Introduction

This Frosted Mistletoe Margarita is a festive twist on the classic cocktail, combining tart cranberry flavors with a hint of orange and a frosty texture. Perfect for holiday gatherings, it’s both refreshing and beautifully garnished for a seasonal touch.

The image shows a clear glass filled with a deep red, slushy textured drink that has a frothy pink layer on top. The rim of the glass is coated with coarse sugar crystals, and the drink is garnished with frosted red cranberries and a sprig of fresh green rosemary sticking out from the top. Around the base of the glass, there are more sugared cranberries on a white marbled surface dusted with granulated sugar. In the blurred background, there are silver and blue holiday ornaments with detailed patterns and soft warm lights creating a cozy festive atmosphere. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

3 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp kosher salt
1 1/2 cups silver tequila (blanco tequila)
2 cups 100% unsweetened cranberry juice
3/4 cup Cointreau (or other orange liqueur)
1 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 cup honey or agave nectar (adjust to taste)
Zest from 1 orange
4 cups ice
Fresh rosemary sprigs
Sugared cranberries (optional, see notes)

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the glasses. On a small, shallow plate, combine the granulated sugar and kosher salt. Run a lime wedge around the rim of each margarita glass, then dip the rim into the salty-sugar mixture until evenly coated. Set the glasses aside.
Step 2: Blend the margarita. In a high-powered blender, combine the silver tequila, cranberry juice, orange liqueur, fresh lime juice, fresh or frozen cranberries, and honey. Add 4 cups of ice to the blender. Blend on high until the mixture is smooth and has a slushy consistency.
Step 3: Add the orange zest and pulse once or twice just to combine. Pour the frosted margarita mixture into your prepared glasses.
Step 4: Garnish each drink with a sprig of fresh rosemary and a few sugared cranberries, if desired. Serve immediately.

Tips & Variations

For extra festive flair, rim the glasses with colored sugar instead of plain granulated sugar mixed with salt.
Adjust the sweetness by adding more honey or agave nectar to balance the tartness of the cranberry juice.
Try using flavored orange liqueurs like Grand Marnier for a deeper citrus note.
Sugared cranberries can be made by tossing fresh cranberries in sugar and letting them dry; they make a pretty and tasty garnish.

Storage

This margarita is best enjoyed immediately for its frosty texture and fresh flavors. If you need to store it, keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hours, but it may lose its slushy consistency. Stir well before serving or re-blend briefly over ice to restore texture.

How to Serve

Two short clear glasses are filled with a red drink, each containing many ice cubes that show layers of deep red liquid, topped with fresh, round, red and dark purple cranberries and a sprig of green rosemary in each glass. The rims of both glasses are coated with coarse white salt crystals. Behind and beside the glasses, on a white marbled surface, there is a small clear glass bowl full of cranberries, and a white bowl filled with whole and sliced bright green limes. A few cranberries are scattered around the glasses. The overall look is fresh, colorful, and inviting, highlighting the contrast of red, green, and clear textures. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make this margarita without a blender?

While a blender is ideal for creating the frosty texture, you can shake the ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker and strain into glasses. The drink will be less slushy but still delicious.

What can I use if I don’t have fresh cranberries?

Frozen cranberries work well in this recipe and help maintain the chilled consistency. Fresh cranberries are preferred for garnish if you want a pretty presentation.

Frosted Mistletoe Margarita Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.9 from 100 reviews

The Frosted Mistletoe Margarita is a festive, refreshing cocktail perfect for holiday celebrations. Combining the tartness of cranberry juice and fresh cranberries with the smoothness of silver tequila and a hint of orange liqueur, this frosty margarita is sweetened with honey and finished with a sparkling sugar and salt rim. Garnished with fresh rosemary and sugared cranberries, it’s both visually stunning and deliciously crisp for any winter party.

Author: Daniel
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings 1x
Category: Cocktail
Method: Blending
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

Rim and Garnish

3 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tbsp kosher salt
fresh rosemary sprigs
sugared cranberries (see notes)

Margarita

1 1/2 cups silver tequila (blanco tequila)
2 cups 100% unsweetened cranberry juice
3/4 cup cointreau (or other orange liqueur)
1 cup fresh lime juice
3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
1/4 cup honey or agave nectar (adjust to taste)
zest from 1 orange
4 cups ice

Instructions

Prepare the glasses: On a small, shallow plate, mix the granulated sugar and kosher salt. Run a lime wedge around the rim of each margarita glass to moisten it, then dip the rims into the sugar-salt mixture to coat evenly. Set the glasses aside to let the rim set.
Blend the margarita: In a high-powered blender, combine the silver tequila, cranberry juice, orange liqueur, fresh lime juice, fresh or frozen cranberries, and honey or agave nectar. Add 4 cups of ice, then blend on high speed until the mixture is smooth and achieves a slushy consistency. Add the orange zest and pulse once or twice to incorporate it without over-blending.
Serve: Pour the frosted margarita mixture into the prepared glasses. Garnish each drink with a sprig of fresh rosemary and a few sugared cranberries for a festive touch. Serve immediately to enjoy at its best texture and chill.

Notes

Sugared cranberries can be made by tossing fresh cranberries in simple syrup and then rolling them in sugar to dry.
Adjust honey or agave nectar to your desired sweetness level.
If you prefer a less icy texture, reduce the ice amount or blend less.
For a salt-free rim, omit the kosher salt and use just sugar or another rim seasoning of choice.

Keywords: frosted mistletoe margarita, cranberry margarita, holiday cocktail, frozen margarita, festive drink, tequila cocktail