Frosted Mistletoe Margarita.
The most festive Frosted Mistletoe Margarita. Tis’ the season. Mixed simply with fresh winter citrus, cranberry juice, orange liquor, and a good splash of tequila. Then blend with ice and top off with fresh rosemary and sweet sugared cranberries. This frosty drink is so easy to create. Simply mix everything together in a blender for a festive holiday cocktail that’s perfectly icy, sweet, and so delicious! A sweet and salty rim keeps everyone coming back for a second round. Tip? Make the punch version to serve to family and friends! Everyone loves a frosty margarita.
Welcome to the very last Christmas Cocktail Saturday of the holiday season! This year’s drinks have been some of my favorites, but I think I saved the most special for last…the Mistletoe Margarita!
I’ve been wanting to make this margarita for a while, but I hesitated because I wasn’t sure we’d want a frozen margarita on a cold December night. BUT, I’ve changed my mind. I’ve decided an icy drink by the fire is actually the best. So, here we are! My favorite cocktail yet! I’ve never done anything like this frosty margarita, so I’m excited…and let’s be honest, everyone loves a darn good tequila cocktail.
And this one? It’s all done up for the holidays…and just in time for Christmas Eve too!
Here are the quick and simple details.
This is such a simple drink. First, gather your ingredients. Good tequila, cranberry juice, Cointreau (orange liquor), fresh lime juice, cranberries, honey, and a bit of orange zest. You’ll also need some sugar and salt for the rim.
Now, mix that sugar and salt, and rim each glass with the salty-sweet mix. Trust me, this is the extra-special holiday touch your drink needs.
Find yourself a cocktail blender. Grab lots of ice and add everything in, then blend, blend, blend.
Pour into your pretty salty sugar-rimmed glass. And drink up! SIMPLE, super festive, and, so very GOOD.
A little holiday tip…
During the holiday season always keep the essentials for a few good cocktails on hand. I like to keep bourbon, vodka, and tequila stocked this time of year. These are my family’s alcohols of choice.
Then I always have cranberry juice, pomegranate juice, limes, and ginger beer in the fridge. These are my go-to mixers. You never know when you’ll need to mix up a quick drink…it’s always a good idea to be prepared!
To make this frosty margarita sparkle.
For a sweet and festive touch, I love finishing with sugared cranberries. Completely optional, but they add a nice “sparkle” to each drink. I make mine using maple syrup instead of just sugar. The maple syrup provides a delicious flavor and makes these festive cranberries super easy to make.
The best part about this drink? It takes only minutes to make but always turns out looking so impressive and extra pretty with its dark red color. I’m planning to make the pitcher next week for Christmas break. My family is already looking forward to this one…they’ve been sent photos are and very, very excited. This frosted margarita is a mix up of all of their favorites.
And with that, let’s kick off the holiday week in the best way possible, with a cocktail in hand. The only way to do it up!
Looking for other Christmas drinks? Here are my favorites:
The Spicy Sweet Grinch Cocktail
Lastly, if you make this Frosted Mistletoe Margarita, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Frosted Mistletoe Margarita Punch
Simply blend everything together for a festive holiday cocktail that’s perfectly icy, sweet, and delicious!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups silver tequila
- 2 cups no sugar added cranberry juice
- 3/4 cup Cointreau (orange liquor)
- 1 cup fresh lime juice
- 3/4 cup fresh or frozen cranberries
- 1/4-1/2 cup honey, use more or less to your taste
- zest from 1 orange
- 3-4 cups ice
- rosemary and sugared cranberries, for serving (optional)
Instructions
-
1. Combine the sugar and salt on a shallow plate. Rim each glass in salted sugar.
2. In a blender, combine the tequila, cranberry juice, orange liquor, lime juice, cranberries, and honey. Add the ice and blend until slushy. Add the orange zest and blend to combine. Pour into your prepared glasses. Garnish with rosemary and sugared cranberries, if desired. Drink!
SUGARED CRANBERRIES
-
1. In a medium bowl, stir together 2 cups fresh cranberries with 1/2 cup pure maple syrup. Let sit 10-15 minutes. Strain the cranberries, then add them to a parchment lined baking sheet.
2. Toss the cranberries with 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar until all the cranberries are coated. Allow the cranberries to dry, in a single layer, for at least one hour.
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Frosted Mistletoe Margarita
Simply blend everything together for a festive holiday cocktail that’s perfectly icy, sweet, and delicious!
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 ounces silver tequila
- 4 ounces (1/2 cup) no sugar added cranberry juice
- 3/4 ounce Cointreau (orange liquor)
- juice from 1/2 a lime
- 1-2 tablespoons fresh or frozen cranberries
- 2-3 teaspoons honey, use more or less to your taste
- 2 teaspoons orange zest
- 1 cup ice
- rosemary and sugared cranberries, for serving (optional)
Instructions
-
1. Combine the sugar and salt on a shallow plate. Rim each glass in salted sugar.
2. In a blender, combine the tequila, cranberry juice, orange liquor, lime juice, cranberries, and honey. Add the ice and blend until slushy. Add the orange zest and blend to combine. Pour into your prepared glasses. Garnish with rosemary and sugared cranberries, if desired. Drink!
SUGARED CRANBERRIES
-
1. In a medium bowl, stir together 2 cups fresh cranberries with 1/2 cup pure maple syrup. Let sit 10-15 minutes. Strain the cranberries, then add them to a parchment lined baking sheet.
2. Toss the cranberries with 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar until all the cranberries are coated. Allow the cranberries to dry, in a single layer, for at least one hour.
Our Favorite Recipes
White Christmas Cake.
I think the first sentence should say”… cranberry Frosted Mistletoe Margarita” instead of “cherry.” I didn’t see any cherries in the recipe. But cherries do sound good too!
Hey Elise,
Sorry for the confusion, this has been fixed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
lol – I think she meant “cheery” not “cherry” – but agree – maybe trying this with Cherry Juice!
Hey Mary Ellen,
Sorry, this has been fixed. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
How do you think this would be as just a shaken drink and not frozen?
Hey Kim,
Yes, I think it would be great! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I wanted to make this drink SOOO BAD! But, I didn’t have any cranberry juice.. just cranberries. So I made my own juice, took some of the crushed berries and made sauce, then added some of the rest to the drink. 😀 Deliciousness!!! I have your “slow cooker cow au vin w/ parm mashed potatoes in the crockpot… LOVE ❤️ your recipes!!
Hey Jackie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This was delicious and got 5 stars from my husband and 5-year old! We forgot to add the balsamic until we’d already removed half the mushrooms, but still tasted great – almost sweet!
Hey Beth,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi!
Excited to try this, but you mentioned a punch version?
Hey Danielle,
Yes, the recipe for the punch is also listed above:) I hope you love the recipe! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I wish recipe writers would not use “mistletoe ” when naming their creations as mistletoe is toxic and not consumable.
Hey Lizette,
As you can see in the ingredient list, I do not actually use mistletoe in the drink, I simply thought it was a fun name! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Sound delicious! Could you substitute tequila for rum?
Hey Laura,
Sure that would work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi there!
What would you recommend subbing for the Cointreau? I have an orange allergy, but want to make this really bad! I can have other citrus fruits.
Thank you,
Melissa
Hey Melissa,
I would just skip it:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hello!!!!! This cocktail immediately caught my eye for our Christmas day (covid) “open house”. Curious…..you mentioned making a pitcher. How would you do that being as it’s frozen? I would like to make pictures for our get together. Any tips or tricks? Or just multiply Ingredients x how many fit in a pitcher and blitze?
Hey Andrea,
The pitcher ingredients and instructions are listed above:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
My husband made these tonight and they were so good! We increased the honey to make them a little less tart and they were a real hit!!! Thinking we need to make these for Christmas Eve!!! Thanks Tieghan!!
Hey Andrea,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi there! I doubled the recipe last weekend and have a little left over- how long would you say it keeps? Thanks so much!
Hey there,
I would say it’s good for a week. Thanks for giving the recipe a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
The recipe on the screen shows 1/2 cup no sugar cranberry juice.
But, weirdly, when I print it, it shows 2 cups no sugar cranberry juice???
How is that possible? I’m guessing the later is correct. So weird right?
I triple checked it to make sure it wasn’t my eyes!
Hey Lisa,
I am wondering if you printed the punch version? I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Ok, oops it WAS me-didn’t realize that is the 1 cup recipe-oy.
Can’t wait to try this!
Really love your recipes!
Merry Christmas
We love this cocktail from the beautiful color to the luscious taste!! Merry Christmas!!
Thanks so much Freddi! xTieghan
Hey Freddi,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thank you so much for giving the recipe a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This looks delish! I may make a batch for Christmas this year. It’s going to be a lonely Christmas. Thanks for the recipe!
Hey Teresa,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Could you make this on the rocks by simply not blending with ice? Is there anything else in the recipe you would change to do so?
Hey Casey,
Yes, this would work well and be really great! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
We have this printed out and ready to make on Christmas day… but WHERE did you get your glasses? I’m obsessed!! Can’t wait to Try!
Hey Meg,
Sorry these glasses are old, I no longer have a link for them! I hope you love the recipe! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
So I noticed the punch and the individual recipe have the same amount of sugar…is that correct? I want to make the punch Christmas Eve so I am double checking. Thanks
Hey Tiffany,
Yes, this is correct. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Yummy drink! I plan to cut back on the fresh cranberries and add more ice the next time I make this!
Hey Sue,
I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for giving it a try! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
This may sound like a stupid question but don’t the fresh cranberries outer skin leave some floaters in the drink after having added to the blender?
Hey Geri,
Your blender should take care of that issue. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Are the meausrements for one serving correct? It’s 2cups for 8 for 1/2cup for 1 person (should that not be 1/4)? Also the 3/4 cointreau stays the same? Thank you!
Hey Cris,
Yes, the measurements are correct. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Can you swap out the tequila for vodka? Looks so pretty!
Hey Ava,
Yes, vodka would work well here! I hope you love the recipe! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Can’t wait to make this I’m new it beverages and cocktails and things is this something that can be made like a day ahead of time and just not add the cranberries until right before serving?? Thanks so much for your time your site is so much fun!!
Hey Tina,
You can assemble ahead of time, but I would wait to blend until you are ready to serve. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
The recipe is great but the salt does not belong on the rim. It disrupts the flavor profile. With a sugar only rim, this drink is perfect!
Hey Alessandra,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan, if i wanted to store the sugared cranberries until i serve them tomorrow, can i just pop them in the fridge? Thanks!
Hey Sarah,
Yes, that would work well. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Great taste, flavor and presentation!
Made these for Christmas Eve and are delicious 😀
Hey Suzanne,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
So sweet! I like it
Thanks so much!! xTieghan
I had somebody leftover cranberries I’m not sure what we were supposed to do with all of them
Hey Cal,
You can save them:) Happy Holidays! xTieghan
I must’ve done something wrong- these are so mouth-puckering tart they’re hard to drink. And I like things less sweet. I’m wondering if it’s the cranberry juice. Your recipe says ‘no sugar added’ cranberry juice. I bought unsweetened cranberry juice (which tastes like lemon juice). No amount of honey fixes that. Think I’ll retry some other time with regular cranberry juice.
Hey Mara,
So sorry you did not enjoy the flavors, please let me know how I can help! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Enjoying this cocktail right now! It’s fabulous! Highly recommend.
Hey Evelyn,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Loved this! We substituted the tequila for rum and it was great!
Hey Kelly,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
So so great and festive! I made it and just poured over crushed ice and it was perfection!!! Thank you!
Hey Mikaela,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
YUM! We loved the recipe except for the pulp left from blending the cranberries. We just strained it all off but is that normal or did I not blend long enough?
Hey Sara,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, the blender should blend all of that for you. Please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Love cranberries and tequila so these are great! Thanks for an awesome recipe!
Hey Kate,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad you enjoyed! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Have you changed something when posting recipes? I’m no longer able to pin recipes. When I couldn’t do this before, I’d search directly on Pinterest and pin that way. I can’t even find the recipes there.
I apologize, now I’m finding most recipes directly on Pinterest, but I still can’t pin from your posts.
Merry Christmas & For Sure a Happy New Year!
Hey Denise,
So sorry you are having issues, the pin is working on our end. Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Looks delicious but my blender is unpredictable. Can I just stir all the ingredients together and serve on the rocks?
Hey Stefani,
Totally, that works well too! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
First of all these were wonderful! Made the larger recipe. Totally my fault for not going with my gut when I thought ‘the blender looks pretty full’……you can imagine what happened. Lost about two margaritas all over me and the kitchen. Once we stopped laughing and mopped up, we enjoyed them. A lot. We mixed another batch the next day….by hand. (BTW I have a Blendtec and it does hold quite a bit of liquid.) So four stars for me losing two drinks….
Hey Cynthia,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am thrilled that it worked out for you! Happy Holidays! xTieghan
Amazing!
Thanks Anne! xTieghan
Delicious!!! Another hit❤
Thanks so much Susan! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Yum! Sipping on my frosted margarita while typing this. I have no idea why it took me this long to find your site but thank goodness I have. I made your cranberry Brie pull aparts, pepperoni and burrata cheese appie and cheese plate for Christmas. Both cookbooks have been ordered and I am devouring your website! Chipotle chicken tacos tonight! Looking forward to the new year with a treasure trove of new recipes! Thank you!
Hey Tammy,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a go, I am thrilled it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
This has been one of my favorite mixed drinks I have ever had! Made this for Christmas Eve and it was a huge hit. The cranberries are nice and tart making this cocktail not too sweet, but you are able to sweeten it if you want by adding or not adding the honey (or sweetener of choice). I love that it’s not very sweet so I am able to have more than one cocktail without a sugar overload! I will definitely be making these again, sooner rather than later!
Hey Kaylie,
I am so glad you enjoyed the cocktail, thanks for giving it a try! Happy New Year! xTieghan
So good! I’ve been craving this since I saw the recipe. Finally made it to the ABC – delicious!! This was my trial run before NYE. Love your recipes than you!!
Hey there,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Favorite drink! Making it again for New Year’s Eve!
Thanks so much Dawn! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Hey Tieghan !
First of all – Thank you for all the things 😝 I so dig your style and know immediately when I come across a half-baked recipe bc the photos are always so warm and lovely and inviting. I have recently found quite a few of your drink recipes that I drool over but being pregnant haven’t been able to try. Do you have any suggestions for mocktails on any of them ? Would you just forego the alcohol altogether ? Maybe use orange juice in place of some of the recipes that call for orange liqueur ? I look forward to your thoughts !
Best Always,
Shannon
Hey Shannon,
Thank you so much for your kind message and reaching out! For most of my cocktails you can just omit the alcohol and add some sparkling water or ginger beer. I hope this helps! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Made these for Christmas Eve and they were a hit.
Hey Diana,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
This was our drink of choice for New Year’s Eve! It was a hit. It is the perfect amount of sweet, tequila and margarita. Thank you for all of your recipes. They have gotten me through 2020.
Hey Jenn,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
These cocktails were festive with the red cranberries and green sprig of Rosemary, but most importantly were delicious!! Made batches for Christmas Day and Néw Years Eve – perfection. Thank you!
Hey Delia,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
These are PERFECT. Perfect tart/sweet ratio. I made a whole pitcher and we drank every drop! Another absolutely delicious HBH cocktail 🙂
Hey Alex,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Enjoyed the flavor but unable to get it a dark red color like the model photo-was more light-medium pink color. Not sure how that was achieved with the ingredients listed.
Hey Geneva,
Thank you so very much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Amazing recipe! Sadly, I had to satisfy myself with cranberry cocktail as cranberry juice was impossible to find….my fault for waiting last minute! I just omitted the sugar because of that! I also swapped out the Tequila for Pisco because it needed to be finished 🤪 Soooo good. And I completely agree…. frosty drink by the fire is the best! Happy New Year!!!
Hey Melanie,
Thank you so very much for giving the recipe a try, I am so glad it worked out for you! Happy New Year! xTieghan
Hi! How would you suggest making this for one to two drinks?
Hey Maria,
The instructions for 1 serving is listed above:) I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Margaritas are my favorite and this was the perfect holiday twist to it. I used a shaker and served mine on the rocks versus blending. I will be making this throughout the year, not just the holidays!
Hey Alyssa,
I am so thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe, thanks so much for making it! Have a great week:) xTieghan
Festive and fantastic! Enjoyed with our adult children during our Christmas Eve zoom cocktail visit.
Hey Traci,
Thank you so much for making the recipe. I am thrilled that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Hi! This sounds amazing but I don’t drink. How could would you suggest I could make it a mocktail instead?
Hey Ariane,
I would just skip the liquor and add some sparkling water. I hope you love the recipe, cheers! xTieghan