This Cranberry Margarita is the perfect drink to kick off the holiday season! Made with real tart cranberry juice, it is the classic margarita you know and love with a unique twist!
Happy Friday, friends! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Tis the season for a new drink recipe, right?!
If you’re anything like me – after yesterday you just want to lay around and chill and not have to worry about cooking. Instead, somebody pour me a drink as I chow down on leftovers.
Specifically, this Cranberry Margarita!
Now, as you all know (or if you didn’t know…I’m pregnant!) so I am currently only indulging in mocktails. Read on below if you want to know how to make this into an easy mocktail.
But, as you also know, my husband is a lover of taste testing all of my recipes…especially my cocktails 😉 So, rest assured that this recipe is a tried and true OBB classic.
Why You’ll Love This Drink:
First off, who doesn’t love a good margarita?! Pass me a bowl of salty tortilla chips along with some Easy Homemade Salsa and I’m so down.
I love how this particular one is holiday themed but still has the classic elements of a marg that you love.
You still have the lime, the salt, the tequila…but you also have tart cranberry juice (hi cranberries, I love you and I think you’re incredibly underrated during the holidays), simple syrup and of course, fresh cranberries and rosemary to garnish!
Did I mention how easy it is to whip up? Seriously this is the BEST drink to make for a crowd. Make the simple syrup ahead of time and then all you have to do is pour and mix!
This drink is refreshingly tart, sweet, salty, and of course, goes down the hatch easily while you are snuggled up watching your favorite holiday movies.
Home Alone anyone?!
Now let’s get into what you need to make these!
Ingredients You Need:
100% pure cranberry juice (not the cocktail kind!)
Silver tequila of choice
Simple syrup (homemade or store bought)
Fresh lime juice
Sugar + salt for rim
Fresh cranberries, lime and/or rosemary for garnish
Tips for Making the Best Drink:
This drink, as I’ve mentioned above in the blog post, is so simple to whip up!
I would first recommend that you have all of the ingredients that you need and have them ready to go.
I really recommend getting 100% pure cranberry juice for this recipe…I find it has the purest flavor, super tart, hardly any sugar, so delicious!
You also want to use freshly squeezed lime juice – although, no worries if you decide to buy the store bought. Although I think fresh is better!
And of course, you need tequila! Any brand should work.
I also recommend having both salt AND sugar. I use kosher salt and it’s my favorite. Granulated sugar works!
Mix the sugar and salt together for the rim. This makes the BEST combination and really pairs well with the tartness of the cranberries.
And now…it’s super simple! You start by making sure you rim the glass with that delicious sugar/salt mixture. Next, just add everything to a glass, mix and taste and adjust.
If you want it sweeter, add more simple syrup! More tart? Add more cranberry juice? Stronger? Add more tequila!
Garnish with fresh cranberries for an extra festive look and of course, a sprig of rosemary (or fresh lime!) if desired.
If you want to add a fizziness at the end, add a splash of your favorite seltzer/club soda!
Drink up and enjoy!
How to Make Homemade Simple Syrup:
No judgement if you decide to buy store bought simple syrup. However – it’s SO easy to whip it up at home and you just need 2 ingredients: granulated sugar and water!
It’s a 1:1 ratio aka 1 cup of sugar to 1 cup of water. So, add 1 cup of water to a small pot. Let it boil. Once it begins to boil, remove it from the heat immediately and stir the sugar inside. The sugar will dissolve!
Let this mixture cool and then I always just pour it into a mason jar. It can stay good in the fridge for several days – cocktails galore!
Simple Mocktail Version:
Want to make a mocktail? I’m with you! It’s super easy.
Simply combine every ingredient you see listed below SANS tequila and mix together. You will need to add extra seltzer/club soda at the end to make up for the lack of tequila 🙂 Adjust the sweetness as needed and enjoy your mocktail margarita!
Did you like this recipe? Here are a few other festive drinks you might enjoy:
Thank you so much for following along here, friends! Want to see more? Be sure to follow ourbalancedbowl on Instagram and tag me with your photo if you end up making a recipe! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the Our Balanced Bowl Facebook page! Like a recipe that you saw? Follow me on Pinterest here! I always love to see your re-creations! If you do make a recipe, it would make my whole day if you were to rate and comment so I can get your feedback! Lots of love! – Haylie
Easy Cranberry Margarita
This Cranberry Margarita is the perfect drink to kick off the holiday season! Made with real tart cranberry juice, it is the classic margarita you know and love with a unique twist!
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz silver tequila
- 2-3 oz 100% cranberry juice (depending on how much cranberry flavor you want!
- 1.5 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 oz (or more!) or of simple syrup (homemade or store-bought)
- Club soda or seltzer to top (if desired - can omit!)
- ice + sugar/salt for the rim
- lime wedge, fresh cranberries or sprig of rosemary to garnish
Instructions
-
Make your simple syrup if you plan to make it at home and allow time for it to cool. You can also use store-bought for convenience!
-
On a small plate, mix 1 tbsp sugar and 1/4 tsp salt. Grab your favorite glass. Coat the rim of the glass with either lime juice or water. Dip in the sugar salt mixture.
-
To the glass, add ice. Add the cranberry juice, tequila, freshly squeezed lime juice and simple syrup. Mix with a cocktail spoon and taste and adjust if needed (make it more sweet, more tart, stronger etc.)
-
If desired for fizziness, top with seltzer or club soda. Garnish with fresh cranberries and a sprig of rosemary or lime wedge for festive fun. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
We like our drinks strong - hence the 1.5 oz of tequila. However, feel free to adjust based on YOUR liking. 🙂