Cranberry Ginger Margaritas
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Cranberry Ginger Margaritas put a holiday twist on the classic with sweet vanilla ginger syrup, tart cranberry juice, and your favorite margarita flavors.ย ย This recipe was originally posted in December 2014.
Every holiday party needs a signature cocktail.ย ย ย Whether it’s a simple champagne cocktail, a sparkling martini, or a fun and fruity cocktail.ย ย I wanted to find a cocktail that I could make in a big batch so that when we start having Christmas parties again I could just fill up a jug with it and people could pour it out all night long.
My first thought when thinking Christmas was cranberry.ย ย It’s just so red and festive and fun.ย I went through several different cranberry drinks before I decided on a margarita.ย ย Margaritas are such a summery drink but I knew that I could add in a few twists along with the cranberry juice to make it a new winter favorite.
After several trials with different extracts, flavors, and spices I had a combination that hit the spot.ย I made a spicy vanilla ginger simple syrup that added the perfect amount of sugar and spice to this cocktail.ย I couldn’t wait to give it a try.
For this recipe you will need:
- cranberry juice
- lime juice
- vanilla extract
- ginger
- sugar
- orange liqueur
- tequila
- lime wedge
- colored sugar
- sugared cranberries (if desired)
I made the vanilla ginger simple syrup before making this cocktail.ย Then I rimmed a glass with colored sugar and added in all of the ingredients.ย Finally I added ice and game it a good stir.
The red cranberry juice colored the cocktail a festive red while lime juice gave it a nice tartness.ย The ginger and vanilla simple syrup added spice and a delicious flavor.ย ย While I rimmed my glass with sugar you can certainly rim it with classic salt. Then top it off with sugared cranberries if desired.
The results were awesome!ย ย The margaritas looked fun and festive and the taste was amazing.ย ย I could barely taste the alcohol in them which is both good and bad. ย ย These Christmas margaritas are sweet, tart, and spiced which makes for a tasty cocktail. ย They were a huge hit at our last Christmas party and I even had several people request this recipe.ย ย Make a single serving for yourself or a fill a jug for a party!
Cranberry Ginger Margaritas
Ingredients
For the margarita:
- 2 oz. cranberry juice
- 2 oz. lime juice
- 2 oz. vanilla ginger simple syrup
- 1 oz. orange liqueur
- 1 1/2 oz. tequila
- Lime wedge
- coarse salt
- sugared cranberries
For the vanilla ginger simple syrup:
- 1/2 c. water
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 1 T. fresh grated ginger
- 2 T. vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients for the vanlla ginger syrup in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat and boil for one minute. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
- When ready to make the margarita take a lime wedge and rub it around the edge of a tall glass. Dip the glass into coarse salt. Fill glass with ice and set aside.
- In a shaker combine the cranberry juice, lime juice, vanilla ginger simple syrup, orange liqueur, and tequila. Shake for 30 seconds.
- Pour the margarita into the prepared glass. Top with sugared cranberries and the lime wedge.
Notes
Holiday Cocktails
- Chocolate Nut Martini (Nutty Uncle) by Art of Natural Living
- Cranberry Ginger Margarita by Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Cranberry Negroni by Karen’s Kitchen Stories
- Dairy Free Egg Nog by That Recipe
- Eggnog Brandy Alexander by Palatable Pastime
- Snickerdoodle Martini by Christmas Tree Lane
- Sparkling Wine Cider by Making Miracles
Love adding a new margarita to my repertoire! This is beautiful!
I’ve been meaning to experiment with a cranberry margarita recipe – love that you added vanilla and ginger to yours.
Have a happy and safe holiday!
I have been using ginger a lot this year so may try this one out. Looks yummy!
It sounds like you had a lot of fun taste testing. This one looks delicious.
Sounds wonderful to serve for the holidays. xo Catherine
I love margaritas and this holiday version looks darn tasty!!! So pretty, too.