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Home » Drink » Margarita Recipe

Margarita Recipe

Created: April 22, 2019 Updated: September 12, 2022 by lyuba 9 Comments

13.6K shares
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Margarita is a wonderful classic cocktail that satisfies sweet, sour, and salty flavor cravings at once. It’s a simple mixture of homemade margarita mix, tequila, and orange liqueur. What makes this Margarita recipe the best is the homemade margarita mix and method of preparation. Combination of limes, lemon, simple syrup, and a touch or orange makes this margarita mix sweet and aromatic. 

margarita in a glass with salted rim and lime wedge

MARGARITA

To say that Margarita is my favorite cocktail would be an understatement. It must be the perfect combination of sweet, salty, and sour flavors that makes this cocktail so satisfying. 

There are so many legends about who was the genius behind invention of margarita cocktail, it’s hard to know which is the true one. I don’t think we will ever truly know who it was but as long as we all get to enjoy this creation, that’s all that matters. 

Classic Margarita is a simple combination of lime juice, tequila, orange liqueur, and simple syrup served in a salted rim glass. Other citrus flavors like lemon and orange are often added to enhance the flavors of citrus and add aroma. I love the addition of orange because it give the cocktail another layer of flavor. 

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lime juice in a small white citrus juices

WHAT LIQUORS GO INTO MARGARITA

Tequila

Orange liqueur

There are a few things that can affect the taste of a margarita, like ingredients you use and method of preparation. Much like with everything you make, ingredients are very important. So if you opt for a lower grade of tequila and orange liqueur, it will taste accordingly. Try to get top shelf tequila and orange liqueur for the best tasting cocktail. 

I prefer to use silver tequila in a margarita because it is mixed with several other ingredients. Gold tequila is typically better for straight taking shots because of the smooth taste. But if you like the taste of gold tequila, feel free to use it instead. 

When it comes to orange liqueur, I prefer to use Grand Marnier. There are three most known orange liqueurs –  Triple Sec, Cointreau, and Grand Marnier. Personally, I prefer to use Grand Marnier because it has the strongest, full bodied orange flavor. Out of hundreds of margaritas I’ve made at the bar, majority of my guests preferred margaritas made with Grand Marnier.

margarita mix in a tall slim glass jar

WHAT IS IN MARGARITA MIX

“Homemade is always the best.” We know it to be true about most foods and it’s just as true about a margarita mix. 

Homemade margarita mix is very easy to make and can be made 1 or 2 days ahead of time. Only 4 simple ingredients go into a margarita mix:

lime juice

lemon juice

orange juice

simple syrup

Freshly squeezed lime juice, lemon, juice and orange juice are the best, of course. I use a simple little juicer and it’s done in about 15 minutes. Once the juices are squeezed, combine it with simple syrup and refrigerate in a container with a lid. 

pouring margarita from a cocktail shaker into the glass

TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE MARGARITA

As I mentioned above, the best ingredients make the best margaritas. Try to get the best tequila and orange liqueur and make your own margarita mix. You can always make the margarita mix ahead of time and keep it in the fridge. 

When making margaritas, there is an extra step you can take to make sure you have the best tasting margaritas. When I was bartering we, always took an extra step of mixing the ingredients with the milkshake blender. NOT blending them with ice, but just blending liquid ingredients together to thoroughly mix them. 

At home, I pop the liquid ingredients together in a blender and pulse a few times to blend (no ice). If you don’t have a blender or just do not feel like taking that extra step, then just combine liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker vigorously shake for 15-20 seconds.

Pour well blended margarita over ice or straight up and don’t forget the salted rim!

IS MARGARITA GLUTEN FREE?

Yes, margarita is typically a gluten free cocktail. Tequila is made out of agave and therefore, is a gluten free alcohol. Luckily, Triple Sec, Grand Marnier, and Cointreau are gluten free liqueurs so they are also safe to be added to your margarita. 

close up of margarita in a glass with salted rim

SOME MORE RECIPES TO TRY

Watermelon Frozen Margarita

Mango Wine Slushies

Orange Jalapeno Margarita

Mango Pineapple Margarita

homemade margarita in a glass, a closer view

If you made any of my recipes and shared them on Instagram, make sure to tag me @willcookforsmiles and #willcookforsmiles so I can see all the things you tried!

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Margarita Pitcher

It’s a simple mixture of homemade sweet and sour mix, tequila, and orange liqueur. What makes this Margarita recipe the best is the homemade margarita mix and method of preparation. 
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate
Course: Brunch, cocktail, Drinks
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: margarita, margarita mix
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Chill time: 2 hours
Total Time: 2 hours 20 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 324kcal

Ingredients

Margarita Mix:

  • 16 oz lime juice (about 8 limes)
  • 8 oz lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
  • 4 oz orange juice (about 1 large orange)
  • 8 oz simple syrup 1 cup of hot water mixed with 1 cup of sugar

Margarita:

  • 16 oz silver tequila
  • 8 oz Grand Marnier orange liqueur
  • margarita mix from above
  • Coarse salt
  • Limes to garnish
  • Ice cubes
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Margarita mix:

  • TIP: When picking out lemons and limes, make sure to choose ripe fruit that are soft. If fruit is not ripe enough, it won't yield much juice. 
  • Squeeze juice from lemons, limes, and oranges. (If you use a juicer, you will get more juice out of each fruit.) 
  • Heat up a cup of water and stir in sugar until dissolved to get simple syrup. 
  • Combine simple syrup and juices and mix well. Pour into a jar with a lid and refrigerate for about 2 hours to cool down.

Margarita:

  • Combine margarita mix, tequila, and Grand Marnier in a blender and pulse a few times. (You can also combine margarita mix and liquors in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously.)
  • Spread some coarse salt in a shallow, wide bowl.
  • Rub each glass rim with a lime and dip the rim into coarse salt.
  • Add some ice to each glass and pour margarita mixture over it. Garnish with a lime and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have a slight variation.

Nutrition

Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 141mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 32g | Vitamin A: 55IU | Vitamin C: 34.6mg | Calcium: 26mg | Iron: 1.4mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles and tag #willcookforsmiles

 

Margarita

Classic Margarita is a simple combination of lime juice, tequila, orange liqueur, and simple syrup served in a salted rim glass. Get best Margarita flavor with homemade margarita mix.
5 from 4 votes
Print Pin SaveSaved! Rate
Course: cocktail, Drinks
Cuisine: American, Mexican
Keyword: cocktail, margarita, Tequila
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1
Calories: 318kcal
Author: lyuba

Ingredients

  • 2 oz silver or gold tequila
  • 1 oz Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur
  • 4 oz margarita mix
  • coarse salt rim
  • limes garnish
  • ice cubes optional
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Combine margarita mix, tequila, and Grand Marnier in a blender and pulse a few times. (You can also combine margarita mix and liquors in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously.)
  • Spread some coarse salt in a shallow, wide bowl.
  • Rub each glass rim with a lime and dip the rim into coarse salt.
  • Add some ice to each glass and pour margarita mixture over it. Garnish with a lime and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have a slight variation.

Nutrition

Calories: 318kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 83mg | Sugar: 33g
Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles and tag #willcookforsmiles

collage of a margarita in a glass with word label under the picture

LYUBA

ABOUT LYUBA

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read more...

13.6K shares

Filed Under: Cinco de Mayo, Cocktail, Drink, Gluten Free, Popular Posts, Tequila Tagged With: margarita, tequila

All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.

Comments

  1. Rachel says

    March 29, 2020 at 2:28 pm

    5 stars
    This are so good! Thanks!

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      March 30, 2020 at 2:01 pm

      Thanks, Rachel!

      Reply
  2. Donna Chouinard says

    March 29, 2020 at 9:51 pm

    5 stars
    I love how fresh everything tastes! No more bottled mix for me!

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      March 30, 2020 at 1:54 pm

      Thank you, Donna!

      Reply
  3. Angela says

    April 15, 2020 at 2:00 pm

    5 stars
    Exquisite! My boyfriend surprised me with these bad boys last night and oh boy did I need it. I like my margs sour and this was just right for me. The ratio of alcohol and flavor was also very well balanced.

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      April 16, 2020 at 11:07 am

      I am so glad you enjoyed them!

      Reply
  4. Jen says

    May 5, 2020 at 5:11 pm

    5 stars
    This was my first time attempting to make margaritas at home and OH MY GOODNESS these are amazing. I have a hand juicer and it was worth the work of squeezing all that fruit. So very yummy.

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      May 6, 2020 at 2:20 pm

      Hi Jen, I agree fresh squeezed is so much better! I am so glad you liked them!

      Reply
  5. Whitney says

    August 15, 2020 at 6:00 pm

    I found that i would need double the amount of fruit to get the appropriate amount needed. Other than that these were delicious!

    Reply

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Well, hey there!

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read More.

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