Is there anything that says PARTY more than homemade Margaritas??? It's one of my very favorite cocktails and this is THE best way to make them. Freshly squeezed limes pair with a touch of fresh orange juice to accentuate the lime and tone down the acidity. Shake until ice cold and voila, served icy on the rocks, it brings me back to Mexico every time! Let's get mixing!
Jump to:
What Inspired This Homemade Cocktail
I love a fresh and cold homemade margarita on a hot day but it's also delicious for any celebration throughout the year and a must-have for any Mexican themed evening.
I can't take credit for making this recipe but I do think I've perfected it 😉 Making these from scratch creates a Margarita that is so much better than one made with syrup mixes. I dare you to disagree!
(Want more cocktails? Check out my Lavender Lemon Drop Martini, Best Empress Gin Cocktail Recipes, the refreshing Gin Mojito and the salty Classic Canadian Caesar Cocktail too!)
Hosting a Mexican themed evening? I've got some awesome homemade Mexican dishes you can pair with this too! Check out my Wild West Coast Shrimp Cocktail Mexican Style! (Coctel De Camarones, Albacore Tuna Ceviche, Fish Tacos With BC Cod and easy vegan Guacamole. As well, you'll find tons of Latin American flavor inspiration in my What To Serve With Ceviche page.
Vegan? Pair this classic vegan cocktail with these easy vegan birria tacos!
Ingredients
Only a few minutes and a few flavorful ingredients stand between you and homemade Margarita nirvana.
- Tequila - The obvious but worth stating that the flavors in Tequila really go spectacularly with lime so don't swap this ingredient for anything else.
- Orange Liqueur - Whether you choose Cointreau, Triple Sec or Grand Marnier, this lovely liquid adds amazing depth of flavor to this drink.
- Fresh Lime and Orange Juice - Another tip that takes this drink from ordinary to spectacular is using freshly squeezed juice. Boxed fresh juice in the cooler section is your next best bet. Please don't use canned juice or syrup.
Step By Step Instructions
- Make sure you have all your ingredients handy, including good cold ice and coarse salt for the rims.
- Cut a lime into wedges, make a slice through the middle of one wedge and run it around the rim of your margarita glasses. Quickly dip or roll the rims in the salt and set aside.
- Add a generous amount of ice and all your ingredients to a cocktail shaker, add lid and shake until cold and frosty. Alternatively you can stir these up in a large cup with ice if you don't have a shaker.
- Strain your Margaritas into the cocktail glasses and serve garnished with wheels or wedges of lime or other citrus for color. (Optional: add a large ice cube to each glass to keep your cocktail cold while you enjoy.)
Expert Tips For The Home Bar
- Margaritas are best served very cold so use plenty of ice when mixing your drink and then pour it through a strainer into a glass. On a hot day, pour it over fresh ice to help keep it cold while you enjoy it.
- The larger the ice cubes, the longer they will keep your drink cold with minimal dilution.
- Using good tequila and fresh squeezed juices make this classic margarita sing so use the best and freshest ingredients you can.
Variations
Swap Citrus - Trade the orange juice for grapefruit juice or go for bold color and extra sweetness with some raspberry or pomegranate juice.
Spicy Margarita - Mix the salt for the rim with equal parts Tajin spice or a teaspoon of cayenne for a spicy sip.
Homemade Blender Margaritas - Whether you have a Margaritaville, Vitamix or other blender, these are fantastic as a blended Margarita. Start with cold ingredients that have been pre chilled in the freezer for 1-3 hours. If possible, chill your blender jug too. Use 2 cups of crushed ice (cubed takes longer to blend and won't get to a thick consistency easily) for this recipe which makes 2 drinks.
FAQ's
My version contains 3 oz of alcohol per serving which is the same as that of a traditional Margarita. It comes in at about 20% alcohol by volume (abv) not accounting for it getting watered down by ice.
A Margarita is a stiff drink meant to be sipped unless it is blended up with half ice.
A traditional Margarita is 2 parts tequila, 1 part orange liqueur (Grand Marnier, Cointreau, Triple Sec etc) and 1-2 parts fresh lime juice to taste.
My version uses 2 parts each tequila and lime juice and one part each, orange liqueur and fresh orange juice.
These fresh Margaritas are healthier than a premixed version because they are only sweetened with fresh squeezed fruit juice and orange liqueur. Many bar Margaritas are filled with sugar syrups.
Homemade Margaritas are similar to other juice and spirit based cocktails coming in at just under 250 calories. If you order them at a restaurant or use premade syrup mixes, chances are they are laden with sugar and a whole lot more calories. Alcohol is ok in moderation but too much is not healthy.
Make Ahead and Storage
You can pre mix homemade Margaritas without the ice and store in your refrigerator up to 2 days ahead for optimum flavor and freshness. If you have leftovers, they will keep safely for a week or more but will lose some of the lovely fresh flavors.
Related Recipes
For more on what I'm cooking up, follow me on Instagram or Facebook and pop over to check our my shop closing out sale at West Coast Kitchen Garden (50% off everything until sold out!!!) You might also like my FREE printable weekly meal planner.
Have a deliciously wonderful day!
Sabrina
Recipe
The Perfect Margarita
Ingredients
- ½ c Fresh Squeezed Lime Juice
- ¼ c Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice
- 4 oz Tequila
- 2 oz Orange Liqueur (Grand Marnier or Triple Sec)
- 1 Lime, Cut Into Wedges For Rim and Garnish
- Kosher Salt In A Saucer Try mixing Tajin or other chili powder into your salt for a spicy rim!
Instructions
- Run a lime wedge around the rim of 2 large glasses then dip rims into the saucer of salt then fill glasses with ice.
- In an ice filled cocktail shaker, add juices, tequila and orange liqueur and shake until icy cold and well mixed. Pour into ice filled glasses and garnish with another lime wedge. Salud!
Notes
- A cold cocktail is best served very cold so use plenty of ice when mixing your drink and then pour it into a glass filled with fresh ice for the best results.
- Using good tequila and fresh squeezed juices make this classic margarita sing but beware, these are delicious and at 3 oz of alcohol per drink, one per person is all you need.
- Salud!
Jeannie
Just in time for the New Year! Thanks a lot for this
Sabrina Currie
Cheers Jeannie!!!
jossdcooks
I was looking for a margarita recipe for this weekend and ended up here. I like that it's made with freshly squeezed juice, including orange juice, yum!
Sabrina Currie
Thank you Joss, cheers 🙂
Bernice
Margaritas have been our go to pandemic cocktail. They make me happy and they have LOTS of vitamin C and vitamin T! We make ours with a reposado. Not necessary but oh, so good!
Julia Pinney
Love a good margarita. This looks so wonderful and fresh with lots of added goodness. Thanks for the great recipe!
Sean
You know, I really need to give margaritas a fair shake (or stir?). I've always (unfairly) associated them with margarita mix which is a big 'no thank you' for me. Haha. But everything about these sounds just amazing! All that fresh citrus... and that Tajin rim idea is an awesome little addition. Cheers!
Sabrina Currie
Thanks Sean! I promise these won’t disappoint. No added sugar or syrup just fresh fruit and the good stuff 😉
Amy Liu Dong
This is a perfect drink to make for my siblings this weekend. They love margarita and I am sure they will love it, too!