Who doesn’t love a good summertime margarita? If you’re a fan, prepare to be amazed. Margaritas don’t have to stop just because summer’s over! Check out this recipe for a cold-seasonal variation, whether you’re looking for a Christmas Margarita, non-denominational Holiday Margarita, Fall Margarita, or Winter Margarita.
Ok What Makes This A Christmas Margarita?
So I have two pet peeves when it comes to modern cocktail culture. One is having an ingredient in the name that you can’t even taste in the cocktail (usually herbs or floral syrups). The second, and the one that applies to this recipe, is calling a drink something common but changing literally everything about it to the point where it no longer resembles the original. When I say Christmas Margarita, or Holiday Margarita, I MEAN margarita. I’m not looking for just spiced tequila or some shit. I crafted this recipe to still taste like a margarita. There are hints of spice and fall flavors, but it’s still a SOLID margarita recipe.
How To Make A Holiday Margarita
We’re essentially taking a standard margarita, the tequila, lime, and orange liqueur, and adding some fall flavors to it in the form of apple cider and cranberry juice. We’re going heavy on the cider because it plays nice as a sweetener, and light on the cranberry, enough for that tart finish and a little color change. I opted for using my own homemade orange liqueur, as I add vanilla and spices to the infusion for some depth. We’re also going to rim this bish with not JUST salt, but a mixture of cinnamon-sugar-salt. We’re going for the classic lime/salt combo of a traditional margarita, with that snickerdoodle undercurrent. Drinking this bad boy is a journey. You’re starting with the snickerdoodle, passing through the tequila and lime, then finishing with that apple cranberry combo. It’s baller.
Christmas Margarita Recipe
- 2oz tequila blanco
- 1oz homemade orange liqueur (Grand Marnier is solid sub if you’re lazy and have cash to burn)
- 1oz lime
- 2oz apple cider (props for the thucccest cider you can find)
- .5oz unsweetened cranberry juice
Prep your glass by rimming with a cinnamon-sugar/salt combo (I eyeball the mixture, you literally can’t go wrong here). Add ice to the rim of the glass. Throw all ingredients into a shaker, fill 3/4 with ice, and shake for 5-10 seconds. Because we have so much apple/cranberry, don’t overshake or you’ll water down your drink. Double strain into your prepped glass and throw a cinnamon stick in if you’re feeling sassy.