This Classic Margarita is one of the most popular cocktails and for a good reason! It's simple, easy to make, and impossible to mess up! Learn how to make this simple drink in a few easy steps!
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Why This Recipe Works
There's beauty in simplicity - Trying fun new flavors of cocktails is always exciting but nothing beats the old classic once in a while! It's simple, easy to make, and a great canvas if you do want to add flavored syrups or herbs. Learn how to make this cocktail and you can make any variation you want - the possibilities are endless!
Great for beginners - If you want to start making cocktails at home, a classic margarita is a great cocktail to start with. It doesn't use anything too unusual and it's really easy to throw together and hard to mess up!
Ingredients
- Tequila - Blanco or reposado tequila are great choices. Silver tequila isn't aged at all whereas Reposado tequila is aged for 2-11 months in oak barrels. Reposado has a light brown-gold color that is natural due to the aging process in the barrels.
- Cointreau - Cointreau or Triple Sec is an orange liqueur that gets added to a classic margarita. Any orange liqueur you like works here.
- Lime juice - Freshly squeezed lime juice is always the best choice.
- Simple syrup - You can make your own simple syrup by simmering equal parts of cane sugar and water.
- Sea salt - The most common way to prepare a margarita is top dip the glass rim in some fine sea salt. If you don't like a salt rim, you can use cane sugar instead.
Fun Margarita Flavors
Once you master the classic margarita, I highly recommend trying homemade flavored syrups to make fun new variations. Below are 7 options for fun margaritas you can make with added fruits or syrups!
- Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita
- Strawberry Margarita (my go-to summer margarita)
- Lemon Margarita (try adding lemon instead of lime!)
- Passion Fruit Margarita
- Hibiscus Margarita (perfect for spring)
- St. Germain Elderflower Margarita
- Black Margarita (so fun for Halloween!)
Step-by-Step Instructions
A classic margarita will have salt around the rim. I like to use either sea salt or Himalayan pink salt. Different variations could have flavored salt or a mix of salt and sugar but plain fine-grain sea salt works well for the basic cocktail.
- To prep your glass, run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass and dip it in sea salt.
- Fill the glass with ice and set aside.
You want to do this first before you mix your drink so that once you shake the drink, you can pour it right into your glass and serve it. If you let the cocktail sit with ice in the shaker for too long, it could get watered down too much.
- When you're ready to make the cocktail, take a cocktail shaker and add tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, simple syrup, and orange bitters.
- Adding orange bitters is optional but they add a nice orange zest flavor to the drink that enhances the flavor of Cointreau.
- Add a handful of ice and shake vigorously for a few seconds. The longer you shake the cocktail, the more watered down it will get. You want some of the ice to melt but not too much.
- Strain the margarita into your prepared glass and garnish with a slice of lime.
What to Serve a Margarita With
You can serve it on its own or with a side of various appetizers and sides. Any sort of finger food you can snack on with your hands is great for cocktails like this.
Try it with these Cajun Fries or these Baked Asparagus Fries if you like to snack on fries with your cocktails. You can also serve it with something like this Bruschetta with Mozzarella or these Whipped Goat Cheese Crostini!
FAQs
It's made with tequila (blanco or reposado), orange liqueur (Cointreau, Triple Sec, or other), simple syrup, and lime juice.
It's hard to say who exactly is behind the creation of this famous cocktail. Some say it's Francisco “Pancho” Morales who made the drink in 1942 when he couldn't remember the ingredients for a Magnolia cocktail. Others say it was David Daniel "Danny" Negrete in 1936 who created the drink for his girlfriend as a gift.
I highly recommend using a non-alcoholic spirit. There are lots to choose from these days and some are so good they taste just like tequila! You can also skip the alcohol, double up on the lime juice and add some seltzer. I'd add flavored syrup or jalapenos to make it more fun too!
More Basic Cocktails
I love cocktails with fun flavored syrups but it's also good to know all the basic drinks you can whip up at any party or get-together. When you know the basics, it's easy to build up on that and create different flavors. To see all the latest cocktails, head over to the cocktails category.
📖 Recipe
Classic Margarita
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cocktails
- Method: No Cook
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Classic Margarita is one of the most popular cocktails and for a good reason! It's simple, easy to make, and impossible to mess up! Learn how to make this simple drink in a few easy steps!
Ingredients
- 1 lime wedge
- 1 tbsp sea salt
- Ice
- 1 ½ oz tequila (blanco or reposado)
- ½ oz Cointreau or Triple Sec
- 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- ½ oz simple syrup (or ¼ oz agave syrup)
- 1-2 dashes of orange bitters (optional)
- Lime slices for garnish
Instructions
- To prep your glass, run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass and dip it in sea salt. Fill the glass with ice and set aside.
- To a cocktail shaker, add tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, simple syrup, and orange bitters, if using.
- Add a handful of ice and shake vigorously for a few seconds.
- Strain the margarita into your prepared glass and garnish with a slice of lime.
Notes
Make it into a pitcher: For 10 servings you'll need 1 ¾ cup tequila, ½ cup + 2tbsp Cointreau, 1 ¼ cup lime juice (approx 10 limes), and ½ cup + 2tbsp simple syrup.
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