Description
Elevate your cocktail game with a sparkling cranberry-ginger margarita this holiday season! Made with a fresh ginger simple syrup, tart cranberry juice and bubbly ginger ale, this holiday margarita is one jolly cocktail that’s sure to put everyone in a festive mood. You won’t find a more perfect cranberry cocktail for your next holiday gathering.
Ingredients
For Fresh Ginger Simple Syrup
1 cup fresh peeled ginger, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup water
1 cup white sugar
For Sparkling Cranberry-Ginger Margarita
1 lime, juiced
2 ounces tequila, preferably reposado
2 ounces cranberry cocktail juice
1 ounce ginger liqueur
1 ounce fresh ginger simple syrup
Ice
Sugar, for garnish, optional
Ground cinnamon, for garnish optional
Splash of ginger beer or ginger ale
For Sugared Cranberry Garnish (Optional)
1/2 cup sugar, divided
1/4 cup water
1 cup fresh cranberries
Instructions
For Fresh Ginger Simple Syrup
- Add ginger, water and sugar to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Turn off heat once it boils and the sugar dissolves.
- Allow the syrup to steep for at least 15 minutes and strain. Chill and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for several weeks.
For Sparkling Cranberry-Ginger Margarita
- Add the lime juice, tequila, cranberry cocktail juice, ginger liqueur, fresh ginger simple syrup and a handful of ice in a cocktail shaker. Put on the top and shake vigorously for 30 seconds.
- If you would like a cinnamon-sugar rim, mix together the cinnamon and sugar on a small plate. On another small plate, add water and lightly dip the rim of the serving glass into the water to moisten. Then, swirl the moistened rim in the cinnamon-sugar mixture.
- Add ice to the serving glass and strain the margarita into the glass. If desired, garnish with sugared cranberries. Enjoy!
For Sugared Cranberry Garnish (Optional)
- In a small sauce pan, add 1/4 cup sugar and water over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and stir to dissolve sugar.
- Once the sugar dissolves, stir in the cranberries and turn off the heat. Make sure they’re well-coated with the simple syrup.
- On a large plate, spread the remaining 1/4 cup sugar. Drain the cranberries and roll in the sugar. Allow to set on a wire rack for about an hour.
Notes
- To make in a 64-ounce pitcher with eight servings, use 8 limes, 2 cups tequila, 2 cups cranberry juice, 1 cup ginger liqueur, 1 cup fresh ginger simple syrup and 1 cup ginger beer or ginger ale. Add the ginger beer or ginger ale right before serving.
- To get the most juice out of the lime, I recommend firmly rolling the lime on the counter several times under the palm of your hand before cutting, and then use a handheld juicer to extract as much juice as possible.
- Ginger beer makes for a spicer cocktail while ginger ale makes for a sweeter cocktail. Both are delicious — it just comes down to personal preference.
- For full tips, please see blog post.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
- Category: Beverages
- Method: Stove-Top
- Cuisine: Mexican
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 drink
- Calories: 346
- Sugar: 38
- Sodium: 2
- Fat: 0
- Saturated Fat: 0
- Unsaturated Fat: 0
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 38
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 0
- Cholesterol: 0
Keywords: cranberry ginger margarita