Published: Jan 6, 2020 · Modified: Nov 20, 2021 by Amanda McGrory-Dixon

Winter Wonderland Margarita

When Old Man Winter strikes, nothing gets you through the cold night like a seasonal cocktail by the fire. Made with sweet and savory rosemary simple syrup and bright white coconut milk, this Winter Wonderland Margarita is your perfect sipper for the occasion. Serve with a candied rosemary sprig for a sparkly, wintry touch.

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Why You Need to Make This Recipe
Ingredients
How to Make Rosemary Simple Syrup
Step-by-Step Instructions
Recipe FAQs
Expert Tips
Perfect Pairing
Need More Winter Cocktails?
📖 Recipe

Why You Need to Make This Recipe

Coconut is getting a makeover for this winter cocktail, and I have no doubt you’ll love the new vibes. Usually, I reserve coconut for my summer cocktails, like this tropical coconut-watermelon mojito, and I'm sure I'm not alone. Coconut cocktails were made for sandy beaches and turquoise water.

But why stop there? That pretty white coconut milk is also the perfect nod to snowy winters. Let's expand coconut's horizons, shall we?

Along with our snow-white look, I wanted this margarita to show off a wintry flavor. Enter our homemade rosemary simple syrup, which gives this margarita a savory, complex touch for a delicious yet unexpected twist that's sure to impress.

And this seasonal margarita will impress. Trust me. I made just one Winter Wonderland Margarita for my father-in-law on Christmas Eve, and after his rave review, I went into busy bartender mode, mixing up this cocktail left and right for the rest of the family.

Honestly, my only regret was not making this margarita pitcher style for easier entertaining, but at least I know better for next year. Live and learn, right?

Bonus: For more holiday inspiration, check out my collection of best Christmas cocktails!

Ingredients

Let’s chat ingredients. Here’s everything we need to make this winter margarita.

Coconut milk
Fresh lime juice
Rosemary simple syrup
Tequila
Orange liqueur
Sea salt for glass rimming
Candied rosemary sprigs for garnish (optional but oh-so pretty)

For the coconut milk, make sure you get the unsweetened canned variety. This gives us pure, unadulterated coconut goodness as opposed to the kind in a carton. Coconut milk in a carton works great in smoothies, but canned coconut milk gives us a much richer flavor for our cocktail.

As I’ve discussed in my other margarita recipes, reposado tequila is my favorite type for margaritas. Reposado spends time aging in oak barrels for a more complex taste. To me, reposado tequila makes for a tastier drink.

That said, if you prefer blanco tequila, feel free to use that. We all have our different preferences.

And then there’s the orange liqueur. I usually reach for Grand Marnier or Cointreau, but your basic triple sec also works.

Looking down at two wintry margaritas with lights on a wooden board.

How to Make Rosemary Simple Syrup

Now let's start with our rosemary simple syrup. The rosemary simple syrup gives this margarita a savory quality to counter the sweetness.

While the rosemary flavor is subtle, it makes all the difference and adds the perfect complex touch, so please don't skip this step. Otherwise, you'll just have a coconut margarita, which is still delicious but not quite what we're going for with this winter cocktail recipe.

To make the rosemary simple syrup, we cook water, sugar and fresh rosemary sprigs in a small saucepan until the mixture comes to a low boil. Give it a stir to help dissolve the sugar, turn off the heat and allow the mixture to steep.

Bonus: You don't have to just use this rosemary simple syrup in this margarita recipe. If you're looking for more ways to use this rosemary simple syrup, give my blood orange-rosemary gin and tonic or rosemary Kentucky mule a try.

A winter margarita with a pine cone and candied rosemary surrounding it.

Step-by-Step Instructions

With our rosemary simple syrup prepared, we’re ready to start mixing.

Step 1: We grab a cocktail shaker and add our simple syrup, fresh lime juice, tequila, orange liqueur, coconut milk and ice.

Step 2: Now we pop on the top and give it a good shake again. Who knew your arm would get such a workout just from making one margarita?

Step 3: For an extra pretty serving touch, I love to rim the glasses with coarse sea salt and garnish with a candied rosemary sprig.

And just like that, our Winter Wonderland Margarita is now ready for serving and sipping!

A closer shot of a winter margarita with candied rosemary and fake snow around it.

Recipe FAQs

Can you make this winter margarita pitcher style?

You sure can! Simply stir together the ingredients in a pitcher and store in the refrigerator. If you take a look at the notes section of the recipe card, I included proportions for an eight-serving pitcher.

If you need a different serving number than eight, the calculation is simple. Cocktails are measured in ounces, so multiple the number of ounces by the number of servings you need. Then, divide that number by eight. That will give you the cups measurement, which is easier to use when you're dealing with a large batch.

(Ounces of ingredient x number of servings) / 8 = cups measurement

How far in advance can you make a pitcher of margaritas?

I recommend making the pitcher of margaritas within 24 hours of serving. If you make margaritas too far ahead of time, the lime juice will start to lose its brightness.

Expert Tips

Before using the coconut milk, make sure you shake the can well. As it sits, the solids and liquid tend to separate. If the two are still separated when you open the can, a good stir will take care of the job.
When shaking the cocktail shaker, use two hands for proper technique. This ensures you get enough force to chill and incorporate the ingredients.
Before juicing the lime, firmly roll it on the counter to get the juice flowing.
Make sure you pick limes that have a slight give when you press into them.

Perfect Pairing

This winter margarita is perfect with dessert. To keep the wintry vibes going, I recommend pairing this margarita with a delicate angel food cake topped with sweet cranberry sauce.

You can make your own angel food cake or pick one up from the bakery and then use my spiced-brandied cranberry sauce for the topping. The coconut and savory rosemary work beautifully with the fresh orange zest and spices from the cranberry sauce. And they’ll look so festive together, which is just plain fun.

If you need an escape from these chilly months, I hope you try this Winter Wonderland Margarita. With that pretty white shade and glistening candied rosemary sprigs, this festive margarita is just what you need to get through the winter until spring arrives.

And, hey, even if you serve this margarita in the middle of July, it's still tasty. I certainly wouldn't judge.

Cheers!

Two Winter Wonderland Margaritas on a wooden board with pinecones, fake trees and lights around them.

A close-up of an aerial shot of the winter coconut margaritas with candied rosemary.

Need More Winter Cocktails?

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