Homemade Margaritas

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!

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! (Are you a whiskey lover? If so, try the Easy Maple Whiskey Margarita Cocktail). I also love a good mojito and you can read all about mojitos and margaritas here or try the delicious, gin-based Blackberry Smash cocktail.

(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! And for a fun and playful twist, try Blue Curacao Margaritas.)

Hosting a Mexican themed evening? I've got some awesome homemade Mexican dishes you can pair with this too! Check out Mexican Shrimp Cocktail (Coctel De Camarones, Albacore Tuna Ceviche, Fish Tacos With BC Cod and these . For some more ideas, you might like to make one of these Authentic Mexican Soup Recipes. And 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

1. Make sure you have all your ingredients handy, including good cold ice and coarse salt for the rims.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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

1. 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.
2. The larger the ice cubes, the longer they will keep your drink cold with minimal dilution.
3. 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

Make Ahead, Big Batch Pitcher, 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. To make a pitcher of margaritas for 8 people, use 2 cups lime juice, 2 cups tequila, 1 cup orange juice, and 1 cup of orange liqueur. Chill and pour into a pitcher of ice when ready to serve.

If you have leftovers, they will keep safely for a week or more but will lose some of the lovely fresh flavors.

Related Recipes

If you have any questions or comments, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. I try to answer any recipe related questions quickly as I know you might be in the middle of making it.

Also check out my FREE PRINTABLE meal planner to make menu planning and grocery shopping a breeze and my shopping guide. And if you like this recipe, I would love it if you give it a star rating in the recipe card.

Cheers and happy cooking, Friends! Sabrina

Have a deliciously wonderful day!

Sabrina

📖 Recipe

The Perfect Margarita

One of my very favorite cocktails is this classic lime Margarita. I add a touch of fresh orange juice to accentuate the lime and temper the acidity and shake it til it's ice cold. Served icy on the rocks, this drink shows that simple is best!

4.95 from 55 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Cocktail, Drink

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: 2

Calories: 247kcal

Author: Sabrina Currie

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

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Salud!

Nutrition

Calories: 247kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 142mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 92IU | Vitamin C: 34mg | Calcium: 12mg | Iron: 1mg

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