Finding the perfect holiday cocktail that everyone will enjoy can feel like a real challenge during the busy Christmas season. Between wrapping presents, decorating the tree, and trying to keep up with all those festive gatherings, who has time to mix complicated drinks that require hard-to-find ingredients?
That’s why this Christmas Margarita with White Cranberry Juice has become my go-to December drink. It’s fresh and festive, super easy to make, and uses ingredients you can find at any grocery store – plus, the white cranberry juice gives it that perfect snow-like appearance that’s just right for the season.
Why You’ll Love This Christmas Margarita
- Quick preparation – This festive cocktail comes together in just 5 minutes, giving you more time to enjoy the holiday celebrations with your guests.
- Beautiful presentation – The white cranberry juice creates a crystal-clear cocktail that looks like winter snow, while the red cranberries and green rosemary make it perfectly festive for holiday parties.
- Simple ingredients – You only need a few basic cocktail ingredients plus some holiday garnishes to create this seasonal drink – most of which you can find at any grocery store.
- Make-ahead friendly – You can mix up a larger batch ahead of time and store it in the fridge, making holiday entertaining so much easier.
What Type of Tequila Works Best?
For this festive margarita, you’ll want to stick with blanco (also called silver or plata) tequila, which is the clearest and purest expression of the spirit.
While reposado or añejo tequilas are great for sipping, their oak-aged flavors might overpower the delicate taste of the white cranberry juice in this cocktail.
Look for a quality blanco tequila that’s made from 100% blue agave – you’ll see this right on the label.
Some reliable and easy-to-find options include Espolòn, Olmeca Altos, or Patron Silver, but any good blanco tequila you enjoy will work well here.
Just skip the mixto tequilas (those not made from 100% agave), as they can leave your cocktail tasting harsh.
Options for Substitutions
Need to make some swaps for this festive cocktail? Here are some helpful substitutions:
- White cranberry juice: If you can’t find white cranberry juice, regular cranberry juice works fine – just know your drink will be pink instead of clear. You could also use cran-apple juice for a slightly sweeter taste.
- Blanco tequila: While blanco tequila is best for this cocktail, you can use reposado tequila if that’s what you have. Just avoid aged (añejo) tequila as it will change the flavor too much.
- Triple sec: You can swap triple sec with Cointreau, Grand Marnier, or any orange liqueur. If you don’t have these, use 1/2 oz fresh orange juice plus 1/2 oz simple syrup.
- Fresh cranberries: For garnish, you can use frozen cranberries, or try red cherries or pomegranate seeds for a similar festive look.
- Rosemary: Fresh mint or thyme can work as alternative garnishes. You can skip the herbs entirely, but they add a nice holiday touch.
- Simple syrup: For rimming, honey or agave nectar work just as well. For the salt rim, you can also use sugar or a mix of salt and sugar.
Storage Instructions
Mix Ahead: Want to prep for a party? You can mix up a bigger batch of this Christmas margarita (minus the ice) and keep it in a sealed pitcher in the fridge for up to 24 hours. Just give it a good stir before serving, as the ingredients might separate a bit while sitting.
Garnish Prep: Get your garnishes ready ahead of time by washing and patting dry your cranberries and rosemary sprigs. Keep them in separate containers in the fridge – cranberries will stay fresh for up to a week, while rosemary sprigs will keep for 3-4 days.
Serving Tips: For the best taste, serve your margarita right after mixing with ice. If you’ve made a bigger batch, pour individual servings over fresh ice in salt-rimmed glasses, then add your garnishes. The drink is best enjoyed fresh and shouldn’t be stored once ice has been added.
| Preparation Time | 10-15 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 0-5 minutes |
| Total Time | 10-20 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 250-300
- Protein: 0-1 g
- Fat: 0-1 g
- Carbohydrates: 30-35 g
Ingredients
- 4 1/2 oz white cranberry juice
- 1 1/2 oz blanco tequila
- 1 oz triple sec
- Juice of half a lime (1/2 oz)
- Salt (for rimming)
- Fresh cranberries (for garnish)
- Fresh sprigs of rosemary (for garnish)
- Simple syrup (for rimming)
Step 1: Gather and Measure Ingredients
Begin by gathering all the necessary ingredients: 4 1/2 oz of white cranberry juice, 1 1/2 oz of blanco tequila, 1 oz of triple sec, juice of half a lime (or approximately 1/2 oz), and salt for rimming the glass.
Step 2: Combine Ingredients in the Shaker
Measure and pour 4 1/2 oz of white cranberry juice into a shaker.
Add 1 1/2 oz of blanco tequila, followed by 1 oz of triple sec.
Squeeze the juice of half a lime into the shaker, which should be around 1/2 oz.
Fill the shaker with ice cubes for chilling the mixture.
Step 3: Shake and Chill
Secure the lid on the shaker and shake vigorously until the mixture is well-chilled.
This usually takes about 15-20 seconds, ensuring that the ingredients are thoroughly mixed and cooled.
Step 4: Prepare the Glass
Take a rocks glass and rim the edge with simple syrup.
Dip the rim into salt to create a salted edge.
Add a small amount of ice to the glass, preparing it to receive the chilled mixture from the shaker.
Step 5: Strain and Serve
Double strain the mixture from the shaker into the prepared rocks glass.
This will help avoid any ice particles from entering the drink, leaving a smooth finish.
Finally, garnish the drink with sugared cranberries and two fresh sprigs of rosemary for a festive touch.
Step 6: Enjoy Your White Christmas Margarita
Your White Christmas Margarita is now ready to be served.
Enjoy the refreshing and festive flavors, perfect for any holiday gathering!
What are measurements for a pitcher?