December 8, 2020

Cranberry Orange Margarita Recipe

Name: Cranberry Orange Margarita
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Ingredients: 2 ounces silver tequila; ½ ounces orange liqueur ((I used Grand Marnier)); 1 ounces fresh lime juice; 1 ounces cranberry orange syrup; cranberry rimming sugar ((see post for other options)); sugared cranberries

This Cranberry Orange Margarita Recipe is the perfect cocktail for your holiday celebration or just a winter drink! Made with a cranberry-orange syrup, orange liqueur, fresh lime juice, and silver tequila, this margarita has all the flavors of the season!

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cranberry orange margarita with cranberries

One of the best things about winter and holiday time is the produce that is in season. It makes the ingredients in this Cranberry Orange Margarita recipe easy to find during Thanksgiving and Christmas and any day in between.

I love Margaritas so making one from the cranberry-orange syrup that was created from making my Boozy Sugared Cranberries was a no-brainer. And if that wasn’t good enough, the Boozy Sugared Cranberries are the perfect garnish for this cocktail!

cranberry orange margaritas with cranberries and a shaker

Ingredients Needed for This Cranberry Orange Margarita Recipe

Silver Tequila
Fresh Lime Juice
Orange Liqueur
Cranberry Orange Syrup
Sugar Rim
Boozy Sugared Cranberries for Garnish

How to Make Orange Cranberry Margaritas

Make the Boozy Sugared Cranberries and syrup ahead of time. This should be done a day in advance.
Prepare a cocktail glass by dipping the rim in water or agave syrup and then rimming sugar. Add fresh ice and prepare cranberries on a garnish stick.
Add all of the margarita ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well, 20-30 seconds. Strain into the prepared glass and garnish with sugared cranberries. Cheers!

TIP: If you don’t want to make the syrup, you can also substitute 1 oz. cranberry juice and add an extra 1/2 oz of orange liqueur.

cranberry margarita with a sugared rim — Click on the image above to PIN for later!

How to Make Boozy Sugared Cranberries and the Syrup

Place 1.5 cups of sugar, 1 cup of water, 1 tsp. vanilla extract, and 2 tsp. orange liqueur in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until the sugar completely dissolves but do not bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and stir in 2 cups of cranberries. Place something heavy on top to keep the cranberries submerged.
Once the mixture has cooled enough, cover with foil or plastic wrap and place in the fridge for at least 12 hours or overnight.
Strain the cranberries through a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl. Once fully drained, place the syrup in a sealable bottle or container.
Put the remaining sugar in a container with a lid. Put the cranberries in the container, put on the lid, and gently shake and turn to fully coat the cranberries with sugar. Place the cranberries on a piece of wax paper to dry for at least an hour.

Check out the post for Boozy Sugared Cranberries for the full recipe. There is also a way to make them non-boozy so that kids can enjoy them too!

Other Rim Garnish Options

I just happened to have some Cranberry Rimming Sugar by Rokz, which I do recommend. However, if you don’t want to wait for this to arrive, here are a few more ideas. And if you don’t want a sugar or salt rim, skip it!

Colored crystal sprinkles
Fine sugar
Salt
Sugar and salt mix
The sugar that the Boozy Cranberries were rolled in that didn’t stick

glass prepped for cranberry orange margarita

More Cocktail Recipes to Check Out

Tools for Cocktail Success

In order to make the best cocktails at home, you need the right tools. Check out this List of Home Bar Tools for a complete list. Below are a few of my go-to tools that will help you make a perfect margarita!