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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!
Add a dash of clove for a special taste!
Yes! I am so glad you loved these! Thank you Bari! xTieghan
I’m definitely going to try these for a Christmas dinner party, but can’t read the writing over the video, so hopefully the written recipe is exactly the same. Thank you!
I hope you love these, Patricia! Thank you! xTieghan
Can’t wait to have one of these tomorrow evening! Big batch chilling in the garage (we use the garage as a huge 2nd refrigerator here in MN!), cranberries are soaking. Happy holidays!
I hope you loved these, Shirl! Thank you so much!
Planning on these for TG this year – if i wanted to make the sugared cranberries ahead, how would you recommend storing? And how far ahead do you think i could make them? Really looking forward to these and your site is absolutely beautiful!
HI! You can make the cranberries 3 days ahead of time. I recommend leaving them at room temp, partly covered for up to 3 days. You should not store in the fridge. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe. Thanks so much! xTieghan
I love the sound of this recipe and can’t wait to try it, just wondering, why not use the simple syrup you made with the cranberries and put that in the drink instead of sugar? I make a cranberry margarito similar to this and make a cranberry mint simple syrup for that drink and it is so good. Just a thought!
HI! I just prefer to keep the recipe light on the sugar and simple syrup always feels so sweet to me. Let me know if you have questions. Hope you love the drink! 🙂
Are those stemless wine glasses?
I had my husbands family over for tortilla soup last night and served these with it. They were perfect – thank you!
“only crazy people don’t like margaritas”
This is the most accurate statement ever.
hehe! Happy Holidays! 🙂
These margaritas are beyond stunning, love the photos! 🙂
Thanks Laura! Happy Holidays 🙂
Gorgeous drinks! They look delicious.
Thanks Jennifer! Happy Holidays 🙂
Love! The video is so cute. Margaritas are my favorite!!!! I love this take on a flavored ‘rita.
Dear Teigan,
I have been following you and your delicious ideas! Are you going to publish a cookbook? I certainly hope so ! Will you let me know?
Kindest Regards, and a delicious Christmas to you,
Sue
Thank you, Susan!!
yes, it is coming out Fall of 2017. You can read about it here. Happy Holidays 🙂
Totally making this for Xmas. My Greek family always has Mexican food, these are going to be PERFECT!!
These pictures! Heart eyes!
Wow, we have very different definitions of a stiff drink.
For salting the rims of the glasses, try squeezing the juice of a lime or two out onto a small plate and then dipping the rim of the glass into that before the salt. It’s likely to get more moisture onto the rim than rubbing them with a wedge of lime.