Smooth, sweet, and citrusy - this easy Thanksgiving Margarita is made with only 4 ingredients and tastes like a cozy autumn day in a glass. Make these fall margaritas to serve for Thanksgiving or to sip on all season.
For a refreshing and creative addition to your holiday celebration, whip up a batch of these Thanksgiving margaritas. The cinnamon sugar rim adds a sweet touch that you and your guests will love. This drink will add personal flair to your Thanksgiving menu, making the day even more memorable.
If you are thirsty for more cozy cocktail recipes, try a warm fireball hot toddy or make a batch of cranberry margaritas.
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Why We Love this Fall Margarita
Easy to make: Thanksgiving can be stressful and you don't want to spend a long time mixing drinks. Make this fall margarita with simple ingredients in less than 5 minutes.
Refreshing: In contrast to a hearty Thanksgiving feast, this tequila cocktail is smooth, sweet, and has notes of fresh citrus.
Comforting flavors: This Thanksgiving margarita is full of seasonal flavors like apple cider, star anise, cinnamon, and citrus.
Ingredients
- Tequila - Use a nice mid-range tequila, we use Blanco (aka silver) or Reposado for this fall cocktail.
- Old Fashioned Apple Cider - Spiced apple cider is flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice.
- Triple Sec - an orange-flavored liqueur that is traditionally used in margaritas.
- Lime - fresh lime juice is best
- Garnish (optional) - apple slices, cinnamon sticks, or a cinnamon sugar rim
Recommended Tools
- A cocktail shaker is a must for any home bar.
- When making cocktails, use fresh juice. Use a handheld lemon squeezer or citrus juicer to extract the best flavor.
- If you are making a big batch of Thanksgiving margaritas for a crowd, present them in this beautiful glass pitcher.
- Serve these margaritas in a classic margarita glass.
How to Make a Thanksgiving Margarita
This cozy, fall margarita recipe is my favorite easy Thanksgiving cocktail. If you are making this cocktail for a crowd it's easy to double or triple the recipe. Just add it to a large pitcher.
Step 1: Take a fresh lime wedge and run it along the outer rim of a margarita glass. Ensure the entire rim gets a thin, even coating of citrus juice. This acts as an adhesive for the cinnamon sugar.
Step 2: On a small plate, mix 1 tablespoon of white sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon to make the cinnamon sugar mixture. Hold the glass upside down and gently dip the wet rim into the plate of cinnamon sugar. Press down gently to ensure even coverage.
Step 3: To a cocktail shaker, add a handful of ice, apple cider, tequila, triple sec, and lime juice.
Step 4: Stir or shake cocktail shaker to combine all ingredients. Strain and pour into the margarita glass.
Garnish this apple cider margarita with sliced apples or a cinnamon stick for a more festive presentation.
Variations
Spice it up: Add a hint of spice to this fall margarita recipe by adding a drizzle of hot honey to the cocktail shaker before shaking.
Make it sparkle: Top this drink with an ounce of ginger beer or sparkling water for a fizzy margarita.
Rich flavor: Infuse tequila with cinnamon sticks, star anise, or apples for a deeper flavor profile.
Bartender Tips
Fresh: Always use freshly squeezed juice when making cocktails. Fresh citrus tastes better, has a more balanced flavor, and is less bitter than store-bought bottled lime juice.
Chill: Place margarita glasses in the freezer before serving. With a chilled glass, you won't need to add ice that can water down the drink.
Garnish: If you are using sliced apples as a garnish, cut the apple right before serving and squeeze lime juice over the slices so they don't oxidize and turn brown.
FAQ's
Use a mid-range tequila that you enjoy drinking. Blanco (aka silver) or reposado are best for making margaritas.
Yes! For 6 drinks use: 3 cups apple cider, 1 cup plus 1 ounce of tequila, ¾ cup triple sec, and 3 ounces of lime juice. Add all ingredients with ice to your favorite pitcher and give it a stir.
Store the pitcher of margaritas in the refrigerator covered for up to 3 days. Do not add ice until ready to serve. Before serving, add a handful of ice and stir well.
More Cocktails
Margarita Recipes:
Classic Frozen Margaritas
Spicy Jalapeño Margarita
Apple Cider Margarita
Cranberry Margarita
Midori Margarita
If you try this recipe or any recipe from Happy Honey Kitchen, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Enjoy!
Thanksgiving Margarita Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup spiced apple cider
- 1 ½ ounces tequila
- 1 ounce triple sec
- ½ ounce lime juice freshly squeezed
- cinnamon sugar rim (optional) see notes
Instructions
- Use a lime wedge to wet the rim of the margarita glass. Dip the glass in a plate of a cinnamon and sugar mixture to coat.
- Add a handful of ice, apple cider, tequila, triple sec, and lime juice to a cocktail shaker. Shake then strain and pour into a glass.
Notes
- To make the cinnamon sugar mixture for the rim, mix about one tablespoon of white sugar and one teaspoon of cinnamon together on a small plate.
- It's fun to garnish this margarita with sliced apples or a cinnamon stick.
- For 6 drinks: 3 cups apple cider, 1 cup plus 1 ounce of tequila, ¾ cup triple sec, and 3 ounces of lime juice. Add all ingredients with ice to your favorite pitcher and stir. For a nice presentation, add cinnamon stick and star anise to the pitcher.
Katrina
This was a big hit for our Friendsgiving celebration!! 🍸🍎
LaRena Fry
I want to make these right now. LOL Thank you for sharing.