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–+ servings
Bright red cranberry margaritas shown in stemless glasses rimmed with salt. Drinks are garnished with cranberries, rosemary, and lime wedges.

Cranberry Margarita

Sweet, tart, and brimming with holiday cheer. This easy drink will be a festive addition to your recipe book!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 0 minutes
Total: 10 minutes
Yield:1 margarita

Equipment

  • 2 shallow dishes optional
  • Serving glasses
  • Cocktail shaker or large pitcher
  • Spoon optional, for pitcher

Ingredients

To Rim Glass (Optional)

  • maple syrup or simple syrup
  • sugar see Notes
  • salt see Notes

For a Single Cranberry Margarita

  • 1 shot lime juice 1 ½ ounces
  • 1 shot silver tequila 1 ½ ounces
  • 2 shots cranberry juice 3 ounces
  • ½ shot orange liqueur ¾ ounce
  • simple syrup to taste, approximately ¾ ounce

To Garnish (Optional)

  • sprigs of fresh rosemary
  • lime wedges
  • cranberries fresh or frozen

For a Pitcher (Serves 6)

  • 6 shots lime juice 9 ounces
  • 6 shots silver tequila 9 ounces
  • 12 shots cranberry juice 18 ounces
  • 3 shots orange liqueur 4.5 ounces
  • simple syrup to taste, approximately 4.5 ounces

Instructions

  • Add maple syrup to one shallow dish. Add sugar and/or salt to second shallow dish.
  • Invert serving glass and dip rim of glass in maple syrup. Hold glass above dish to allow any excess maple syrup to drip off, then dip glass into sugar and/or salt. Twist and roll glass to cover rim. Set glass aside. Repeat with any additional glasses as needed.
  • Add lime juice, tequila, cranberry juice, orange liqueur, and simple syrup to cocktail shaker or large pitcher. Shake shaker or stir liquid in pitcher with spoon until well combined.
  • Add ice to serving glass(es), then pour margarita mixture into glass(es) over ice. Be careful not to spill liquid on rim of glass. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, lime wedges, and cranberries as desired. Serve immediately.

Notes

  • I prefer to rim the glass with a mixture that's mostly sugar with a little salt. 
  • Cranberry Juice: Make sure you're using cranberry juice, not cranberry juice cocktail.
  • Simple Syrup: For a more tart drink, use a half shot of simple syrup. Increase the amount of simple syrup used for a sweeter drink.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1margarita | Calories: 271cal | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 17mg | Potassium: 136mg | Total Carbs: 36g | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 33g | Net Carbs: 36g | Vitamin A: 60IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg
Recipe By:Cheryl Malik