Cranberry Margaritas - A Quick, Refreshing co*cktail (2024)

These cranberry margaritas are a party in your mouth. They’re sweet, tart, and pack a nice punch. But be careful, you’ll want to drink more than just one!

Margaritas might be the most universally loved co*cktail. Who doesn’t love a margarita? But I think they’re fun to play around with too, which led me to my new favorite co*cktail … cranberry margaritas.

Cranberry margaritas have everything you love about margaritas. There’s the balance of sugar, lime juice, and strong tequila. They’re refreshing. They go perfectly with chips and salsa, or other spicy Mexican food. But these cranberry margaritas add a new element, with tart cranberry juice. It makes them a little bit less strong, but don’t worry, they’re still a party drink! Make a big batch of these the next time your friends are over, and watch them disappear!

What You’ll Need

Here’s everything you need to make this super simple co*cktail. Be sure to check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page for the exact quantities of each ingredient.

• Tequila – You can use any type of tequila, but I recommend a blanco tequila for this co*cktail.
• Triple sec
• Cranberry juice
• Lime wedges

What is Triple Sec?

Triple sec is a very sweet orange liqueur from France. It can vary in alcohol content, but is usually between 20% and 40%. If you don’t have any triple sec, you can use other orange liqueurs, such as Grand Marnier or orange curacao.

How to Make Cranberry Margaritas

Here’s how to make these quick and easy co*cktails.

• Ice up. Fill your glasses with ice.
• Add the alcohol to a shaker. Fill a shaker with ice, and add the tequila and triple sec. Shake until the shaker is frosted on the outside, which should take 10-20 seconds.
• Pour. Strain the alcohol into the glasses.
• Finish. Pour the cranberry juice on top of the margarita, and squeeze a lime wedge into the drink. Garnish with another lime wedge, and drink up!

Variations

A cranberry margarita is already a variation of a margarita. But we can take it a step further with some more variations! Here are some fun ways to mix up your cranberry margaritas.

• Blend it. If you want to make restaurant-style margaritas, you can easily do that by blending this recipe. Add the tequila, triple sec, cranberry juice, and juice from the lime wedges into a blender with some ice. Blend until the mixture is smooth, then serve with a straw.
• Spice it up. Margaritas always go well with a little bit of heat, and cranberry margaritas are no exception. Adding a jalapeño to this recipe is a good way to give the co*cktails an extra kick. I like to chop up a few jalapeño slices, and add them to the co*cktail shaker when I make the drink. You can also garnish with fresh jalapeño slices.
• Flavor the rim. The traditional way to drink a margarita is by salting the rim. To do this, pour some kosher salt or coarse salt on a plate, then run a lime wedge around the rim of your empty glass. Dip the rim of the glass in the salt, then continue making the drink. I like to use tajin in place of salt for a spicy kick. If you’re not a fan of salty or savory co*cktails, you can use a sugar rim instead.

What to Eat With Cranberry Margaritas

Cranberry margaritas go wonderfully with Mexican food. Here are some of my favorite dishes to eat with cranberry margaritas.

• Cilantro lime black bean tacos with quinoa
• BBQ chicken tacos with tomatillo salsa
• Vegan jackfruit enchiladas verdes
• Sweet potato quinoa nachos
• Easy vegan fajitas with tempeh

How to Store Cranberry Margaritas

You can store leftover cranberry margaritas in an airtight container at room temperature, or in the fridge. Because the margaritas have a high alcohol content, they won’t spoil. However, over time, the quality of the flavor will get worse. I recommend drinking margaritas that are stored at room temperature within 1 month, and drinking margaritas stored in the fridge within 3 months.

Love Margaritas? Try These Other Recipes

If you love margaritas as much as I do, then check out some of my other margarita recipes.

• Watermelon margaritas
• Healthy grapefruit margaritas
• Margarita mousse bars
• Grapefruit margarita green smoothie