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Here we go… Christmas drink number TWO!!
Last week was this Christmas Sangria… this week, we’re doing margaritas!! Yess.
I mean, how festive are these?!? Perfect for the holiday season right?!? I kind of love these margarita. They’re quick, easy and such a crowd pleaser…only crazy people don’t like margaritas!!
Before I go, let me just tell you one quick a little tidbit. The first time I made these margaritas, over Thanksgiving, I made them a little on the stiff side. Okay, a lot on the stiff side. So much so that everyone was topping their drink with sparkling water. I know, I know. What a bunch of wimps, right? The good news is that the sparkling water was actually an awesome addition and I have included it in the recipe. I know it’s not typical for a margarita, but who cares, it’s delicious. I’ve also found that with these margs, you need a little sweetness, hence the mass amounts of sugared cranberries. The cranberry juice itself is SUPER tart, so you either need to add a little sugar to your margarita or simply add the sugared cranberries. I personally love the cranberries…hello, so festive!
Also, I gave you both the measurements for a big batch of margaritas as well as for just one drink. If you want to double the big batch, that works great too. Just be sure to adjust the sugar to you taste!
Here is fun little video! It is super short, so check it out!! Happy Christmas Drink Saturday!
Cranberry Orange Margaritas.
Servings: 6 Drinks
Calories Per Serving: 514 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
Sugared Cranberries
- 2 cups sugar divided
- 2 cups fresh cranberries
Big Batch Margaritas
- 1 1/2 cups silver tequila 12 ounces
- 2 cups cranberry juice 16 ounces, not cranberry cocktail
- 1/2 cup orange juice 4 ounces
- 1/2 cup orange liquor 4 ounces
- 3/4 cups fresh lime juice
- 2-4 tablespoons sugar or to taste * or use sugared cranberries OPTIONAL
- salt for the rim
- sparkling water to top the drinks with (OPTIONAL)
- slices lime + orange for serving
To make just ONE drink
- 1 1/2 - 2 ounces silver tequila
- 2 1/2 ounces cranberry juice not cranberry cocktail
- 1/2 ounce orange juice
- 1/2 ounce orange liquor
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1/2-1 tablespoon sugar or to taste (OPTIONAL)* or use sugared cranberries
- sparkling water to top the drink with (OPTIONAL)
Instructions
Sugared Cranberries
- Bring 1/2 cup water and 1/2 cup sugar to a boil until the sugar is dissolved, about 3-5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly. Stir in the cranberries and let the cranberries sit in the sugar water for 1-2 hour or over night.
- Strain the cranberries thoroughly, then add them to a parchment lined cookie sheet with sides. Add the remaining 1 1/2 cups sugar and gently toss until all the cranberries are coated in sugar. Allow the cranberries to dry, in a single layer for at least one hour.
Big Batch Margarita
- Combine all the ingredients in a pitcher and stir to combine. Keep chilled in the fridge until ready to serve. When ready to serve, salt the rims of 4-6 glasses. Add ice to each glass and pour the margaritas over the ice. Top off with sparkling water if desired. Add the sugared cranberries and a lime wedge.
To make just ONE drink
- Salt the rim of your glass. Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake until combined and then strain into your prepared glass. Top with sparkling water if desired. Add the sugared cranberries and a lime and or orange wedge.
Notes
*If you are not adding the sugared cranberries to your drinks, I recommend adding 1-2 tablespoons granulated sugar into the margarita mix. Without any sugar the drinks are very tart.
Cheers to tree decorating…and margaritas with the fam!! Clink, clink!
P.S. I am HORRIBLE at rimming glasses with sugar. Someone, please come teach me!
Tieghan, I think this was a super great video. Short, sweet, amazing video quality, makes everything look delicious. I did miss your cheery voice but I think this style video is absolutely excellent! And the margaritas. YUM.
Awe, thanks Ellen! There will be a mix of videos with me talking and not. Easy recipes like this will probably have short videos. Thanks again! Happy Holidays 🙂
Skewers..
Hei! Awesome video and pictures.. Those skewser though where are they from?!
Thanks Ellie! I bought them at Anthropologie here is the link: http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-kitchen-dishtowels/33000308.jsp#/
Happy Holidays 🙂
these look fabulous! love me some margaritas 😉 and I’m the worst at rimming glasses too….why is it so hard?!!
Love the video Tieghan! And who doesn’t love margaritas?!!!
Your pics are amazing Tieghan. Yum ! This sounds like the best Margarita ever ! So cool !!! What a great festive drink 🙂 .
Beautiful video, though I did miss your enhusiastic narration and cheery personality in front of the camera! I bet those are harder videos to make, though…thanks for all the work you go to to put together videos for us! It’s so fun to actually see you cooking (sorta like behind-the-scenes in the HBH kitchen). ?
Awe! Thank you so much, Hannah! Happy Holidays 🙂 The video with me chatting away are still coming! 🙂
These sound awesome and a sure crowd pleaser!
Gorgeous Tieghan! Love the video!
Stiff side sounds so good to me, but I once did a sort of a daiquiri with sparkling water added – I know, I know – and it does really work so well!! I’d drink these, for sure. One or two, even!!
http://bloglairdutemps.blogspot.pt
Great flavor combination, and great color, love it.
These look fabulous!! One question….you mention using sugar on the rims but the recipe calls for salting the rims. Which do you prefer?
Hey Lisa, I think you are mistaking the the sugar rims with the sugared cranberries. I like to use salt for the rims and sugared cranberries to garnish the drink. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Happy Holidays! 🙂
Thanks for clarifying the salt vs sugar rims. My question came from the PS at the bottom of your post where you said you were Horrible at rimming glasses with sugar. I assumed you were referring to the photo above….hence my confusion. Can’t wait to try this recipe!!
UGH. I am so sorry, no idea why I said that or how I missed it. Fixing that now and again, sorry for the trouble!
Looks gorgeous and yumm. I find using a lemon wedge on the rims of the glasses gets them nice and wet so the sugar or salt sticks better.
When does the party begin–I’m ready.
What a great recipe! Perfect for my family’s Southwestern Christmas. Can I ask where you got those glasses? They are so, so lovely.
Thanks Hilary! They are from anthropologie, here is the link: http://www.anthropologie.com/anthro/product/home-glassware-glassware/29391695.jsp#/
Happy Holidays 🙂
Of course they are! Thanks!