This Spiced Christmas Margarita is my go-to festive drink fresh lime, tequila, orange liqueur, cranberry juice, and warm spices with a cinnamon-sugar rim. I first made it in a panic two holidays ago and it instantly became everyone’s favorite. Guests ask for the recipe every time.
Why You'll Love This Spiced Christmas Margarita
Real talk, this Spiced Christmas Margarita is the easiest impressive cocktail you'll make all season.
What Actually Works: This spiced Christmas margarita balances tart lime with sweet cranberry and warm spices without tasting like candle wax or potpourri. The cinnamon sugar rim adds texture and looks fancy. Takes maybe three minutes to shake together. Way better than those sugary holiday cocktails that give you a headache after one glass. My aunt who normally drinks vodka sodas had three of these spiced Christmas margaritas and asked if I'd bartend her New Year's party. The spiced Christmas margarita recipe is honestly foolproof once you understand the basic technique.
Why Other Methods Fail: Most spiced Christmas margarita recipes dump in every spice they can find and end up tasting like you're drinking a pine tree. Or they use pre-made cranberry cocktail that's basically corn syrup. Some skip fresh lime juice entirely which makes the spiced Christmas margarita flat and boring. This festive margarita recipe uses real ingredients in the right proportions. Not too sweet, not too spicy, actually tastes like a margarita that happens to be Christmas themed instead of some weird holiday science experiment. The spiced Christmas margarita should taste balanced, not like liquid potpourri.
The thing that changed everything: Using actual cinnamon sticks to infuse the simple syrup instead of just dumping cinnamon powder into the drink. My first attempt I added ground cinnamon straight to the shaker and it was gritty and gross. Started making cinnamon simple syrup ahead of time and suddenly this spiced Christmas margarita tasted smooth and sophisticated with subtle spice instead of chalky cinnamon bits floating around. That's when my spiced Christmas margarita went from disaster to requested at every party.
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love This Spiced Christmas Margarita
- What You'll Need for Spiced Christmas Margarita
- How to Make Spiced Christmas Margarita
- Top Tip
- Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
- Storage and Batch Instructions
- What to Serve With Spiced Christmas Margarita
- My Spiced Christmas Margarita Journey
- FAQ
- More Recipes You'll Love
- Spiced Christmas Margarita
- Related
- Pairing
What You'll Need for Spiced Christmas Margarita
Nothing complicated just good-quality basics, a few holiday touches, and that festive Spiced Christmas Margarita magic.
Main Ingredients
- Silver or reposado tequila
- Orange liqueur like triple sec or Cointreau
- Fresh lime juice, absolutely fresh not bottled
- Cranberry juice, unsweetened or lightly sweetened
- Cinnamon sticks
- Simple syrup
- Fresh nutmeg for grating
- Ice
For the Cinnamon Sugar Rim
- Granulated sugar
- Ground cinnamon
- Lime wedge
Optional Garnishes
- Fresh cranberries
- Orange slices
- Rosemary sprigs
- Extra cinnamon stick
- Sugared cranberries if you're feeling fancy
Exact measurements in the recipe card.
How to Make Spiced Christmas Margarita
This winter margarita cocktail comes together ridiculously fast once you have your cinnamon syrup ready.
Make the Cinnamon Simple Syrup
Combine equal parts sugar and water in a small pot. Add a few cinnamon sticks. Heat until sugar dissolves completely. Let it simmer for about five minutes so the cinnamon flavor really infuses. Cool completely before using. You can make this days ahead and keep it in the fridge.
Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar Rim
Mix sugar with cinnamon on a small plate. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass. Dip the rim into the cinnamon sugar mixture. Twist it around to coat evenly. This makes your spiced margarita drink look professional.
Mix the Margarita
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add tequila, orange liqueur, fresh lime juice, cranberry juice, and a splash of your cinnamon simple syrup. Shake hard for about fifteen seconds until the shaker gets cold and frosty on the outside.
Serve
Strain into your prepared glass over fresh ice. Grate a tiny bit of fresh nutmeg on top. Garnish with fresh cranberries, an orange slice, or a rosemary sprig. Maybe add a cinnamon stick if you want it extra festive.
You've got this gorgeous cranberry Christmas margarita that tastes as good as it looks.
Top Tip
Make your cinnamon simple syrup ahead of time for this spiced Christmas margarita recipe. Seriously, do it the day before or even a week ahead.
I tried adding ground cinnamon directly to the shaker once because I was lazy. It was grainy and weird and looked like dirt floating in my drink. Guests were polite but nobody finished theirs.
The infused syrup gives you smooth cinnamon flavor throughout without any texture issues. Plus you can make a big batch and use it for multiple drinks or even coffee.
Also, use fresh lime juice. Bottled lime juice makes this holiday margarita recipe taste flat and fake. Fresh makes all the difference.
Ingredient Substitutions & Variations
The base spiced Christmas margarita is perfect but you can customize it easily.
Different Tequilas
Silver tequila keeps it light and crisp. Reposado adds warmth and complexity. I've used both for this Christmas tequila cocktail and honestly they're both great, just slightly different vibes. Skip the cheap stuff though, it'll give you a headache.
Spice Variations
Add a pinch of ground ginger for extra warmth. Star anise in the simple syrup makes it taste fancy. Cardamom pods create this sophisticated cinnamon spiced margarita. Cloves work but go easy, they're strong.
Make It Spicy
Muddle a slice of jalapeño in the shaker before adding other ingredients. Or rim half the glass with regular salt mixed with chili powder. Makes a spicy Christmas margarita that has kick.
Cranberry Options
White cranberry juice makes a lighter colored version that's still festive. Pomegranate juice instead of cranberry gives you a deeper flavor. Fresh cranberries muddled in add texture and look pretty.
Make a Pitcher
Multiply the recipe by eight for a Christmas margarita pitcher. Mix everything except ice in a big pitcher. Keep it in the fridge. Add ice to individual glasses when serving. Perfect for holiday spiced margarita for a crowd situations.
Frozen Version
Blend everything with ice instead of shaking. Makes a slushy winter margarita cocktail. My sister does this and calls it a Christmas margarita punch even though it's not technically punch.
Virgin Version
Skip the tequila and orange liqueur. Use extra cranberry juice and lime juice with the cinnamon syrup and some sparkling water. Still tastes festive for people who don't drink.
Storage and Batch Instructions
This festive margarita recipe works great for parties if you plan ahead.
Cinnamon Syrup: Make it up to two weeks ahead. Store in the fridge in a sealed container. Stays good indefinitely basically.
Pre-Mixed Base: Combine tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, cranberry juice, and cinnamon syrup. Keep in fridge for up to 24 hours. Just shake with ice when ready to serve.
Rim Sugar: Mix cinnamon sugar days ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temp. Stays good forever.
Serving: This holiday cocktail tastes best freshly shaken and ice cold. Don't let it sit around getting warm and watery.
What to Serve With Spiced Christmas Margarita
This Christmas spiced margarita pairs well with lots of holiday foods.
Appetizers: Chips and guac, queso, stuffed mushrooms, bacon wrapped dates, cheese board. The margarita cuts through rich foods nicely.
Main Dishes: Turkey, ham, prime rib, or go full Mexican with my Chicken Fajita Casserole Recipe. The spiced margarita drink complements everything.
Holiday Desserts: Serve before dessert since it's not too sweet. Or pair with my Classic New York Cheesecake Recipe for a fancy combo.
Casual Dinner: Works great with my Tomato Chicken Pasta Recipe for a less formal holiday meal with friends.
My Spiced Christmas Margarita Journey
First time I made a holiday margarita I threw every Christmas spice I could find into a shaker. Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, ginger. Tasted like I was drinking a candle. My husband took one sip and asked if I was pranking him.
Second attempt I went too subtle with spices and it was basically just a regular margarita with cranberry juice. Pretty but boring. Nobody was impressed.
Third try I made cinnamon simple syrup and used fresh nutmeg as garnish. Suddenly the spices were present but not overwhelming. The cinnamon sugar rim added just enough extra flavor. My sister in law who hates margaritas asked for the recipe.
Now this spiced Christmas margarita is requested at every holiday party I throw. Takes me maybe five minutes to make a batch and people think I'm some kind of mixology genius.
FAQ
What is a Spiced Christmas Margarita made of?
A spiced Christmas margarita is made with tequila, orange liqueur, fresh lime juice, cranberry juice, and cinnamon simple syrup. The rim is coated with cinnamon sugar. Some recipes add nutmeg or other warm spices. The cranberry gives it that festive red color while the cinnamon adds holiday flavor. Way better than regular margaritas for Christmas parties.
What spices pair best with a Christmas margarita?
Cinnamon is the star for Christmas margaritas. It's recognizable and works perfectly with tequila and lime. Nutmeg adds warmth when freshly grated on top. Ginger gives it kick. Star anise makes it sophisticated. Cloves work but use them sparingly since they're strong. I stick with cinnamon and nutmeg for this holiday spiced margarita because they're classic and everybody likes them.
What's the best tequila for a holiday margarita?
Use silver or reposado tequila for the best holiday margarita. Silver keeps it bright and clean tasting. Reposado adds complexity and warmth that works with the spices. Skip cheap tequila completely, it'll ruin the drink and give you a headache. You don't need super expensive stuff, just decent quality. I usually use Espolòn or Cimarron for this festive margarita recipe and they're both great.
Can I add ginger to a Christmas margarita?
Yeah absolutely. Fresh ginger muddled in the shaker adds nice warmth and complexity to a Christmas margarita. Or make ginger simple syrup instead of just cinnamon. Candied ginger as garnish looks fancy and tastes good. Ground ginger in the rim sugar works too. Ginger pairs really well with cranberry and cinnamon for this cinnamon spiced margarita. Just don't overdo it or it'll taste like ginger ale.
More Recipes You'll Love
After you master this spiced Christmas margarita, try my Chicken Fajita Casserole Recipe for an easy holiday dinner that feeds a crowd. My Tomato Chicken Pasta Recipe is perfect for cozy winter nights when you want comfort food. And my Classic New York Cheesecake Recipe is the dessert everyone requests for special occasions.
Spiced Christmas Margarita
Equipment
- 1 Cocktail shaker To mix and chill the margarita ingredients
- 1 Jigger or measuring tool For accurate measurements of spirits
- 1 Small plate For the cinnamon sugar rim mixture
- 1 Cocktail strainer To strain the margarita into glass
- 1 Small pot To make cinnamon simple syrup
Ingredients
- ½ cup water
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 oz silver or reposado tequila
- 1 oz orange liqueur triple sec or Cointreau
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz cranberry juice unsweetened or lightly sweetened
- ½ oz cinnamon simple syrup
- Ice for shaking and serving
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 lime wedge for rimming
- Fresh cranberries
- Orange slice
- Rosemary sprig
- Cinnamon stick
- Fresh nutmeg for grating
Instructions
- Combine water and sugar in a small pot over medium heat. Add cinnamon sticks. Stir until sugar dissolves completely, about two minutes. Let the mixture simmer for five minutes to infuse the cinnamon flavor into the syrup. Remove from heat and let it cool completely before using. You can make this up to two weeks ahead and store in the refrigerator.
- Mix granulated sugar with ground cinnamon on a small plate. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your cocktail glass to moisten it. Dip the rim into the cinnamon sugar mixture and twist gently to coat evenly. Set the prepared glass aside while you mix the margarita.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add tequila, orange liqueur, fresh lime juice, cranberry juice, and cinnamon simple syrup to the shaker. Make sure all your measurements are accurate for the best balanced flavor in your spiced Christmas margarita.
- Close the shaker tightly and shake vigorously for about fifteen seconds. You want to shake until the outside of the shaker feels cold and frosty. This properly chills and dilutes the cocktail while mixing all the flavors together perfectly.
- Fill your prepared glass with fresh ice. Strain the margarita from the shaker into the glass over the ice. The strainer catches any ice chips or pulp from the lime juice for a smooth cocktail.
- Grate a tiny amount of fresh nutmeg over the top of the drink using a microplane or fine grater. Add your choice of garnishes like fresh cranberries, an orange slice, a rosemary sprig, or a cinnamon stick. These make your holiday margarita look festive and add subtle aromatics.
- Serve your spiced Christmas margarita immediately while it's ice cold. The drink is best enjoyed fresh when the ice hasn't melted and diluted the flavors. Enjoy this festive cocktail at your holiday party or cozy winter gathering.
Notes
Nutrition
Related
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Pairing
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Spiced Christmas Margarita Recipe:
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