Christmas Margarita Recipe – Mistletoe Margaritas

Merry margarita time!

Who doesn’t need a good Christmas margarita? I say we all do.

Now. Let’s start a few weeks early!

MY OTHER RECIPES

So a few years ago I made this white Christmas margarita punch which I LOVE. But, it’s coconut. It’s made with coconut milk and not very flavor appropriate for the season unless you’re on the beach. Or just want to pretend you’re on the beach.

You guys love them though, so I wanted to make another version. Albeit a slightly more seasonally appropriate one. Flavor wise, of course.

I used white cranberry juice! I mean, I haven’t had this stuff in years. I never really even liked juice when I was growing up, but I’m pretty sure my mom bought this once or twice. Or we had it at a party.

Not only does it make the flavor more Christmas-like, it is SO delicious mixed with the tequila and the Grand Marnier. In fact, it would probably be a lovely cocktail with just Grand Marnier. Orange and cranberry for the win.

I know that margaritas aren’t technically a morning drink (unless you want to feel like Santa’s sleigh hit you the rest of the day?), so if you’re looking for a Christmas morning or brunch cocktail, last year I made these Christmas morning mimosas. And in the next week or so, I’ll have one more brunch-like cocktail for your present-opening, cinnamon roll-eating, hopefully snowy morning.

The flavors are so fantastic in this cocktail that you could easily make them year round with any cranberry juice. I find that the white cranberry juice is a bit sweeter (especially since it’s a cocktail juice) so if you want these to be red and festive in another way, you could use regular cranberry juice too.

SO FUN!

And FYI, I use the rosemary a garnish only. If you seriously love it, you could let it steep in the marg and use that flavor, but I just like it to look like a little sprig of pine. I don’t want a rosemary margarita, no thanks.

At least not yet. Let’s see what 2018 brings.

These also make an excellent late night present-wrapping cocktail. While watching The Holiday. Just sayin.’

Mistletoe Margaritas

Yield: MAKES 1 MARGARITA, IS EASILY MULTIPLIED

Total Time:15 minutes

Ingredients:

• coarse salt for the rim
• 2 ounces Grand Marnier
• 1 1/2 ounces Tequila
• 2 ounces white cranberry juice
• 2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• lime for garnish
• fresh cranberries for garnish
• rosemary for garnish

simple syrup

• ½ cup water
• ½ cup sugar

Directions:

Rim each glass with a lime wedge and dip in the coarse salt. Fill each glass with ice.

In a cocktail shaker, add the grand marnier, tequila, cranberry juice, lime juice and syrup and shake for 30 to 60 seconds. pour over the ice. Garnish with extra limes and fresh cranberries! Throw in a sprig of rosemary if you wish.

simple syrup

Stir together the water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the sugar dissolves and bring the mixture to a simmer. Remove from the heat and let it cool to room temperature.

All images and text ©How Sweet Eats.

So many cheers!