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Nothing is fresher than a classic Margarita made with fresh lime juice, decent tequila, and orange liqueur. It’s tart, refreshing, and brighter than anything you can buy premixed. Let’s make the best Margarita you’ve ever made!
Table of Contents
Brief History
The Margarita has several debated origin stories. One of the earliest and most popular stories attributes the creation to Carlos “Danny” Herrera, a bartender at the Rancho La Gloria bar in Tijuana, Mexico, around 1938.
Herrera crafted the drink for actress Marjorie King, who was allergic to all hard liquors except tequila. He mixed up the cocktail we know today and named it after her, calling it “Margarita,” the Spanish version of Marjorie.
Today you’ll find variations made with just tequila, lime, and agave and others with tequila, lime, and orange liqueur. It all comes down to the preferred level of sweetness and purity of flavor.
These Margaritas pair nicely with my fresh homemade guacamole or chicken enchiladas, carne asada tacos, and flank steak fajitas!
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
- Tequila: a few of my go-to options for tequila are Cimarron, Milagro, Espolòn, Altos, or Corralejo.
- Fresh lime juice: store-bought Margarita mix is a modern-day shortcut. 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!
- Simple syrup or agave: I prefer 1:1 simple syrup because it’s less sweet than 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 or Cointreau. 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
- 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.
- 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.
Margarita Variations
- looking for a spicy kick? learn how to make easy Spicy Margaritas or Pineapple Habanero Margaritas using homemade infused jalapeño or habanero tequila. It only takes 24 hours to infuse delicious heat.
- If you like mezcal, you can easily make a Mezcal Margarita with egg whites or my spicy mezcal cocktail.
- My Mango Margaritas are one of the most popular drinks on this site. They can be served frozen or up on the rocks. It’s one of my favorite cocktails for the summer.
- If you love watermelon, you have to try my blended Watermelon Margaritas. The watermelon flavor is refreshing and goes perfectly with salt and tequila.
- If you are looking for a winter-inspired Margarita, try my Grand Marnier Margarita made with reposado tequila, honey syrup, and fresh lemon juice.
- If you like Palomas, look no further than my simple Grapefruit Margarita, which has very similar Paloma vibes.
- If you have Aperol sitting in your cabinet and don’t know what else to do with it, try my El Chipilo cocktail, which is almost a Margarita made with Aperol.
- Lastly, you can always make the tried and true Tequila Sunrise if you’re short on ingredients—a highly underrated cocktail when made with freshly squeezed orange juice.
- A Blood Orange Margarita add fresh blood orange juice for a citrusy and floral twist on the classic.
More Margarita Recipes
Enjoy this recipe? If you made this cocktail, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments!
Classic Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 ounces blanco tequila
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1/2 ounce orange liqueur, triple sec or Cointreau
- 1/4-1/2 ounce simple syrup, or agave
Margarita pitcher (serves 10)
- 2 1/2 cups blanco tequila
- 1 1/4 cups fresh lime juice
- 2/3 cup simple syrup
- 2/3 cup triple sec or Cointreau
Instructions
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
