A refreshing Strawberry Margarita makes the perfect summer cocktail! This drink is perfect for any occasion, whether it's a summer BBQ, pool party, or simply an evening spent with friends. The combination of juicy strawberries, sweet agave, and tangy lime juice makes for a delicious cocktail that's always a hit!
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Why You'll Love This Margarita
- Homemade syrup - Strawberry simple syrup gives this cocktail a beautiful red color and lots of sweet strawberry flavor. Homemade syrups are easier to make than you think and they always pack a ton of flavor! You can use the leftovers for other cocktails or mocktails, or drizzle it over ice cream or pancakes.
- Perfect for the summer - We all know and love classic margaritas but there are so many flavor variations you could make and it's always fun to try new ones! Seasonal berries pack so much flavor and they're my favorite fruit to make recipes with during the summer months.
- Easy to make for a group - The syrup makes enough for 8-12 servings so you can easily multiply the recipe to make enough for a pitcher. See the recipe card for pitcher measurements.
Ingredients
- Tequila - Reposado is my personal favorite but both Blanco and Reposado tequila work great in this cocktail.
- Orange liqueur - Cointreau is my recommended favorite but Triple Sec or another orange liqueur you have on had work just as well.
- Strawberry syrup - You can use store-bought if necessary but I highly recommend making your own! All you need are fresh strawberries, cane sugar, water, and a little bit of vanilla. I also include a lazy version below and in the recipe card if you don't have time to make syrup but still want to use fresh strawberries.
- Lime juice - Freshly squeezed lime juice is always the best choice but bottled lime juice also works whenever necessary. I like using 100% lime juice, not from concentrate.
Lazy Version - No Syrup
If you don't have time to make the syrup, you can also just mash some fresh strawberries and cane sugar in your cocktail shaker as you would limes and mint for a mojito. They won't give the drink the same bright red color the syrup would but they'll add strawberry flavor and you'll have a cocktail ready in just a few minutes!
Step-by-Step Instructions
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Strawberry Syrup
- Add chopped strawberries, cane sugar, and water into a saucepan. Bring everything to a boil stirring often to make sure the sugar dissolves. Lower the heat and simmer the syrup for 15 minutes.
- Take off the heat and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. This will help it absorb even more strawberry flavor.
- Strain the syrup into a large measuring cup through a fine mesh strainer and stir in vanilla extract. Pour the syrup into an airtight glass jar and store the syrup in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. See the Strawberry Simple Syrup post for more info and extra tips.
You can use any leftover syrup in this Iced Strawberry Oat Matcha Latte!
Strawberry Margarita
- When you're ready to make the cocktail, start by prepping your glass. Brush agave syrup around the rim of the glass and dip it in turbinado sugar. Fill the glass with ice and fresh or frozen strawberries and set aside.
- Into a cocktail shaker add tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, strawberry syrup, and a handful of ice.
- Shake vigorously for a few seconds and strain into your prepared glass.
Serving
Serve the margarita over ice garnished with a strawberry and a slice of lime. You can also add sugar or sea salt to the rim of the glass. I like prepping the glass before shaking the cocktail to avoid it sitting in the shaker with ice and getting watered down.
Pro tip: Add frozen chopped strawberries to the glass with ice to cool the drink without watering it down too much. Plus, it makes for a really pretty presentation!
Mocktail Version
There are a couple of ways you can go about turning this margarita into a non-alcoholic mocktail. You can use non-alcoholic spirits that imitate tequila and Cointreau. There are lots on the market these days so it shouldn't be too hard to find.
If you want to keep things simple, easy, and cheaper. You can simply leave out the alcohol and add a splash of freshly squeezed orange juice instead and top up the drink with sparkling water or an unsweetened flavored soda like LaCroix.
FAQs
Yes, you can either use store-bought syrup or mash some strawberries with a bit of sugar in your cocktail shaker instead.
Yes, you can! Let them thaw in the fridge first to remove any excess water they'd release. Depending on the quality of the berries, they may not give the cocktail as much flavor and color but they definitely work if needed!
Similar Margarita Recipes
Bright fruity flavors make the best summer drinks and new margarita flavors are some of my all-time favorite recipes to develop! Below are four of my favorite margaritas that are perfect for the summertime. To see all the latest cocktails, head over to the cocktails category.
📖 Recipe
Strawberry Margarita
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cooling Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 15 mins
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cocktail
- Method: No cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Discover the perfect summer cocktail with our Strawberry Margarita! This refreshing drink is perfect for any occasion, whether it's a summer BBQ, pool party, or simply an evening spent with friends.
Ingredients
Strawberry Syrup
- 2 cups chopped fresh strawberries (6-7 strawberries)
- 1 cup cane sugar*
- 1 cup water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Strawberry Margarita
- Glass rim: 1 teaspoon agave syrup + 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar
- Ice
- Small handful of frozen chopped strawberries (optional*)
- 1 ½ oz tequila (blanco or reposado)
- ½ oz Cointreau (or another orange liqueur)
- 1 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 ¼ oz strawberry syrup (or to taste)
- Garnish: lime slices, strawberries
Instructions
Strawberry Syrup
- Add chopped strawberries, cane sugar, and water into a saucepan. Bring everything to a boil stirring often to make sure the sugar dissolves.
- Lower the heat and simmer the syrup for 15 minutes.
- Take off the heat and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes. This will help it absorb even more strawberry flavor.
- Strain the syrup into a large measuring cup through a fine mesh strainer and stir in the vanilla extract (if using). Pour the syrup into an airtight glass jar and store the syrup in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Strawberry Margarita
- To prep your glass, brush agave syrup around the rim of the glass and dip it in turbinado sugar.
- Fill the glass with ice and frozen strawberries and set aside.
- Into a cocktail shaker add tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, strawberry syrup, and a handful of ice.
- Shake vigorously for a few seconds and strain into your prepared glass.
- Garnish with a slice of lime and a strawberry and enjoy!
Notes
* To prevent your drink from being watered down (and to make it prettier) add some frozen chopped strawberries into your glass along with ice!
Lazy version: If you don't have time to make the syrup, use fresh strawberries and sugar instead. Add 1 medium fresh strawberry and 1 teaspoon cane sugar into a cocktail shaker before you add the rest of the ingredients. Use a cocktail muddler to mash the strawberry with the sugar. Add the rest of the ingredients and follow the steps as usual.
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 strawberry syrup.
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