Frozen Pomegranate Margarita
A ruby-red frozen pomegranate margarita with tequila, orange liqueur, 100% pomegranate juice and fresh lime — sized for Margaritaville machines.
Jump to recipe ↓Pomegranate turns a frozen margarita deep ruby red, which makes it an easy holiday-party drink: it looks festive without food coloring, and the tart fruit keeps it from tasting like candy.
Use 100% pomegranate juice from the refrigerated or juice aisle, not a pomegranate “cocktail” or grenadine. Pure juice is tart and a little tannic, which is exactly what a margarita needs.
Pomegranate Margarita recipe
Ingredients (3 drinks)
- 4 oz blanco tequila
- 1 oz orange liqueur (triple sec)
- 4 oz 100% pomegranate juice, cold
- 2 oz fresh lime juice
- 2 oz simple syrup (taste and adjust) (paid link)
Plus: a full ice reservoir. Garnish: Pomegranate seeds, lime wheel, salt or sugar rim. Glass: Margarita glass.
Instructions
- Rim margarita glasses with lime and coarse salt or sugar.
- Fill the ice reservoir.
- Add tequila, orange liqueur, pomegranate juice, lime juice and syrup to the jar.
- Run the cycle.
- Pour and top each glass with a spoonful of pomegranate seeds and a lime wheel.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| blanco tequila | 3 oz | 4 oz | 2⅔ oz | 3⅓ oz | 6¾ oz |
| orange liqueur (triple sec) | ¾ oz | 1 oz | ⅔ oz | ¾ oz | 1⅔ oz |
| 100% pomegranate juice, cold | 3 oz | 4 oz | 2⅔ oz | 3⅓ oz | 6¾ oz |
| fresh lime juice | 1½ oz | 2 oz | 1⅓ oz | 1⅔ oz | 3⅓ oz |
| simple syrup (taste and adjust) | 1½ oz | 2 oz | 1⅓ oz | 1⅔ oz | 3⅓ 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
- 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
Pomegranate juice stands in for most of the margarita mix, while lime and orange liqueur keep the classic margarita balance. Pure pomegranate juice is tart, so the syrup is there to round it out. The total is 13 oz of liquid — the three-drink volume used for the Bahamas and Fiji.
About frozen margaritas
A frozen margarita lives or dies on the balance of spirit, sour and sweet. Keep tequila to roughly a third of the liquid; much more and the shaved ice won’t set. Citrus should be fresh or a good bottled juice, and the sweet element — mix, syrup, agave or liqueur — needs to be slightly more generous than in a shaken margarita because cold dulls sweetness.
Tips for the best texture
- Taste the juice first. Brands vary in tartness; start with 1½ oz syrup and add more after blending if needed.
- Seeding a pomegranate is easiest in a bowl of water: the seeds sink and the white pith floats.
- A sugar rim suits the holiday look; salt makes it more of a classic margarita.
- For a party, mix the liquids in a pitcher ahead of time and keep it in the fridge; blend to order.
- 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 pomegranate seeds, lime wheel, salt or sugar rim and serve in a margarita glass. Serve margaritas in chilled glasses with the rim prepared before you blend — salt for classic and citrus styles, sugar or tajín for fruit and spicy ones. For parties, pre-mix the liquid ingredients in a pitcher (everything except carbonated mixers) and keep it in the fridge; each batch then takes a ten-second pour and one button press. Set out lime wedges so guests can adjust tartness themselves.
Variations
- Pomegranate-cranberry: Use 2 oz pomegranate juice and 2 oz cranberry juice cocktail.
- Sparkling top: Top each glass with a splash of prosecco after pouring (don’t blend it).
- Rosemary: Garnish with a rosemary sprig for a wintry aroma.
Mocktail swap
Skip the tequila and orange liqueur; use 7 oz pomegranate juice, add 2 oz orange juice and keep the lime and syrup.
Shop the ingredients
- Monin Pure Cane Syrup (simple syrup), 750 ml (paid link)
- Libbey Cancun Margarita Set — 6 margarita glasses + 89 oz pitcher (paid link)
- Stirrings Margarita Drink Rimmer (salt & sugar), 3.5 oz tins (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
Can I use grenadine instead of pomegranate juice?
Not as a swap. Grenadine is a sweet syrup, so 4 oz would make the drink far too sweet. Stick with 100% juice.
Why is my drink pink instead of red?
Shaved ice lightens the color. It still tastes the same; a few pomegranate seeds on top bring the color back.
Which tequila?
Blanco keeps it bright and fruity. Reposado works too and adds a warmer note.
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.
