Cranberry Margarita Spritzer – It's Low Calorie – Champagne and Coconuts Your SEO optimized title

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If there’s one ingredient that screams Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day, it’s cranberry! It’s almost mandatory to have this fruit feature in your holiday food or beverages. And today I’ve made it easy for you to do so in the form of a delicious Cranberry Margarita Spritzer!

Enjoy a Low-Cal Cranberry Margarita Spritzer Cocktail

As a tequila lover, I feel that I need to make a stand and state that tequila isn’t reserved as a spirit for summertime.

This drink is festive! It’s so easy to make this yummy pitcher drink. You can easily multiply the recipe to serve this cocktail by the punchbowl or a large drink dispenser too!

That’s right – you can easily add it to winter cocktails since it pairs brilliantly with tart flavors that are common to the colder weather, one of those being cranberry. Add in a splash of orange flavor and it’s the perfect seasonal beverage!

Adding tequila amps up the celebration factor in my books which is perfect for all the holiday festivities fast approaching.

And if you’re looking for a New Year’s Eve signature cocktail, then look no further.

But don’t get me wrong, this Cranberry Margarita Spritzer is also a great beverage for future dinner parties, family gatherings or special occasions such as Valentine’s Day.

You can’t really go wrong serving this drink anytime. You can even bust it out for patriotic events like the Fourth of July!

This quick and easy Cranberry Margarita Spritzer is definitely going to add some sparkling fun to your holiday drinks table.

Garnished with fresh cranberries and mint makes it look so festive, you’ll want to start your holiday parties in no time and why not?!

A lighter, low-calorie margarita option

Who doesn’t love a cocktail that’s under 150 calories? Especially during the holidays when there are so many yummy treats, you can sip one this nice and light margarita spritzer without worrying about busting your calorie budget. 

Instead of using sweet and sour mix as a mixer for this drink, we’re letting the cranberry juice do the work for the sour. The Grand Marnier brings the sweet. And of course, you can add in a splash of fresh squeezed lemon and lime juice to give it a bit of zing.

Add in some seltzer water to make it sparkling, and it’s a nice, light cocktail.

One of the ways we’ve kept the calories down is by using diet Cranberry Juice. It’s only 5 calories per an 8 ounce serving, so most of the calories in this drink come from the alcohol.

What you need to make a skinny cranberry margarita spritzer

  • Silver Tequila
  • Cranberry Liqueur – we used Clear Creek Cranberry Liqueur
  • Grand Marnier or Cointreau – you can also use Triple Sec
  • Diet Cranberry Juice
  • Cranberry flavored Seltzer water
  • Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
  • Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
  • Fresh Cranberries – you can also use frozen cranberries too. Just let them thaw.
  • Mint Sprig

To make the drink, you’ll also need: a cutting board, a bar knife, a medium sized pitcher, a bar spoon, and beverage glasses.

Note: if you don’t have cranberry liqueur, you can substitute it for cranberry vodka or you can make your own cranberry liqueur.

Can I make my own cranberry liqueur?

Why not? If you can’t find cranberry liqueur at your local store or have it delivered, it’s really easy to make yourself. And it makes a great diy gift too!

It’s really easy: simply dissolve two cups of sugar in a cup of water in a sauce pan to make a rich simple syrup. Then add a small bag of frozen cranberries to it, gently mash the berries, and let it simmer. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and let it cool.

Mix in 2-3 cups of vodka and stir it well. Pour it into a bottle or jar that can be sealed air tight and refrigerate it. 

It should last a couple of months in the refrigerator. 

You can also make a big batch all at once if you anticipate needing a lot or if you want to give it as a gift.

How to make a pitcher of cranberry margarita spritzers

The great thing about this drink is not only that it’s low-calorie, it’s also really easy to make. In fact, you make it right in the pitcher.

First, start by cutting the lemon and limes in half.

Then, measure the tequila, cranberry liqueur, Grand Marnier, cranberry juice, and seltzer water. Add all of those to the pitcher and stir them well.

Add a squeeze of the lemon and lime to taste.

Fill your glasses with ice and pour. Garnish your drinks with a few fresh cranberries and a sprig of mint and enjoy! You have one festive drink!

Less than 150 calories? Yes please! This cranberry margarita spritzer is so delicious, you won’t realize it’s a skinny drink.

Can I make the drink ahead of time?

Yes, you can make the drink ahead of time. The only thing you’ll need to change is that you will omit the seltzer water from the pitcher.

Measure and combine all of the other ingredients in the pitcher and chill it in the refrigerator. Mix in the seltzer water right before serving so that the bubbles are fresh and effervescent.

You can also multiply the recipe easily. It’s a great drink for events.

More Great Holiday Beverages To Try

Amaretto Eggnog with Spiced Rum and RumChata

Boozy Hot Chocolate Bombs with Malibu Rum

Christmas Blue Hawaiian

Slow Cooker Hot Holiday Punch

Peppermint Hot Chocolate Coffee

Chocolate Covered Cherry Martini

Easy Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Chocolate Covered Raspberry Martini

Highland Whiskey Hot Chocolate

Chocolate Frosty Noggin

Caorunn Holiday Tea Punch

Sparkling Apple Martini

Pistachio Pudding Shots

Cran Apple Smash

Holiday Jello Shots

Viking Glogg

And if you can’t get enough of cranberry drinks, we have a great round up of festive cranberry cocktails.

Try it and share!

Please let us know how you enjoy our Cranberry Margarita Spritzer Cocktail recipe. If you make it yourself, please let us know on Pinterest that you tried it and tag us with #champagneandcoconuts on your Instagram photo.

If you haven’t had a chance to make it yet, be sure to save the recipe on Pinterest so you’ll remember where you found it.

tequila-spritzer-with-cranberries-3586635 A low calorie Cranberry Margarita Spritzer really hits the spot! This skinny margarita recipe is perfect to serve year round, but we especially love to serve it for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. It’s a great way to enjoy the flavors of your favorite cran marg without the guilt. cranberry-tequila-spritzer-1200x1200-1-300x300-7301462 jenniferhquisenberry A low calorie Cranberry Margarita Spritzer really hits the spot! This skinny margarita recipe is perfect to serve year round, but we especially love to serve it for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve. It’s a great way to enjoy the flavors of your favorite cran marg without the guilt.

  • 3/4 cup Silver Tequila
  • ½ cup Cranberry Liqueur we used Clear Creek Cranberry Liqueur
  • 1/4 cup Grand Marnier or Cointreau
  • 2 cups Diet Cranberry Juice we used Ocean Spray
  • 3 cups Cranberry flavored Seltzer water
  • Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
  • Squeeze of fresh lime juice
  • Mint sprigs for garnish
  • Fresh cranberries for garnish
  • Cut the lemon and lime in half.
  • Measure the ingredients and add them to the pitcher. Stir well.
  • Fill glasses with ice and pour the mixture over ice.
  • Garnish with fresh cranberries and mint.

Please note that nutrition facts are subject to change based on your choice of ingredients.