Drink recipe · 1 cocktail
Cranberry Margarita
Researched · Adaptation of a named source
Cranberry Margarita from the IBA Margarita base plus unsweetened cranberry juice—shaken, optional rim, pitcher batching, not kitchen-tested.
By DrinkKnird · November 14, 2026
Next: holiday cocktails · what can I make · scale with the batch calculator · bar tools guide
A cranberry Margarita should still taste like a Margarita: bright lime, clean agave, and orange liqueur in balance—not a cranberry soda with tequila. DrinkKnird starts from the International Bartenders Association Margarita specification (50 ml tequila, 20 ml triple sec, 15 ml lime), then adds unsweetened cranberry juice and a small optional sweetener so the drink stays tart and seasonal instead of candy-sweet.
Shake hard with ice, strain into a chilled glass, and keep the salt rim optional—salt sharpens lime and cranberry, while a sugar rim softens them. For the classic build without cranberry, see the [IBA Margarita](/margarita). For a larger holiday bowl with cranberry and citrus, see [winter cranberry citrus punch](/winter-cranberry-citrus-punch).
This page is a researched adaptation for home use. It is not kitchen-tested at DrinkKnird, and it is not an official IBA cranberry cocktail.
- Spirit
- tequila
- Glass
- coupe or rocks glass
- Garnish
- optional half salt or sugar rim; lime wheel; cranberries
- Alcohol
- alcoholic
Contains alcohol. Intended for adults of legal drinking age. Please drink responsibly.
Recipe
Drink recipe
Yield: 1 cocktail
Original yield: 1 cocktail
Scales ingredient amounts only. Temperatures, times, ratios, and instruction text stay as written. Saved and printed copies keep the original recipe amounts.
Ingredients
- 1⅔ ounces (50 ml) tequila, 100% agave (blanco for brightness; reposado for warmth)
- ⅔ ounce (20 ml) triple sec or Cointreau
- ½ ounce (15 ml) freshly squeezed lime juice
- ¾ ounce (22 ml) unsweetened 100% cranberry juice (not cranberry cocktail)
- Optional: ¼ ounce (7 ml) agave syrup or simple syrup if the cranberry juice is very tart
- Ice for shaking
- Optional: kosher salt or sugar for a half rim; lime wheel and a few cranberries for garnish
Instructions
- Chill a coupe or rocks glass. If using a rim, moisten half the outer rim with lime and dip lightly in salt or sugar.
- Add tequila, triple sec, lime juice, cranberry juice, and optional syrup to a shaker filled with ice.
- Shake hard until the shaker is very cold—about 12–15 seconds.
- Strain into the prepared glass (up, or over fresh ice in a rocks glass).
- Garnish with a lime wheel and a few cranberries if you like. Serve immediately.
Make-ahead
- Combine the liquids (without ice) in a sealed bottle and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Shake individual servings with ice just before pouring. Add sparkling water only at serve if you want a lighter highball variation.
Notes
- Timing is a research-based estimate for one shaken cocktail.
- Use unsweetened 100% cranberry juice. Cranberry cocktail is already sweetened and will push the drink toward punch.
- Taste before adding syrup; many 100% juices need a little sweetener, while blends may not.
- Common mistake: swapping in bottled lime juice. Fresh lime keeps the Margarita structure intact.
- Pitcher for 6: 300 ml tequila, 120 ml triple sec, 90 ml lime, 135 ml cranberry juice, optional 45 ml syrup. Keep cold; shake or stir each serving with ice so dilution stays consistent.
- Physical kitchen testing still needed for preferred sweetness with your juice brand.
Why this recipe works
Keeping the IBA tequila–triple sec–lime spine preserves Margarita identity; cranberry juice adds color and tartness without replacing lime as the primary acid.
troubleshooting
Too tart: add ¼ ounce syrup, not more cranberry juice. Too sweet: use unsweetened juice and skip syrup. Cloudy or flat: shake harder with fresh ice and serve immediately.
thanksgiving Service
Serve before dinner with salty snacks, or after the meal when guests want something colder than mulled wine. See [Thanksgiving cocktail pairings](/thanksgiving-cocktail-pairings).
Recipe sources & development
Adaptation of a named source
Researched adaptation that preserves IBA Margarita ratios and adds cranberry juice; sweetness is optional because cranberry juice brands vary.
Why this formulation: 50/20/15 ml keeps the documented Margarita balance; ~22 ml unsweetened cranberry adds seasonal flavor without drowning lime.
Other approaches: Many published cranberry Margaritas use cranberry cocktail, agave-forward builds, or different tequila:citrus ratios. This page keeps the IBA base explicit.
Adaptation credit: IBA Margarita specification, adapted with unsweetened cranberry juice for a seasonal serve
Developed from published sources; not yet kitchen-tested by DrinkKnird.
- Margarita — IBA Official Cocktail — International Bartenders Association · researched 2026-11-14
50 ml tequila 100% agave, 20 ml triple sec, 15 ml fresh lime; shake and strain; optional half salt rim
- IBA Cocktails — International Bartenders Association · researched 2026-11-14
Official cocktail index listing Margarita among Contemporary Classics
Related reading
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Margarita
IBA-aligned Margarita: 50 ml 100% agave tequila, 20 ml triple sec, 15 ml fresh lime—shaken, optional half salt rim, with source attribution.
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