Frozen Poinsettia
A frozen poinsettia cocktail with brut sparkling wine, cranberry juice and orange liqueur — a bright red Christmas and New Year’s slush sized for Margaritaville machines.
Jump to recipe ↓The poinsettia is a holiday sparkling-wine cocktail named after the red Christmas flower: cranberry juice, orange liqueur and bubbly.
Frozen, it becomes a bright red slush that’s an easy toast for a Christmas party or New Year’s Eve, and it’s simple enough to make batch after batch.
Frozen Poinsettia recipe
Ingredients (3 drinks)
- 6 oz brut sparkling wine (prosecco, cava or Champagne), chilled
- 5 oz cranberry juice cocktail, chilled
- 1½ oz orange liqueur (triple sec)
- ½ oz simple syrup (optional, to taste) (paid link)
Plus: a full ice reservoir. Garnish: Fresh cranberries, orange twist. Glass: Flute.
Instructions
- Fill the ice reservoir.
- Add the cranberry juice, orange liqueur and syrup to the jar.
- Pour the sparkling wine in last, slowly down the side of the jar.
- Run the cycle and pour into chilled flutes. Garnish with fresh cranberries and an orange twist.
How much to make in your machine
Every Margaritaville frozen concoction maker is designed around a particular volume of liquid — the shaver portions ice for it. The table scales this recipe to the margarita liquid volume printed in each model’s manual (Key West DM1000 / DM1946 3 × 12 oz drinks: 9.75 fl oz; Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM2000 3 × 12 oz drinks: 13 fl oz; Tahiti DM3000 per 24 oz jar: 8.67 fl oz; Bali DM3500 half chamber: 11 fl oz; Bali DM3500 full chamber: 22 fl oz). Amounts are rounded to the nearest ¼ or ⅓ oz.
| Ingredient | Key West DM1000 / DM19463 × 12 oz drinks | Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM20003 × 12 oz drinks | Tahiti DM3000per 24 oz jar | Bali DM3500half chamber | Bali DM3500full chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| brut sparkling wine (prosecco, cava or Champagne), chilled | 4½ oz | 6 oz | 4 oz | 5 oz | 10¼ oz |
| cranberry juice cocktail, chilled | 3¾ oz | 5 oz | 3⅓ oz | 4¼ oz | 8½ oz |
| orange liqueur (triple sec) | 1 oz | 1½ oz | 1 oz | 1¼ oz | 2½ oz |
| simple syrup (optional, to taste) | ⅓ oz | ½ oz | ⅓ oz | ½ oz | ¾ oz |
Scaling is our calculation, not a manufacturer recipe. Fruit- and ice-cream-heavy drinks vary more; adjust with the Shave Only / Blend Only controls. The Key West DM1900 isn’t listed because we haven’t verified its manual yet.
Machine notes for this drink
- A carbonated ingredient foams when blended. Pour it into the jar last, down the side, and stay well under the fill line — or blend without it and top each glass with soda instead.
- This batch uses about 13 fl oz of liquid for 3 drinks. If your drink comes out watery, the manuals’ first fix is to follow the recipe volumes or manually shave more ice; if it’s too stiff, add liquid and Blend Only.
Why this recipe works
Cranberry juice cocktail brings color, tartness and enough sugar to help the slush set, and orange liqueur adds the orange note that defines a poinsettia. Brut sparkling wine keeps it from being too sweet. The total is 13 oz of liquid — the three-drink volume used for the Bahamas and Fiji.
About frosé & frozen wine
Wine-based frozen drinks need more wine by volume than spirit drinks need liquor, because wine is only about 11–14% alcohol. Choose bold, fruity, low-oak wines — freezing mutes aroma and exaggerates bitterness.
Tips for the best texture
- Pour the sparkling wine in last and slowly so it doesn’t foam over the jar.
- Chill everything well; cold wine foams less.
- Taste before adding syrup. Most cranberry juice cocktail is already sweet, so you may not need it.
- Pure (unsweetened) cranberry juice is very tart. If that’s all you have, use 3 oz and add 2 oz simple syrup.
- Never put anything but ice in the ice reservoir, and don’t fill the jar past its maximum line — both are warnings in every manual.
- Too thin? Hold the toggle in Shave Only for a few seconds, then Blend Only to mix it in. Too thick? Add an ounce of liquid and Blend Only.
Serving & make-ahead
Garnish with fresh cranberries, orange twist and serve in a flute. Wine slushes melt faster than spirit-based ones, so pour into chilled stemless glasses and serve right away. Keep the wine in the fridge until the last minute. Leftover frosé or sangria slush can go in a covered container in the freezer for a day; give it a stir or a short Blend Only before serving.
Variations
- Pomegranate: Use 100% pomegranate juice instead of cranberry, with 1 oz simple syrup.
- Sparkling top: Blend without the wine and top each glass with sparkling wine for more fizz.
- Frozen Mimosa: Swap the cranberry for orange juice to make a frozen mimosa.
Mocktail swap
Use sparkling white grape juice instead of the wine and orange juice instead of the orange liqueur; skip the syrup.
Shop the ingredients
- Monin Pure Cane Syrup (simple syrup), 750 ml (paid link)
We link to mixers, syrups and juices only — alcohol isn’t sold through these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Shopping for a frozen-drink fan? See our Margaritaville machine gift guide.
Making this for a holiday party, or giving a machine as a gift? Our Margaritaville Machine Gift Guide 2026 covers every model plus mixers, rim salt and glassware.
Frequently asked questions
What’s in a poinsettia cocktail?
Sparkling wine, cranberry juice and orange liqueur.
Which sparkling wine?
A dry (brut) prosecco or cava is inexpensive and works well. Save expensive Champagne for sipping.
Why does it foam?
Blending releases the bubbles all at once. Add the wine last, pour slowly and stay under the fill line.
How much ice should I put in the machine?
Fill the ice reservoir with ice cubes — the machine shaves the amount it needs for the cycle (dial models size it to the 1, 2 or 3-drink setting). The manuals recommend ice that has been out of the freezer for 10–15 minutes.
Will this work in a regular blender?
Yes — add about 1½–2 cups of ice per 12 oz drink and blend until smooth. The texture will be coarser than shaved ice.
Please drink responsibly. Alcoholic recipes are for adults of legal drinking age (21+ in the US). Never drink and drive.
