Margarita
intro
A bright, balanced tequila-based cocktail with zesty fresh lime, smooth orange liqueur, and a signature salt rim, perfect for warm summer sipping.
Ingredients
Steps
Rim the Glasses with Salt
Prep the serving glass rims first: Take 2 240ml (8 fl oz) rocks (old-fashioned) glasses, rub the outer top edge of each rim with one 10g lime wedge, then press the rim gently into a small plate spread with 1 tablespoon (15g) of coarse kosher salt to coat evenly. Set glasses aside for 2 minutes to let the salt adhere fully.
Assemble the Cocktail Base
Assemble the cocktail base: Add 120ml blanco tequila, 60ml Cointreau, and 60ml freshly squeezed lime juice (strained to remove all seeds and excess pulp) to a 500ml stainless steel cocktail shaker.
Add Ice and Seal Shaker
Add ice for chilling: Fill the cocktail shaker ¾ of the way full with 1.5 cups (225g) of cubed ice, then press the shaker lid on tightly to ensure no liquid leaks out during shaking.
Shake the Cocktail Vigorously
Shake the cocktail properly: Hold the sealed shaker with both hands and shake vigorously for 15 full seconds, until the outside of the metal shaker feels frosty to the touch (reaching approximately 4°C / 39°F surface temperature) to properly chill and lightly dilute the drink.
Add Ice to Serving Glasses
Prep glasses for pouring: Evenly divide the remaining 0.5 cups (75g) of cubed ice between the two salt-rimmed rocks glasses, filling each glass to about the halfway point.
Strain and Pour the Margaritas
Strain and pour: Fit a Hawthorne cocktail strainer over the top of the shaker, then pour the chilled margarita mixture evenly between the two prepared ice-filled glasses, splitting the total 240ml of liquid equally between servings.
Garnish and Serve Immediately
Garnish and serve immediately: Perch one remaining 10g lime wedge on the rim of each glass as garnish, then serve right away while the drink is fully chilled, with no resting time needed.
Tips
2.When rimming your glass, only coat the outer edge of the rim with salt, not the inner edge. This prevents salt from continuously falling into the drink and making it overly salty as you sip.
3.For a frozen margarita variation, add all liquid ingredients and 3 cups (450g) of crushed ice to a high-speed blender, blend on high for 30 seconds until completely smooth, then pour into salt-rimmed glasses to serve.
OMG this is the PERFECT house margarita recipe! I made these for our taco night potluck last weekend and every single person asked for the recipe. No weird syrups, just bright, perfectly balanced flavor — not too sour, not too sweet, exactly what you want on a hot Texas evening. Game changer for my summer cookouts!
Really solid marg recipe! Super quick to throw together after a long day at the beach. Only tiny note is I wish it had a little less orange liqueur for my taste, but that’s just personal preference. Will definitely be making this again all summer.
SO good! I made these for my husband’s birthday dinner with carne asada and he said they’re better than the ones we get at our local Mexican restaurant. Even my 21 year old kid who’s super picky about cocktails loved hers. 10/10, no notes!
Made these after a long day hiking in the Rockies and they hit DIFFERENT. Used blanco tequila I picked up on a trip to Jalisco last year, fresh lime from my neighbor’s tree, and skipped the salt rim because I’m a heathen. 10/10, 5 minute prep is chef’s kiss for when you don’t feel like fussy cocktails.
Game changer! I’ve been overpaying for watery margaritas at my local happy hour for years, and this recipe is so much better. I pre-batched a big pitcher for my girls’ night last week and we didn’t even finish it because we were too busy raving about how good they were. Will be my go-to from now on.
Made these to go with my smoked ribs on the Fourth of July and they were a smash. Used a tajin rim instead of regular salt and it added the perfect little zing. So easy to make even when you’re manning the grill and juggling 10 other things. 10/10, will be on my cookout rotation forever.
It’s a fine margarita, but I felt like it was missing something? Maybe a little agave? I followed the recipe exactly but it tasted a little too tart for me. Not bad, just not my perfect match.
Just made my first one of these and OMG, why did I ever buy pre-made marg mix? This is so fresh and tastes exactly like the fancy craft margaritas I pay $18 for downtown. So easy even I can’t mess it up, which is saying something because I am terrible at making cocktails.
Made these for our family dinner on Sunday to go with enchiladas, and everyone raved. My sister who only drinks wine even had two! The recipe is so straightforward I was able to make a round while catching up with everyone in the kitchen, no stress at all.
Really easy recipe to follow, came out great on my first try. I used reposado tequila instead of blanco for a little smoother, oaky flavor and it was delicious. Will be making these for our next pool day for sure.