Happy {early} Thanksgiving!!
Are you thirsty? I sure hope so because I have the perfect last minute Thanksgiving cocktail to share today. It involves tequila, ergo you should make it.
Honestly, I loved making that cranberry sauce a few weeks ago so much that I decided to buy more berries and play a little. Have you noticed a strange pattern that I seem to always blend cranberries with booze? I don’t know what’s happening. It’s weird. Last time it was bourbon and today it’s tequila…I’m on a roll. These margaritas are sweet, tart and, well, pretty. Sorry {not sorry} — I can’t help it. I come from the school of belief that pink drinks taste better just because they’re pink.
Serve these as a pre-feast celebratory cocktail with friends and family. I loved them with the traditional salted glass rim, but you could also do a sugar rim if you felt so inclined. Either way, they’re a win.
Happy Thanksgiving, friends. I am so thankful for YOU!
Cranberry Margaritas
makes 2 large drinks {with extra cranberry syrup!}
Ingredients:
12 oz fresh cranberries, rinsed
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
4 oz tequila, divided
3 oz triple sec, divided
juice of 2 limes
lime wedges, salt and cranberries for garnish
Directions:
First, make the cranberry syrup. Combine the cranberries, water and sugar in a medium saucepot over high heat. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until berries burst and begin to break down. Immediately remove pot from heat and strain. Toss the berries and keep the syrup. Place syrup in the fridge for a couple hours or overnight to cool completely.
To make the margaritas, run the edge of a mason jar with a lime and then dip in salt. Add about a third cup of the cranberry syrup to a cocktail shaker (you be the judge according to how sweet you like your margaritas). Follow with the tequila, triple sec, lime juice and ice. Strain margarita into mason jar and finish with more ice.
**Cranberry syrup can be made up to a week ahead of time and kept in the fridge
Time:
active time — 10 minutes
total time —- 4 hours
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{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
You’re speaking my language here! I just got promoted and may need to make this drink to celebrate!
Im about to come off antibiotics and need the perfect boozy drink to celebrate my return to drinking soon.. these are totally on the shortlist. YUM.
Agreed on the point about pink drinks being superior to other kinds! I love cranberries as well and still have some frozen ones leftover from our Canadian Thanksgiving last month. This recipe sounds perfect for them. Happy early Thanksgiving Jenna!
Perfect! We are having our family thanksgiving dinner on Friday so my son wants to have a Mexican feast on thursday. This will be just the thing for our thanksgiving fiesta.
BTW- hate to just toss the cranberries. Any suggestions for using them?
I was wondering the same thing…!
Cocktails are so pretty but they never do me any good. I’ll have to just admire your photos!
This looks even better than my spiked cranberry relish (just posted it yesterday if you’d like to check it out).
Happy Thanksgiving!
You’re my kind of gal! I am always a fan of making fun adult beverages
This looks so refreshing and your pictures are beautiful by the way.
These will be perfect for Thanksgiving night! yum =)
These look festive and delicious! Since cranberries have so many health benefits, these cocktails are justifiably healthy, right?
I agree with you – pink drinks are always better
This looks like a lovely option for holiday parties! Happy Thanksgiving!
That looks absolutely delicious! I’m in Canada, so Thanksgiving has long passed, but I think I may need to make this drink anyways!
Cranberry syrup sounds like the perfect thing to keep around – it could be great in anything from tea to sauces to…margaritas
I bet the salt with the tart/sweet of the fruit is wonderful. Happy early Thanksgiving to you!
These are gorgeous! Must-make.
Um so I want one of these right now. It’s 5′oclock somewhere, right?
Perfect! Adding to the Thanksgiving menu now…
Love the idea!
Jenna… your such a babe
Well if that isn’t the prettiest drink I’ve ever seen…
Hahaha! Pink totally makes things taste better! This is a fun idea for when I go home to my parents for Xmas. My dad loves Margaritas, and he also lies pink drinks, not lying.
Pink and tequila are two of my favorites, I couldn’t turn this down!
Eep…pretty! Love the paper straws.
Happy Thanksgiving Jenna! These look so tasty and of course pretty!! XO Moni
These look amazing! Can’t go wrong with tequila and pink!
Such a pretty drink. I like pretty!
Oh this sounds like the perfect drink! I LOVE cranberry anything, and so making it into a margaritas can only be an excellent idea.
YUM!! I love love love margs! What a great recipe, cant wait to try it
Um, pink drinks ARE the best!! I make a cranberry simple syrup for my candied cranberries every year and now I know what to do with the leftovers! Yay!
I love margaritas, and cranberries! This seems like a great excuse to drink a margarita around the holidays, as if one needs an excuse:) Can’t wait to try this!
I guess it’s the time of year for cranberries. Try making a frozen margarita using cranberry sauce. Good stuff!
Just discovered your website and love it! This recipe sounds like heaven. By the way, I once had a margarita that had orange pulp in it (and possibly orange juice) and it was fantastic. Any ideas on how to make it? Thanks.
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