Can I make cranberry margaritas ahead of time?

Yes! You can mix everything except the ice up to 24 hours in advance. Store covered in the refrigerator, then shake with ice just before serving.

Are cranberry margaritas very tart?

They’re pleasantly tart, but well balanced. Using rosemary simple syrup (or regular simple syrup) helps offset the cranberry juice. You can always add more syrup to taste.

What type of tequila works best?

Blanco (silver) tequila is ideal for a clean, crisp flavor. Reposado works too if you prefer a slightly warmer, oak-aged note.

Can I use sweetened cranberry juice?

You can, but the drink will be noticeably sweeter. If using sweetened juice, reduce the simple syrup to avoid overpowering the cocktail.

What can I substitute for orange liqueur?

You can use fresh orange juice for a lighter flavor, or swap in triple sec, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier depending on what you have.

Can I turn this into a mocktail?

Absolutely! Replace the tequila and orange liqueur with orange juice or sparkling water, and keep the cranberry juice, lime, and rosemary syrup.

Cranberry Margaritas

Cranberry margarita, fresh cranberries and a cinnamon stick.

Print Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

No reviews

Refreshing cranberry margarita full of fresh cranberry, orange and rosemary flavor.

Author: Lyndsey Hiltner
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 1 drink 1x
Category: Beverages
Method: Shake
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

For the Margarita

2 ounces 100% cranberry juice (unsweetened)

1 1/2 ounces tequila

1 ounce orange liqueur

1/2 ounce rosemary simple syrup (see below)

juice of 1/2 lime

flake salt for rim

For the Rosemary Simple Syrup

1 cup water

1 cup granulated sugar

4 sprigs fresh rosemary

Optional Garnishes

fresh rosemary sprigs

cinnamon sticks

fresh orange slices

fresh lime slices

fresh cranberries

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Simple Syrup: To make rosemary simple syrup, bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Stir in the sugar until dissolved. Bring mixture to a boil once more and add in the rosemary sprigs. Boil rosemary for one minute and then remove pot from heat. Allow mixture to sit for 30-60 minutes to steep. The longer the rosemary steeps the stronger the flavor. Place in a sealed jar in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Rim the Glass: To prep your margarita glass, poor a small amount of rosemary simple syrup onto a plate and carefully roll the rim of the glass in the syrup. Place about a tablespoon of flaky sea salt onto another plate. Roll the sticky rim of your glass through the salt. Add desired amount of ice to the glass and set aside.
Shake: To make the margarita, combine cranberry juice, tequila, orange liqueur, simple syrup and lime juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Cap and shake for 30 seconds. Poor drink over ice in prepared glass. Serve with a garnish of rosemary, cranberries or orange slices if desired.

Equipment

cocktail shaker

Buy Now →

Notes

*If you don't have a cocktail shaker you can still make this drink pitcher style! Multiply the recipe by how many drinks you would like to make and mix ingredients together in a large pitcher. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

*It's a great idea to make the rosemary simple syrup ahead of time and keep it in your refrigerator for when a cocktail craving hits! I also like to use it to sweeten pure cranberry juice.

Find it online: https://censoredbaker.com/cranberry-margaritas/