Christmas Margarita Punch

A festive Christmas margarita recipe! Yes! This hibiscus pomegranate margarita recipe is a lovely twist on the classic margarita and boy is it delicious! With a sweet and tangy combo using homemade syrup it is sure to become a favorite Christmas cocktail. Some might even call it the perfect mistletoe margarita!

If you enjoy this recipe, I know you will love my Cranberry Lemon Drop Martini, or this Festive Pomegranate Punch, this Spiced Holiday Sangria and most definitely this kid-friendly Cranberry Spritzer.

We all know that a good margarita is hard to beat. However, when searching for a festive holiday cocktail, a traditional margarita doesn’t quite fit the bill. Thankfully, this time of year is a perfect time to mix things up – literally!

My Christmas Margarita Recipe takes cues from the classic cocktail and turns it into an irresistible holiday cocktail complete with flavors of the season. It’s feels like opening a present early! No matter what you call it; whether a Mistletoe Margarita, Pomegranate Margarita, or Jingle Juice — it’s a beautiful margarita everyone will love.

Christmas Margarita Recipe Ingredients

• Pomegranate Juice | Make sure it is unsweetened pomegranate juice, it’s sweet enough on it’s own! I like the Pom brand that you find in the refrigerator section, in our produce area.
• Hibiscus Flowers | Dried hibiscus flowers can be found online as well as in grocery stores like Whole Foods and Natural Grocers, try your local health food store.
• Sugar | For this syrup, I like to use organic, unbleached cane sugar. However; you can use white sugar too.
• Lime Juice | Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice is best to add real lime flavors.
• Tequila | 100% Agave Tequila, silver .
• Orange Liquor | Cointreau, Grand Marnier, triple sec or your favorite citrus liqueur.

How to Make Christmas Margaritas

1. Make the Hibiscus Pomegranate Syrup

• In a small saucepan, place the sugar, juice and hibiscus flowers. Mix and place on medium-low heat stirring until it boils, about 15 minutes. 
• Turn off the heat, strain or remove hibiscus petals with a slotted spoon and set aside. Let it cool to room temperature before using. 

• May be made up to a week ahead of time, stored in an airtight container in the fridge.

2. Make Cocktail

• In a large cocktail shaker, add a piece or two of ice, hibiscus pomegranate simple syrup, tequila, triple sec and fresh lime juice. Shake 10-15 vigorous shakes (the fun part).

• For additional sweetness, rim each glass with white sugar (see below for how to), or omit entirely, it’s up to you.

• Strain into an ice filled margarita glass, or cocktail glass and garnish with extra pomegranate, hibiscus flowers, rosemary, cranberries or other edible flowers. Or try making these fun and festive Christmas ice molds!

3. Garnish

• Rosemary, fresh cranberries, sugared cranberries, pomegranate arils, edible candied hibiscus flowers, orange slices or the classic lime wedge.

How to sugar the rim of a Christmas Margarita

While I didn’t sugar the rim on my Christmas margarita recipe, you certainly may. This will make it look even more festive, wintery and fun!

To sugar rim your glass, follow these simple instructions:

• Sugar | In a shallow dish or bowl, pour granulated sugar. You may also use colored sugars, raw sugar, brown sugar or even powdered sugar. You can even use edible glitter to make it look like snow! Great for a New Years Eve cocktail.
• Wet the rim of your glass | what you use to wet it with is entirely up to you! Try using some orange, a little of the hibiscus pomegranate syrup or some lime, these will adhere the best. You can even use your tequila or triple sec. Water is your last resort and might results in a more drippy rim. Just rub it around the rim or dip in the rim.
• Sugared Rim | With the glass straight down, gently roll into the sugar of choice. Or hold the glass at a 45 degree angle and slowly swirl it around. Add your Christmas margarita recipe and you are ready to party!

How to serve Christmas Margarita Punch for a Crowd

Add all the above ingredients, then pour well chilled ingredients into a punch bowl, add ice floats and pour your favorite carbonated beverage over the top, about 1 quart. Try cranberry ginger ale, cranberry mineral water, Sprite or other Lemon-Lime soda, etc. Serve at your Christmas party or any holiday gatherings with wheels of sliced oranges floating in the punch. Beautiful!

By the Pitcher (serves 4)

• 7-8 ounces hibiscus pomegranate simple syrup
• 6-8 ounces tequila
• 2-3 ounces orange liqueur
• Juice of 2 limes

Add all ingredients to a large pitcher, stir well; refrigerate until ready to serve. Stir again before serving and add some ice balls or provide ice for guests to pour over. 

For serving 8 or more, this recipe easily doubles and triples, taste a little after adding the lime, you won’t need as much lime juice as you increase the amounts. 

Variations and Substitutions on Christmas Margaritas

• Replace limes with lemon juice or one of each
• Replace hibiscus pomegranate simple syrup with grenadine syrup (easily bought in local grocery stores)
• Instead of pomegranate hibiscus syrup, make some of my cranberry simple syrup and turn this into a cranberry margarita.
• Use vodka in place of tequila (try Deep Eddy’s Cranberry Vodka – YUM!)
• Replace orange liqueur with fresh squeezed orange juice, though it will not be as strong or as flavorful.
• Frozen Christmas Margarita | Instead of pouring on the “rocks” place 1-2 cups of ice and ingredients for 1 or 2 margaritas in a blender. Blend until smooth and desired consistency, adding more ice as needed.

Christmas Margarita Mocktail

Omit the tequila, or use a non-alcoholic tequila and orange liqueur. If omitting, replace tequila with ginger beer or ginger ale and replace the Triple Sec with orange juice.

Christmas Pomegranate Margarita FAQs

More Holiday Cocktails

• Apple Cider Bourbon Cocktail
• Cranberry Bourbon Sour
• Pink Lemonade Vodka Cocktail
• Or try my other margarita recipes; Healthy Hibiscus Margaritas or 4 Ingredient Margaritas.
• Tangerine and Thyme Gin & Tonic

More Pomegranate and Hibiscus Recipes

• Pomegranate Salad Dressing Recipe
• Hibiscus Dark and Stormy Drink Recipe
• The Best Festive Holiday Christmas Salad Recipe
• Best Hibiscus Mojito {Cocktail or Mocktail}
• Goat Cheese Log with Hot Honey, Fig and Pistachios
• Best Cranberry Cream Cheese Dip not a pomegranate or hibiscus recipe, but you’ll be glad you made it!

I hope you loved this Mistletoe Christmas Margarita Recipe — if you did, would you share your creation on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest? And be sure to comment below!