Thanksgiving Margarita

This Thanksgiving Margarita is sweet, sour, and reminiscent of fall. All you need is 4 simple ingredients. Garnish with a cinnamon stick, apple slice and a sprig of fresh rosemary for the perfect hosting touch!

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Cocktails and a pitcher on a serving tray.

🌟Why You'll Love this Recipe

It tastes like fall. If you love apple cider, cinnamon, orange citrus, and the smell of fresh rosemary, you will LOVE this fall-inspired apple cider margarita. Give my Holiday Bourbon Cocktail and Spiked Hot Cocoa a try this season, too!
Perfect for a crowd. This fall margarita recipe can easily be made into a pitcher (8 servings) for effortless entertaining this holiday season. Add this margarita to your Thanksgiving menu!
Fun twist. Making simple margaritas (see my Skinny Spicy Margarita, Grapefruit Margarita, and Spicy Watermelon Margaritas) is my specialty. This recipe is no different, it's just a festive twist on a traditional margarita.

🥘Ingredients and Substitutions

Apple cider - For the best-flavored apple cider margarita, I recommend using unfiltered apple cider. Unfiltered cider contains a stronger apple flavor and is less processed. The only ingredient on the label should be apples.
Tequila - Any tequila will do! Use your favorite or what you've currently got on the bar cart. If you are a fan of tequila drinks, try my Tequila Espresso Martini next!
Orange liqueur - A common ingredient in margaritas used to lightly sweeten and add depth of flavor. It's also great in sidecars, Cosmopolitans, Long Island Iced Teas, and more.
Limes - When making margaritas, it is very important to use fresh lime juice. You simply can't make a good margarita with pre-bottled lime juice. To get the most out of your fresh limes, roll them using the palm of your hand on a cutting board before slicing. This will loosen up the membranes inside and allow the juice to squeeze out more easily. You can also throw a hard lime in the microwave for about 30 seconds to get more juice out.

See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.

📖Variations

Use a spiced apple cider. Original apple cider contains just apples. Spiced apple ciders contain added cinnamon, ginger, cloves, star anise, and more. This will add a little bit of a kick to your Thanksgiving margarita and be absolutely delicious! If you can't find a pre-made spiced apple cider in stores, make your own apple cider at home. Or, simply stir ½-1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice into your margarita pitcher or a pinch into each individual margarita glass.
Add a splash of your favorite cranberry juice or pear juice for even more fall flavors.
If you prefer spice, add a dash of cayenne pepper to your glass.

🔪Instructions

Prepare your glasses. Add lime juice to a small plate. In a separate shallow dish, mix together ½ tablespoon of cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar or a little brown sugar. Dip your drinking glasses first in the lime juice, then in the cinnamon sugar to coat the rim of the glass.

Tequila being poured into a cocktail shaker.

Step 1: In a cocktail shaker, pour in your tequila.

Step 2: Add in the apple cider and orange liqueur.

Step 3: Squeeze in the lime juice, secure the lid and shake to combine.

Step 4: Fill the glasses with ice. Pour about 4 ounces of the cocktail into each glass. Garnish with a lime slice, cinnamon stick and fresh sprig of rosemary.

How to Make a Thanksgiving Margarita Pitcher

This is the perfect cocktail to make as a large batch and serve at your friendsgiving dinner or to use as a centerpiece on your Thanksgiving table.

In your favorite pitcher, combine the tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice and apple cider. Garnish the pitcher with apple slices and lime slices. Stir to combine with a large spoon. Add ice just before serving or just add it to each cocktail glass before pouring.

💭Recipe FAQs

Is this margarita sweet or sour?

This fall-inspired margarita is more sweet! I like to call it my apple cider margarita because it contains the sweet flavors of apple, orange liquor, and warmth from the cinnamon.

What is the proper glass for a margarita?

The most popular choice is margarita glasses with a stem and wide rim. However, you can pour your margaritas into any glass of your choosing. I prefer a highball whiskey glass. They're more versatile, less likely to tip and spill.

Is triple sec the same as margarita mix?

No. Triple sec is an orange-flavored liqueur that is often used to add sweetness to cocktails, including margaritas. Margarita mix will often contain triple sec, but it also contains lime juice, sugar and salt.

What is the best tequila to use?

For an apple cider margarita, I recommend using a blanco tequila. Blanco tequila is unaged and has a more mild flavor that pairs well with apple cider. You can also use a reposado tequila, but it will have a slightly more complex flavor.

Two cocktails garnished with rosemary on a tray.

👩🏻‍🍳Bartending Tips

Go all out on the garnish! This is what will make your margaritas feel extra special and restaurant-worthy. Friends and family may even request them every year.
Slice the apples right before serving. Apples oxidize quickly and will begin to brown if they are prepared too early.
Juice the limes with a citrus juicer. This will allow you to get as much out of the limes as possible and make the whole process as fast as possible.
Don't add too much orange liqueur. Apple cider is already pretty sweet, so adding too much orange liqueur may make it overly sweet. Adjust the ingredient amounts at the end after tasting. If you prefer a sweeter cocktail, add some agave nectar, honey or maple syrup.

🥗Serving

I like to garnish this tasty Thanksgiving margarita recipe with apple slices, a cinnamon stick and fresh rosemary. A lime wedge on the side is also a great idea. You can even top off your drink with a splash of club soda.

Here are a few of my favorite fall dishes to serve with this apple cider margarita.

Cranberry Sauce Baked Brie

Butternut Squash Quinoa Salad

Air Fryer Ham

Puff Pastry Turkey Pot Pie

Savory Mashed Sweet Potatoes

🥣Storage

If you are prepping this Thanksgiving margarita for your holiday dinner or party, mix the margarita ingredients together in the base of a pitcher, then tightly cover it with plastic wrap.

Place the pitcher in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This will keep for up to 3 days. Mix in the ice and sliced apples and limes right before serving at your Thanksgiving dinner.