberry juice for white cranberry juice and add 2 oz cream of coconut. Makes a creamy, tropical version that’s ridiculously good.
Peppermint Cranberry Margarita: Add ½ oz peppermint schnapps and rim the glass with crushed candy canes instead of sugar. My kids think this one is hilarious.
Spiced Christmas version: Add a tiny pinch of cinnamon and ginger to your shaker. Gives it that warm, cozy vibe.
Virgin version: Skip the alcohol, use cranberry juice, lime juice, orange juice, and a splash of ginger ale. Still festive, still delicious.
This Christmas tequila cocktail has become our signature drink for the holidays. Last year I made THREE pitchers for Christmas Eve and they were gone in like an hour. My aunt asked for the recipe and then showed up to Christmas dinner with her own batch. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?
The combination of tart cranberry, fresh lime, and good tequila just WORKS. It’s refreshing but festive, easy but impressive-looking. And honestly? After dealing with holiday shopping, cooking, cleaning, and family drama, you deserve a really good drink.
Let me know if you make these for your holiday parties! And if you’re making them on a random Tuesday in July because you’re craving Christmas vibes, I totally support that too 🎄🍹
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