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The Blood Orange Margarita is another twist on the classic Margarita. Its unmistakable orange color makes it unique, eye-catching, and a little creepy. Blood orange adds a unique floral, tart, and berry-like flavor with a hint of bitterness. It simply works.
Table of Contents
Brief History
While the Margarita emerged in Tijuana, Mexico in the 1930s, this popular riff likely emerged as part of the craft cocktail movement in the early 2000s. There is no known individual attributed creator, however, it’s gained widespread popularity thanks to its undeniable color and subtly floral twist.
The Blood Orange Margarita was one of the most requested recipes for my published cocktail book, The Beginner’s Guide to Essential Cocktails. Unfortunately, blood oranges have a short harvest season and they’re only accessible during the winter months to early spring, making this my new favorite winter variant to look forward to every season!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Tequila: a few of my go-to options for tequila are Cimarron, Milagro, Espolòn, Altos, or Corralejo.
- Fresh lime juice: fresh limes are essential for the perfect Margarita. Always use a citrus squeezer to extract as much lime juice as possible from each lime. I will occasionally mix in some fresh lemon for different flavors. Use up to 1.5 ounces of citrus!
- Blood orange: blood oranges have a short winter/early spring harvest season from December to April. Keep an eye out for bottled juices in the off-season. They’re just not as authentic tasting or colorful. One orange will render roughly 1 fluid ounce of juice.
- Simple syrup: I prefer 1:1 simple syrup over agave. If you prefer your Margarita on the drier side, start with ¼ ounce of simple syrup and add more to taste. If you like sweeter cocktails, start with ½ an ounce.
- Orange liqueur: you can use triple sec, Cointreau, or even Grand Marnier. If you prefer a drier Margarita, Skip the simple syrup and only sweeten it with orange liqueur.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.
Expert Tips
- Skip the salt rim and add a tiny pinch of salt directly to the Margarita. This brings out the flavors and adds a little saltiness that plays beautifully in every sip without being overwhelming.
- Pour over a large clear ice cube for the ultimate presentation and dilution control.
- Keep your glasses in the freezer so your drink stays cooler for longer. This is another benefit of using a highball glass over traditional bulky margarita glass.
- It’s important to use freshly squeezed citrus when making margaritas from scratch. invest in a handheld lemon/lime squeezer.
More Margaritas
Enjoy this recipe? If you made this cocktail, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments!
Blood Orange Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 ounces blanco tequila
- 1 ounce fresh blood orange juice
- 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1/2 ounce Cointreau
- 1/4 ounce simple syrup
- Blood orange slice garnish
- Salt for rim, flakey sea salt
Instructions
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I wish I could get blood oranges year round!!! this was so good thank you!