• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Legally Healthy Blonde
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Pasta Recipes
    • Instant Pot Recipes
    • Gluten-Free Recipes
    • Drinks
    • Soups
    • Salad Recipes
    • Sides & Appetizers
    • Sauces
    • Italian Meals
    • Asian Meals
    • Desserts
  • About Me
  • Work With Me
    • Private Catering
  • Subscribe
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • About Me
  • Work With Me
    • Private Catering
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Drinks

    Thanksgiving Margarita (with Apple Cider)

    Published: Oct 28, 2022 by Emily · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Share This Recipe!

    29 shares
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    This Thanksgiving Margarita is the perfect cocktail to help you make it through the holidays. Make this cocktail for yourself, or make a batch of it for the whole party! With fresh apple cider, tequila, orange juice, and more, this is a MUST!

    three coupe glasses with margarita.

    One thing about me is that I will never ever turn down a good margarita! And when it's a big family gathering, I may need more than one to handle the holidays.

    This thanksgiving margarita is so perfect for sipping throughout the day while watching football, or to serve with your thanksgiving dinner! This sweet and tangy cocktail will go SO well with rich holiday foods like turkey or mashed potatoes.

    To make the perfect thanksgiving margarita, you just need some tequila (preferably añejo or reposado), good apple cider, a tiny bit of fresh orange juice, and a touch of pear juice to bring it all together!

    To make it even more impressive, rim the glasses with some cinnamon sugar for a delicious treat!

    Table of Contents:
    • 📖 Recipe Origins
    • 🎥 Watch the video of this recipe
    • 🍸 Why you'll love my Thanksgiving Margarita
    • 🥘 What you need for this recipe
    • 📋 How to make a perfect Thanksgiving Margarita
    • 💭 Expert Tips & Tricks
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Related Recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    📖 Recipe Origins

    Alright, let's be realistic. A classic margarita obviously comes from Mexican culture. Thanksgiving margarita? Now that's definitely not from Mexico. But, let's discuss the origins of margaritas.

    Just as margaritas have widely varying recipes, the history is a little murky too. It seems that the margarita was definitely invented in the early-mid 1900's in Mexico. When researching the creator of the margarita, a few different names come up. Most common of those names are Carlos "Danny" Herrera, claiming to make the margarita in 1938 in Tijuana, and Francisco "Pancho" Morales, claimed to make the margarita in 1942 in Juárez.

    🎥 Watch the video of this recipe

    🍸 Why you'll love my Thanksgiving Margarita

    • Just four ingredients. Just tequila, apple cider, pear juice, and a bit of orange juice and you've got the perfect cocktail!
    • Perfect for the holiday season. Full of flavor and warm spices, this thanksgiving margarita will warm you from the inside out!
    • Goes well with dinner! The tanginess of this cocktail perfectly balances with the rich and heavy dinner served at Thanksgiving.

    🥘 What you need for this recipe

    Ingredients and Substitutions

    ingredients with labels.
    • Tequila - I highly recommend using a darker tequila for this recipe, añejo is best but reposado will work too!
    • Orange Juice - Fresh squeezed is always best! Plus, you can use the squeezed orange for rimming the glass.
    • Apple Cider - Buy a high quality cider as this carries most of the flavor of the cocktail!
    • Pear Juice - This is a rather unique ingredient, but it works very well in this recipe. I don't recommend substituting or omitting this.
    • Cinnamon Sugar - Optional, but you may want to rim the glass with a cinnamon sugar mixture.
    • Ice - For shaking and additional for serving if desired.

    Tools and Equipment

    • Cocktail shaker
    • Citrus Juicer

    📋 How to make a perfect Thanksgiving Margarita

    Step 1: Prepare Ingredients

    Measure out 2 oz of tequila, 2 oz apple cider, 1 oz of pear juice, and squeeze ½ oz of orange juice.

    If desired, mix 1 tablespoon cinnamon with 1 tablespoon sugar on a small plate.

    Rim the edges of your glass with the remainder of the orange or with honey/agave, then dip in the cinnamon sugar.

    rimmed coupe glasses.

    Step 2: Make the Cocktail

    Add all of the liquids into a cocktail shaker along with a handful of ice cubes.

    ice in a cocktail shaker.
    liquid and ice in a cocktail shaker.

    Close the lid and shake aggressively for at least 30 seconds.

    Strain and pour over ice or without ice into your rimmed glass.

    Step 3: Finishing Touches

    If desired, top off the margarita with sparkling water, club soda, or even champagne.

    Optionally garnish with apple slices, cinnamon sticks, rosemary, or any other fall-inspired ingredient!

    Serve cold and enjoy!

    3 garnished margaritas.

    💭 Expert Tips & Tricks

    • Easily double, triple, or more this recipe to serve a crowd! Simply add the desired amount of all of the ingredients to a large pitcher and use a long spoon to thoroughly mix. Serve it in a pitcher without ice, then pour over ice to serve.
    • I highly recommend using a darker tequila for this recipe, añejo is best but reposado will work too! Another dark liquor, like bourbon, could work here too!
    • Store any leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days without ice, garnishes, or club soda. Serve and add ice, garnishes, and club soda to serve (if desired).

    Recipe FAQs

    What is the most common drink for Thanksgiving?

    The most common is probably a red or white wine, but a fun thanksgiving margarita is delicious as well as a pumpkin spice margarita!

    What flavors go best with thanksgiving food?

    Thanksgiving food is so rich and heavy that a citrus-forward cocktail or a bright white wine can do a great job at balancing the flavors!

    Can I make a thanksgiving margarita ahead of time?

    Yes! Store any pre-made thanksgiving margarita in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days without ice, garnishes, or club soda. Serve and add ice, garnishes, and club soda to serve (if desired).

    Related Recipes

    • Blood Orange Gin Cocktail
    • Pink Paloma Recipe (Grapefruit Cocktail)
    • The Last Word Cocktail Recipe
    • Creamy Peppermint Espresso Martini

    Love a recipe you've tried? Please leave a 5-star🌟 rating in the recipe card below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. Don't forget to tag me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook when you try one of my recipes!

    📖 Recipe

    margarita in a coupe glass.

    Thanksgiving Margarita (with Apple Cider)

    This Thanksgiving Margarita is the perfect cocktail to help you make it through the holidays. Make this cocktail for yourself, or make a batch of it for the whole party! With fresh apple cider, tequila, orange juice, and more, this is a MUST!
    5 from 5 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 0 minutes
    Total Time: 5 minutes
    Servings: 1 person
    Calories: 176kcal
    Author: Emily

    Equipment

    • 1 Cocktail shaker
    • 1 Citrus Juicer
    • 1 Cocktail jigger

    Ingredients

    • 2 oz Anejo Tequila
    • 2 oz Apple cider
    • 1 oz Pear juice
    • ½ oz Orange juice fresh squeezed
    • Ice for shaking and for serving.

    Instructions

    • Measure out 2 oz of tequila, 2 oz apple cider, 1 oz of pear juice, and squeeze ½ oz of orange juice.
    • If desired, mix 1 tablespoon cinnamon with 1 tablespoon sugar on a small plate.
    • Rim the edges of your glass with the remainder of the orange or with honey/agave, then dip in the cinnamon sugar.
    • Add all of the liquids into a cocktail shaker along with a handful of ice cubes.
    • Close the lid and shake aggressively for at least 30 seconds.
    • Strain and pour over ice or without ice into your rimmed glass.
    • If desired, top off the margarita with sparkling water, club soda, or even champagne.
    • Optionally garnish with apple slices, cinnamon sticks, rosemary, or any other fall-inspired ingredient!
    • Serve cold and enjoy!

    Notes

    • Easily double, triple, or more this recipe to serve a crowd! Simply add the desired amount of all of the ingredients to a large pitcher and use a long spoon to thoroughly mix. Serve it in a pitcher without ice, then pour over ice to serve.
    • I highly recommend using a darker tequila for this recipe, añejo is best but reposado will work too! Another dark liquor, like bourbon, could work here too!
    • Store any leftovers in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 3 days without ice, garnishes, or club soda. Serve and add ice, garnishes, and club soda to serve (if desired).

    Nutrition

    Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 0.2g | Fat: 0.1g | Saturated Fat: 0.01g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g | Sodium: 5mg | Potassium: 124mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 29IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.1mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @LegallyHealthyBlonde or tag #LegallyHealthyBlonde!

    More Drinks

    • Mistletoe Margarita (Holiday Cocktail)
    • Vanilla Bean Syrup (Homemade)
    • Pornstar Martini with Gin
    • Apple Cider Martini (with Gin)

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome! I'm so glad you're here :)

    Hi, I'm Emily! I am the classically trained chef-recipe creator behind Legally Healthy Blonde. I love fancy pasta, a good martini, and cooking impressive meals for myself and friends! I created LHB to share my passion of cooking and entertaining with everyone! If you love feel-good food that looks & tastes impressive, you're in the right spot!

    Learn more about me →

    Let's Be Friends!

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest

    Seafood Recipes

    The Best Creamy Lobster Ravioli Sauce

    Fancy Lobster Pasta with Cream Sauce

    Healthy Fish Tacos (With Cod)

    Scallop Crudo with Mango Sauce

    hamachi in a plate.

    Easy Hamachi Crudo (Yellowtail Sashimi)

    salmon pasta on a pink plate.

    Penne al Salmone (with Fresh Salmon)

    Popular Recipes

    Creamy Vegan Miso Ramen Noodles

    Sourdough Stecca Bread (No Knead Baguette)

    Confit Garlic (Stovetop, Oven, & Instant Pot)

    Hibachi Fried Rice With Yum Yum Sauce

    Creamy Vegan Tuscan Pasta (Instant Pot)

    Cowboy Caviar

    Vegan Cowboy Caviar Dip

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Legally Healthy Blonde

    Privacy Policy & Terms of Use

    About

    Contact

    Services

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Legally Healthy Blonde

    • 22