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Cocktail History
The White Christmas Margarita is a holiday cocktail that was created in 2015 by Jessica Merchant, recipe developer and blogger at How Sweet Eats based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Designed to be a batch cocktail for Christmas parties, the recipe mixes the classic base spirit of tequila with a citrus, simple syrup, cranberries, and a flurry of coconut-flavored ingredients to give it a bright white hue.
Cocktail Ingredients
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following ingredients:
Tequila Blanco: This is a spirit made with unaged agave and water. We used Piedra Azul Tequila Blanco. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Agave Blanco Spirit in place of the tequila.
Coconut Water: This is the liquid juice inside a coconut. We used Vita Coco Coconut Water.
Orange Curaçao: This is a liqueur made with oranges, sugar, and brandy or rum. We used Naranja Orange Liqueur because it has a rich, sweet citrus taste. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Monin Premium Triple Sec Syrup in place of the orange liqueur.
Coconut Liqueur: This is a liqueur made with coconut flakes, sugar, milk, and alcohol. We used Dorda Coconut Liqueur because it has a sweet, bright flavor and a silky texture. For a mocktail version of this drink, try Escape Liqueurs Non-Alcoholic Caribbean Coconut Liqueur in place of the coconut liqueur.
Cream of Coconut: This is a thick cream made with coconut milk, sugar, citric acid, and other ingredients. We used Coco Lopez Real Cream of Coconut because it has a rich flavor and silky texture.
Lime Juice: This is the liquid juice of a lime. We used freshly squeezed lime juice.
Simple Syrup: This is a sweetener made with white sugar and water. We made ours at home using Alex’s stovetop recipe.
Cranberries: This is a small red fruit. We used fresh cranberries.
Rosemary: This is an herb. We used fresh rosemary from our herb garden.
Bartending Tools
To make this cocktail, you’ll need the following bar tools:
Jigger: This is used to measure and pour ingredients. We used the Japanese jigger from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Boston Shaker: This is used to shake ingredients. We used the Boston shaker from the A Bar Above 14-Piece Silver Bar Set.
Hawthorne Strainer: This is used to strain out ice and solid ingredients after the cocktail is shaken. We used the A Bar Above Hawthorne Strainer.
Paring Knife: This is used to cut citrus into slices or wheels. We used the OXO Good Grips 3.5 Inch Paring Knife.
Juicer: This is used to juice citrus. We used the ALEEHAI Manual Fruit Juicer.
Tasting Notes
The White Christmas Margarita has savory rosemary and agave aromas and a creamy flavor that combines sharp citrus with orange and tequila sweetness, and it has a sugary coconut flavor that lingers on the finish.
Our Opinion of This Cocktail Recipe: Continuing our trend, we were surprised at how good the flavors in the White Christmas Margarita turned out and both really enjoyed drinking it! Don’t sleep on this snowy riff this holiday time.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Which of our palates is yours most like?
Find out if your palate is most similar to Alex’s or Kendall’s by answering five questions.
Alex’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“The original was for a large batch recipe and was honestly a little too complicated for our liking for two. We took its idea and ran with it though, using our Dorda Coconut Liqueur in place of some of the coconut flavors and rum and balancing some of the other ingredients. The end result was actually much tastier than expected, especially on a first try without any real R&D, and we would definitely make this again, even though nothing about it outside of its color and movie reference screams ‘Christmas.’ Mele Kalikimaka!”—
Kendall’s Take: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
“I don’t usually care for tropical flavor combinations during the fall and winter seasons, but I have to admit that this Christmas variation of a Margarita is absolutely delicious. Alex called it a cross between the iconic tequila cocktail and a Piña Colada, and I agree. It blends the best elements of both into a silky and complex concoction that’s as pretty as the fresh blanket of snow we just got. Don’t sleep on this one!”
Recipe
This cocktail recipe was adapted from How Sweet Eats, a food and beverage recipe blog.
Add tequila, coconut water, orange curaçao, coconut liqueur, cream of coconut, lime juice, simple syrup, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a lowball glass over fresh cubed ice.
Garnish with cranberries and rosemary sprig.
Ingredients
Directions
Add tequila, coconut water, orange curaçao, coconut liqueur, cream of coconut, lime juice, simple syrup, and cubed ice to a shaker.
Shake for 10-20 seconds.
Strain into a lowball glass over fresh cubed ice.
Garnish with cranberries and rosemary sprig.
Make It a Mocktail: Use Lyre’s Non-Alcoholic Agave Blanco Spirit in place of the tequila, Monin Premium Triple Sec Syrup in place of the orange liqueur, and Escape Liqueurs Non-Alcoholic Caribbean Coconut Liqueur in place of the coconut liqueur to try a booze-free version of this drink.
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More Christmas Cocktails
If you like this Christmas-inspired cocktail recipe, here are a few others we’ve tried that you may enjoy:
Cranberry Cobbler: A sherry cocktail made with cranberry syrup, orange slices, a mint sprig, and cranberries
Kohler Mint Cocoa: A chocolate mint brandy cocktail made with milk, white peppermint schnapps, dark crème de cacao, cocoa powder, whipped cream, and grated chocolate
Poinsettia Cooler: A tequila cocktail made with cranberry juice, cranberry shrub, lime juice, and cranberries
The Little Donkey: A vodka cocktail made with gingerbread syrup, lime juice, ginger beer, and a cinnamon stick
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