This Blueberry Margarita is a fun summer twist on the classic cocktail. It's made with homemade blueberry syrup that gives the drink a beautiful bright purple color. It's sure to be a hit at any summer bbq or party!
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Why You'll Love This Blueberry Margarita
A fun twist on the classic - I always love making homemade syrups to change up the flavor of a Classic Margarita! Making your own syrup at home is easier than you might think, and you can use it in lots of other drinks like mocktails, iced teas, lemonades, or lattes.
Beautiful and delicious - Blueberries give this cocktail a beautiful bright purple color without any food colorings. The cocktail really is as delicious as it is beautiful, and it sure will be a hit at any summer bbq or a party.
Easy and simple - The recipe calls for all the classic ingredients you'd usually find in a margarita, and the syrup is made with just 3 simple ingredients: blueberries, water, and sugar.
Ingredients
- Tequila - Blanco tequila and reposado tequila are both great choices. I usually go with reposado tequila by Hornitos.
- Orange liqueur - Any orange liqueur works here. My favorite is Cointreau, but Triple Sec and Grand Marnier are also popular ones.
- Lime juice - Use freshly squeezed lime juice whenever possible.
- Blueberries - The blueberry flavor in this margarita comes from homemade Blueberry Simple Syrup. You can use either fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries. I like using frozen wild blueberries because I always have them on hand, and they give the syrup a very deep, beautiful purple color.
- Granulated sugar - I recommend either cane sugar or white sugar. I like using cane sugar for most of my syrups because it's very neutral in flavor but less processed than white sugar.
Variations and Substitutions
- Fresh herbs - A great addition to this margarita would be fresh herbs! Just add them to the cocktail shaker and muddle with the rest of the ingredients. Fresh mint, thyme, or basil would be delicious!
- Different sweetener for syrup - You can make the syrup with other sugars like coconut sugar, maple syrup, agave, or even honey. You can also use a sugar-free substitute that can be used in a 1:1 ratio instead of regular sugar. Keep in mind that this will change the flavor of the syrup and the margarita.
- Store-bought syrup - While I always recommend homemade syrups, there are many different brands that make really good syrups. My go-to is Monin, but Torani is also a popular brand.
- A no-syrup version - If you don't have time to make the syrup, you can just add a small handful of blueberries and 1 tablespoon of cane sugar to your cocktail shaker with the other ingredients, except the ice, and muddle everything together. I recommend wild blueberries for more color.
- Mocktail version - You can either use a zero-proof tequila and non-alcoholic orange liqueur, or you can skip them all together. Add a touch more lime juice and blueberry syrup and top up the drink with sparkling water or club soda. I also like using unsweetened soda with lime or blueberry flavor like LaCroix. To add more flavor and sweetness, you can also add a splash of freshly squeezed orange juice.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Blueberry Simple Syrup
- Add blueberries, cane sugar, and water to a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Take the syrup off the heat, stir in vanilla extract, and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
- Strain it through a fine mesh strainer into a large measuring cup or a bowl. You can reserve the blueberries to use on oatmeal, pancakes, toast, or ice cream as you would use jam.
- Pour the syrup into a glass jar and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Wait until the syrup is completely cool before closing the jar.
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Blueberry Margarita
- Start by prepping your glass with a salt rim. Run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass and dip it in sea salt. Fill the glass with ice and set aside.
- Into a cocktail shaker, add tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, blueberry simple syrup, and a handful of ice.
- Shake the cocktail vigorously for a few seconds until very cool to the touch.
Shaking it helps dilute the cocktail a little bit, but if you leave it sitting with the ice for too long, it will get watered down too much. This is why you should always prep your glass before you make the margarita.
- Strain the drink over ice into your prepared glass, garnish with a slice of lime and blueberries, and enjoy!
Tips & Tricks!
- Pitcher version - Multiply your ingredients by however many servings you need and add everything to a large pitcher. Stir with a spoon and add ice. Serve over ice as is or top up with sparkling water. You can also prep it ahead of time without the ice and keep it in the fridge.
- Make the syrup ahead of time! This is a huge time saver. The syrup can be kept in the fridge for up to 2 weeks, and if you make it ahead, the actual cocktail will take you less than 5 minutes to make!
- Leftover blueberry pulp - Don't throw out the leftover blueberry pulp from making the syrup! You can add it to yogurt, oatmeal, pancakes, or waffles or spread it on bread as you would jam. It's delicious!
Storing and Make-Ahead Options
The cocktail itself is best enjoyed right away, but the syrup lasts for up to 2 weeks in the refrigerator, so it's great made ahead!
You can either store the syrup in a glass jar or an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 weeks or in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3-4 months. I like to keep the syrup in small containers and pre-measure the syrup so I always know how much I need to defrost. I don't recommend an ice cube tray for this because the syrup never freezes solid.
Besides the syrup, you can also juice your limes ahead of time and store the juice in an airtight jar in the fridge for 1-2 days. I like to use an electric juicer for this when I need more servings.
FAQs
Yes, totally! You can check out my Strawberry Simple Syrup or my Raspberry Simple Syrup if you want a different-flavored margarita.
You can swap the cane sugar for a sugar-free alternative that can be substituted in a 1:1 ratio instead of regular sugar. Keep in mind that the flavor of the syrup might change based on the sweetener you use.
Other Summer Margaritas
Below are 5 of my favorite fruity margaritas. There are endless flavor options, so I'm always adding more variations! To see all the latest ones, head over to cocktails.
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Have you tried this Blueberrz Margarita? Please leave a star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below!
Looking for something to serve the margarita with? Grab my free Top 10 Best Appetizers e-book for inspiration, and don't forget to follow me on Pinterest and Instagram!
Print📖 Recipe
Blueberry Margarita
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cocktail
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Blueberry Margarita is a fun summer twist on the classic cocktail. It's made with homemade blueberry syrup that gives the drink a beautiful bright purple color. It's sure to be a hit at any summer bbq or party!
Ingredients
Blueberry Simple Syrup
- 1 cup wild blueberries (fresh or frozen, or sub 2 cups classic Canadian blueberries)
- 1 cup cane sugar (or maple syrup)
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Blueberry Margarita
- 1 lime wedge
- 1 tbsp fine sea salt
- Ice
- 1 ½ oz tequila (silver or reposado tequila)
- ½ oz Cointreau or other orange liqueur
- 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 oz blueberry simple syrup
- Blueberries and lime slices for garnish (optional)
Instructions
Blueberry Simple Syrup
- Add blueberries, cane sugar, and water to a medium saucepan and bring it to a boil. Stir constantly until the sugar dissolves.
- Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Take the syrup off the heat, stir in vanilla extract, and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
- Strain it through a fine mesh strainer into a large measuring cup or a bowl. You can reserve the blueberries to use on oatmeal, pancakes, toast, or ice cream as you would use jam.
- Pour the syrup into a glass jar and store it in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Wait until the syrup is completely cool before closing the jar.
Blueberry Margarita
- Start by prepping your glass with a salt rim. Run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass and dip it in sea salt. Fill the glass with ice and set aside.
- Into a cocktail shaker, add tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, blueberry simple syrup, and a handful of ice.
- Shake the cocktail vigorously for a few seconds until very cool to the touch.
- Strain the drink over ice into your prepared glass and garnish with a slice of lime and blueberries.
Notes
Storing: Store syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Non-alcoholic version: 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice, 1 oz freshly squeezed orange juice, 1 oz blueberry simple syrup, ice, and sparkling water or club soda. Shake everything except the sparkling water in a cocktail shaker and pour over ice. Top up with sparkling water and enjoy!
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