I’m a little strange about cranberries—except when it comes to cranberry margaritas.
Every year I confess my odd love for jellied cranberry sauce from a can. It’s true—I prefer the congealed, gelled stuff over many fresh cranberry preparations. I can’t fully explain it, and I tease myself about it, but that’s what I like. I’ll even pair my cranberry gelee with a little gravy and be unapologetic about it.
That said, when I can’t make you cranberry sauce, I’ll make the next best thing: cranberry margaritas.
I’ve been obsessed with the vanilla-and-ginger combination since developing a cocktail with that flavor for my book earlier this year. I recently paired those flavors with pomegranate and ginger in a salad and loved the result, so combining cranberry, vanilla and ginger in a margarita felt like a natural step. Bright, tart cranberries, warm vanilla and spicy ginger all play together beautifully in a festive cocktail.
These drinks look holiday-ready without being over the top. They’re elegant and merry—perfect for seasonal gatherings or any time you want a bright, slightly sweet cocktail with a hint of warmth from the ginger and vanilla.
I didn’t want to use store-bought cranberry cocktail, so I make a simple fresh cranberry “juice.” If you have a juicer, you can juice the cranberries; otherwise, simmer them briefly, blend, and strain to extract a bright, fresh liquid. The flavor is a bit different from commercial cranberry juice, but you can easily adjust sweetness with the vanilla-ginger syrup until it’s perfect for your palate.
With a full bag of fresh cranberries on hand, I also made sugared cranberries for garnish. They’re sparkly and festive—the kind of garnish that looks like little, edible ornaments. They’re easy to make by coating the berries in a simple syrup and rolling them in sugar once the syrup cools slightly.
Yes, cranberries can be a little strange, but when they’re combined with vanilla, ginger and tequila, they become downright irresistible. Maybe it’s the tequila talking, or maybe it’s just a really good idea. Either way, these margaritas are festive, flavorful and simple enough to make for a holiday party or an indulgent evening at home.
Fresh Cranberry Ginger Vanilla Margaritas with Sugared Cranberries
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Ingredients
Margaritas
- 2 1/2 ounces fresh cranberry juice (see cranberry juice below)
- 2 1/2 ounces vanilla ginger syrup (see syrup below)
- 2 ounces fresh lime juice
- 1 ounces Grand Marnier
- 1 1/2 ounces silver tequila
- coarse salt for rimming the glass
- limes for garnish and sugared cranberries to add to drinks
Vanilla Ginger Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean
- 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger
- This yields about 1 cup of syrup; store refrigerated for about a week
Cranberry Juice
- 6 ounces fresh cranberries
- 3/4 cup water
Sugared Cranberries
- 6 ounces fresh cranberries
- 1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup water
Instructions
Vanilla Ginger Syrup
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Combine the water and sugar in a small saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add both the seeds and the pod, along with the ginger, to the pan. Bring to a boil, whisking until the sugar dissolves. Simmer 1–2 minutes, then remove from heat and cool to room temperature. If storing, keep the vanilla pod and ginger in the syrup in the refrigerator. Remove the pod and ginger before using if desired.
Cranberry Juice
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Place the cranberries and water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil and simmer 5–6 minutes, until the berries pop. Transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Strain through a sieve, pressing with a spoon to extract the juice.
Margaritas
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Rim your glass with a lime wedge and dip in coarse salt. Fill the glass with ice. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, combine the tequila, Grand Marnier, cranberry juice, vanilla-ginger syrup and lime juice. Shake vigorously for about 30 seconds. Strain into the prepared glass over fresh ice and garnish with lime slices and sugared cranberries.
Sugared Cranberries
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Combine 1 cup of sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the sugar dissolves and bring to a boil for 2–3 minutes. Cool until just warm to the touch. Either dip cranberries into the syrup or pour the syrup over them in a bowl. Place remaining sugar on a plate and roll the syrup-coated cranberries in the sugar one at a time. Let them dry on a wire rack before using as garnish.
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So—now that I’ve confessed my canned-sauce preference and shared this margarita recipe, can you forgive me for the jellied cranberry love?