Frozen White Christmas Margarita
A snowy-white frozen margarita with tequila, orange liqueur, cream of coconut, white cranberry juice and fresh lime — a holiday party margarita sized for Margaritaville machines.
Jump to recipe ↓The “white Christmas margarita” is a holiday-party favorite: a creamy coconut margarita that comes out snowy white, with red cranberries and a green rosemary sprig on top.
Frozen in a Margaritaville machine it looks even more like snow, and it’s an easy way to serve margaritas at a Christmas party without them tasting like summer.
White Christmas Margarita recipe
Ingredients (3 drinks)
- 4 oz blanco tequila
- 1 oz orange liqueur (triple sec)
- 2½ oz cream of coconut (stirred smooth) (paid link)
- 2½ oz white cranberry juice
- 2 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz unsweetened coconut milk (canned, shaken)
Plus: a full ice reservoir. Garnish: Sugar and shredded-coconut rim, fresh cranberries, rosemary sprig. Glass: Margarita glass.
Instructions
- Rim margarita glasses with lime juice, then dip in a mix of sugar and finely shredded coconut.
- Fill the ice reservoir.
- Add tequila, orange liqueur, cream of coconut, white cranberry juice, lime juice and coconut milk to the jar.
- Run the cycle.
- Pour and garnish each glass with a few fresh cranberries and a small rosemary sprig.
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 |
| cream of coconut (stirred smooth) | 2 oz | 2½ oz | 1⅔ oz | 2 oz | 4¼ oz |
| white cranberry juice | 2 oz | 2½ oz | 1⅔ oz | 2 oz | 4¼ oz |
| fresh lime juice | 1½ oz | 2 oz | 1⅓ oz | 1⅔ oz | 3⅓ oz |
| unsweetened coconut milk (canned, shaken) | ¾ oz | 1 oz | ⅔ oz | ¾ oz | 1⅔ 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
- Dairy and cream liqueurs make a thick, shake-like drink. Use the Slides setting on the Fiji (the Tahiti manual also lists Mudslides), soften ice cream for five minutes first, and rinse the jar soon after serving.
- Cream of coconut separates in the bottle; shake or stir it until smooth before measuring, or the batch will be unevenly sweet.
- 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
Cream of coconut gives body and sweetness, so there’s no syrup. White cranberry juice adds a light tartness without turning the drink pink, and lime with orange liqueur keeps it a real margarita. A splash of unsweetened coconut milk makes it creamier and whiter without adding more sugar. 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
- Shake or stir the cream of coconut until smooth before measuring; it separates in the can.
- Look for white cranberry juice next to the regular cranberry juice. Regular cranberry juice works too, but the drink will be pink.
- Don’t confuse cream of coconut (sweet, like Coco López) with coconut cream or coconut milk (unsweetened).
- Make the coconut-sugar rim ahead and let the glasses sit in the fridge so the rim sets.
- 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 sugar and shredded-coconut rim, fresh cranberries, rosemary sprig 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
- Pineapple: Swap the white cranberry juice for pineapple juice for a piña colada–style margarita.
- Silver sparkle: Top each glass with a splash of prosecco after pouring (don’t blend it).
- Lighter: Use 1½ oz cream of coconut and 2 oz coconut milk for a less sweet drink.
Mocktail swap
Skip the tequila and orange liqueur; use 4 oz white cranberry juice and 2 oz coconut water or sparkling water, and keep the lime, cream of coconut and coconut milk.
Shop the ingredients
- Coco López Cream of Coconut, 15 oz cans (6-pack) (paid link)
- Libbey Cancun Margarita Set — 6 margarita glasses + 89 oz pitcher (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
Why is it called a white Christmas margarita?
The coconut makes it snowy white, and the cranberry and rosemary garnish give it Christmas colors.
Can I use coconut cream instead of cream of coconut?
Not as a straight swap. Coconut cream is unsweetened, so add about 1½ oz simple syrup if you use it.
Which tequila?
Blanco keeps the color white and the flavor clean. Reposado adds a warmer note but tints it slightly.
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.
