Classic Margarita

This classic margarita recipe proves that simple = delicious. Just 4 ingredients - tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and simple syrup (or sugar), over ice. So incredibly refreshing!

If you've only had a slushy margarita made from a mix, you are missing out. Margaritas don't have to be super-sweet or frozen. In fact, they're more refreshing if they're not!

When you make a real, fresh margarita, you don't end up full and bloated and gross-feeling. Save all that super-sweet stuff for another time.

These margaritas are my go-to drink when I have taco parties - usually with a black bean dip as an appetizer, Slow Cooker Barbacoa for dinner, and Tres Leches Cake for dessert.

Margarita Origins

Just like many other cocktails, many people lay claim to inventing the margarita. Generally, it seems that the margarita was developed in the 1930s in Mexico. (Wikipedia cites several claims of invention, of course.) By 1945, Jose Cuervo was using a margarita recipe to advertise its tequila.

Related drinks are sours (like a daiquiri, which is rum, lime juice, and sugar), and daisies, which are mixed drinks with orange liqueur and citrus. Interestingly, margarita means daisy in Spanish (per Difford's Guide).

Another interesting tidbit: the world's first frozen margarita machine was invented in 1971 (per Smithsonian magazine's history of the margarita).

I've scaled this recipe down a bit, but I keep the same ratios. I simply juice my limes to see how much juice I have, and add the right amount of ingredients from there. But read on - I have an actual recipe for you as well.

Ingredients

Margaritas can be done well, or done poorly. This recipe does it well.

You just need 4 basic ingredients: tequila, an orange liqueur, lime juice, and a sweetener (to balance the lime juice).

Notice what's not here? Sour mix. Remember - it's seriously artificial and too sweet. You're having a cocktail; save that much sugar for dessert.

Tequila: I spent many years not liking tequila (for the reasons you might associate with college parties). Now, I like it in margaritas (and palomas, which are grapefruit). Using a decent, mid-range tequila instead of a bottom-shelf bottle, makes a difference. Only use silver tequila - anything gold or aged will interfere with the citrus. I'm not partial to any brand.

Cointreau: you need an orangey citrus for a margarita. Cointreau is higher-end and consistently good quality. However, it is expensive, so you can use triple sec; try not to use super-cheap bottom-shelf bottle. In a pinch, you can add an equivalent amount of orange juice instead of either liquor, but you will need to adjust the sweetness to taste (usually by adding extra syrup or sugar).

Lime juice: use fresh stuff here, as it's a major component of the drink. Anything bottled will contain preservatives that will give the drink an off taste. I sometimes use bottled lime juice for convenience in cooking, but it doesn't belong in this drink.

How much juice do you need? Just 1 if you're making cocktails for 2. Below is a picture of limes from 2 bags of limes. Same store brand, bought at different times. The 2.2 ounce lime on the left is in a ¼ cup measuring cup; the 3.9 ounce lime on the right is in a ½ cup measuring cup. I got 1.1 ounces (~2 tablespoons) of juice from the left lime; I got 1.5 ounces (3 tablespoons) from the right lime.

Simple syrup: tequila and lime juice aren't sweetened, so you need to add a sweetener. We aren't going overboard here. You just need enough sweetness to balance the tart lime juice.

Simple syrup is just a 1:1 ratio of water to sugar. You're in good company if you don't have simple syrup lying around, but here's what I do. I take the amount of simple syrup, cut it in half, and dissolve that amount of sugar in my lime juice, or in a small amount of water. Just give it a good stir. It can take a few minutes for it to dissolve; use that time to gather your other ingredients.

Ice: a fifth, sometimes neglected ingredient. This margarita is a strong drink, and the way you make it smoother and more drinkable is with ice. Sometimes I shake the margaritas in a cocktail shaker (affiliate link); other times I stir; and yet other times I build it in the glass. Plenty of ice in the shaker, and crushed ice in the glass, is how a margarita becomes refreshing. Ice cubes are fine, but take longer to melt and dilute the drink, for better and worse.

Equipment

You don't necessarily need equipment to make a margarita, but a citrus juicer makes it a bit easier. You get more juice with a juicer, and it's easier for your hands.

You can use a high-powered electric one, which are great for juicing in quantity - but you don't need that much juice for just 2 margaritas. Invest $20 in a handheld model (seen above); you'll be more likely to use fresh juice in all your cooking! This hand-held citrus juicer (affiliate link) is what I have; brand doesn't matter much, but having the two levers press together helps squeeze the juice more easily than doing it strictly by hand.

I do sometimes use a cocktail shaker (affiliate link) to make this drink. Shaking helps the syrup and Cointreau mix evenly with the other ingredients. However, laziness often wins, and I pour the ingredients directly into each glass, or a dishwasher-safe measuring cup, since I usually just make 2 at a time.

How to Make a Salt or Sugar Rim

I don't care for salt rims, so I usually rim our glasses with sugar. This step is totally optional, but cute.

Take your glass and either a lime wedge, or the still damp rind from your squeezed lime. Rub it along the edge of the glass.

Sprinkle some sugar into a small plate. Rotate the wet rim of the glass in the sugar. And, you're done!

Serving

Although margaritas are best immediately when they are made, you don't have to drink it all at once. Store extras in the fridge, without the crushed ice for serving. Then pour over ice when you're ready for a drink.

I often make these margaritas to go alongside a snacky dinner of tortilla chips, guacamole, and a simple dip of black beans blended with chipotles in adobo sauce. It would also be excellent at a dinner with Fajitas or Barbacoa. I recommend Tres Leches Cake for dessert!

Related Recipes

I hope this becomes a recipe you'll return to. If you try it, a star rating below helps others find it - and I'd love to hear how yours turns out in the comments! 💕 Questions or trouble? Drop a note, and I'll do my best to help.