Looking for a festive twist on everyone’s favorite tequila cocktail? You found it. This cranberry orange margarita is what we make when cocktail snobs come to dinner – the ones who actually taste the difference. The secret that has them texting for the recipe? Spiced demerara simple syrup.
We’ve tested every holiday margarita worth trying because, honestly, we’re particular about our tequila. This is the only one in permanent rotation. Real cranberry for color without the sugar bomb. Orange instead of lime because December demands something warmer. Demerara simply syrup spiked with cinnamon and star anise for the complexity your brother-in-law will pretend he detected on his own. Trust us on this one.
What Is a Cranberry Orange Margarita Cocktail?
Quick Answer: This seasonal margarita swaps lime for orange and adds cranberry juice, resulting in a ruby-hued cocktail that’s both festive and refined. Born from the early 2000s cocktail renaissance when bartenders started experimenting beyond the frozen machine, this variation showcases quality tequila with warming spices and fruit-forward sweetness. The spiced demerara syrup elevates it from simple to sophisticated.
What you’ll love about this recipe:
What You Need to Make a Cranberry Orange Margarita Cocktail
How to Make a Cranberry Orange Margarita Cocktail
- Simmer demerara sugar and water with cinnamon stick, star anise, and orange peel until sugar dissolves—strain and cool.
- Mix salt, demerara sugar, and cinnamon for the rim. Run an orange wedge on the glass rims, dip it in the spiced mixture.
- Fill glasses with ice.
- Shake tequila, Cointreau, syrup, orange juice, and cranberry juice with ice for 15 seconds.
- Strain between glasses, garnish with orange wheels, cranberries, cinnamon sticks, and rosemary.
Bartender’s Tips
- Start with less syrup: You can add sweetness, but you can’t take it back.
- Make syrup ahead: Keeps two weeks refrigerated.
- Try reposado tequila: Oak aging adds vanilla notes that complement the spices.
- Freeze your cranberries: They’re ice cubes that won’t dilute.
How to Serve This Cranberry Orange Margarita Cocktail
Rocks glasses let the aromatics hit with each sip. Perfect for holiday gatherings or a Tuesday night upgrade. The spiced rim adds texture and evolving flavor. For parties, batch everything except ice and garnish in a pitcher, and shake individual servings to order.
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Cranberry Orange Margarita
Equipment
- small saucepan
- cocktail shaker
- Strainer
- jigger
- 2 rocks glasses
- Small plate
Ingredients
For the Spiced Demerara Simple Syrup (makes about 3/4 cup):
- ½ cup demerara or turbinado sugar
- ½ cup water
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 star anise
- 1 wide strip orange peel
For the Spiced Rim:
- 1 tablespoon coarse salt
- 1 tablespoon demerara or turbinado sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Margarita:
- 1 orange cut into wedges and wheels
- 4 ounces blanco tequila
- 2 ounces Cointreau
- 2 ounces spiced demerara simple syrup
- 2 ounces fresh orange juice
- 4 ounces cranberry juice
For the Garnish:
- 6-8 fresh cranberries
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 rosemary sprigs
Instructions
Make the Spiced Demerara Simple Syrup
- Add the demerara sugar and water in a small saucepan.
- Add the cinnamon stick, star anise and orange peel.
- Let it simmer over medium heat.
- Stir until the sugar completely dissolves.
- Remove from the heat. Strain out the solids and let it cool.
Prep Your Glasses
- Combine the salt, demerara sugar, and cinnamon on a small plate until mixed.
- Rub an orange wedge along the rim of two rocks glasses.
- Dip the rims into the spiced sugar mixture to coat. Fill both glasses with ice.
Make the Margaritas & Serve
- Add the tequila, Cointreau, simple syrup, orange juice, and cranberry juice in a cocktail shaker.
- Fill the shaker with ice. Secure the lid and shake for about 15 seconds until the outside of the shaker feels very cold.
- Strain the margarita evenly between your two glasses. Garnish with an orange wheel, a few cranberries, a cinnamon stick, and a rosemary sprig.
Recipe FAQs
We’re showcasing how orange and cranberry create warmth and complexity. Orange provides brightness, and cranberry adds tartness.
Yes, but cut the syrup to 1 ounce since it’s pre-sweetened. Taste and adjust.
Larger crystals with molasses give a richer flavor than white sugar. Turbinado works as a substitute.
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