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A good Margarita needs no frills: just high-quality tequila, triple sec, and the freshest citrus juice. Simple syrup is optional, and use a blend of lemon and lime for deeper flavors.
On the rocks, blended, straight up: yes please! The classic combination of tequila and lime goes back ages, but the Margarita is always my favorite way to enjoy them. Here, we use a blend of lemon and lime because it tastes delicious.
The simple syrup is a personal preference. Purists will say that a good margarita needs no additional sugar, but I say, make the drink you will enjoy the most!
Table of Contents
Recipe ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
Ingredient notes
- Tequila: Tequila blanco is lighter in body and perfect for making cocktails like this one. Tequila reposado (which means “rested” and is aged in oak for at least 2 months) is ideal for sipping.
- Triple sec: Or any orange-flavored liqueur such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier.
- Simple syrup: To make it yourself, combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved (do not boil). Remove from heat and cool before adding 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) to your cocktail shaker with the other ingredients. Store leftover simple syrup covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
- Margarita salt: Homemade margarita salt is fun to make when you’re feeling extra. Or, use kosher salt or even sugar.
Step-by-step instructions
- In a small pitcher, add tequila, triple sec, lemon juice, lime juice, water, and simple syrup. Stir to combine. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- In a shallow dish as wide as your serving glass, add Margarita salt (or kosher salt) to 1/4-inch deep. Run a lime wedge around the top of each glass, then dip the top of the glass upside-down into the salt and turn to coat.
- Fill each rimmed glass about half full with ice and add margarita mixture.
- Garnish with a lime wedge and serve.
Recipe tips and variations
- Yield: This recipe makes a batch of 4 cocktails, 8 ounces each.
- Glassware: A Margarita glass is the classic choice, but I love how approachable a lowball glass is for happy hour.
- Bigger batch: To make a larger batch of 8 cocktails, combine 16 ounces (2 cups) tequila, 16 ounces (2 cups) triple sec, 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) lemon juice, 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) lime juice, 8 ounces (1 cup) water, and 4 ounces (½ cup) simple syrup in a pitcher. Have ice, glassware, a salt-rimming station, and garnishes on hand so guests can help themselves.
- Frozen margarita: Add ice to your blender to taste and blend until slushy (I like about 5 cups of ice).
- Strawberry margarita: An icy blended margarita with a bright red hue.
- Margarita slush: The ultimate big-batch frozen(ish) Margarita is made in an ice cream pail.
- Cadillac margarita: Substitute Grand Marnier for the triple sec.
- Blue margarita: Substitute Blue Curaçao for the triple sec.
- Skinny margarita: Omit the triple sec and simple syrup.
- Kamikaze: Substitute vodka for tequila.
Recipe FAQs
Tequila blanco (sometimes called “silver” tequila) is great for cocktails because it has a light, crisp taste.
For your best shot at skipping a hangover from tequila, choose a bottle that says “100% Blue Agave Tequila.” Anything else is a mixture of different agave plants and may also add sugar during processing.
More tequila cocktails to try
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Charro Negro
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Paloma Cocktail
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Long Island Iced Tea
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Margarita
Ingredients
- 8 ounces tequila (1 cup, see note 1)
- 8 ounces triple sec (1 cup, see note 2)
- 6 ounces fresh lemon juice from about 4 lemons (¾ cup)
- 6 ounces fresh lime juice from about 6 limes (¾ cup)
- 4 ounces water (½ cup)
- 2 ounces simple syrup optional (¼ cup, see note 3)
- ½ cup Margarita salt or kosher salt (see note 4)
- 4 Lime wedges for garnish
Instructions
- In a small pitcher, add tequila, triple sec, lemon juice, lime juice, water, and simple syrup. Stir to combine. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
- In a shallow dish as wide as your serving glass, add Margarita salt (or kosher salt) to 1/4-inch deep. Run a lime wedge around the top of each glass, then dip the top of the glass upside-down into the salt and turn to coat.
- Fill each rimmed glass about half full with ice. Add margarita mixture, garnish with a lime wedge, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Tequila: Tequila blanco is lighter in body and perfect for making cocktails like this one. Tequila reposado (which means “rested” and is aged in oak for at least 2 months) is ideal for sipping.
- Triple sec: Or any orange-flavored liqueur such as Cointreau or Grand Marnier.
- Simple syrup: To make it yourself, combine 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar is dissolved (do not boil). Remove from heat and cool before adding 1 tablespoon (or more to taste) to your cocktail shaker with the other ingredients. Store leftover simple syrup covered in the refrigerator for 3-4 weeks.
- Margarita salt: Homemade margarita salt is fun to make when you’re feeling extra. Or, use kosher salt or even sugar.
- Yield: This recipe makes a batch of 4 cocktails, 8 ounces each.
- Glassware: A Margarita glass is the classic choice, but I love how approachable a lowball glass is for happy hour.
- Bigger batch: To make a larger batch of 8 cocktails, combine 16 ounces (2 cups) tequila, 16 ounces (2 cups) triple sec, 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) lemon juice, 12 ounces (1 ½ cups) lime juice, 8 ounces (1 cup) water, and 4 ounces (½ cup) simple syrup in a pitcher. Have ice, glassware, a salt-rimming station, and garnishes on hand so guests can help themselves.
- Frozen margarita: Add ice to your blender to taste and blend until slushy (I like about 5 cups of ice).
Nutrition
Meggan Hill is a classically-trained chef and professional writer. Her meticulously-tested recipes and detailed tutorials bring confidence and success to home cooks everywhere. Meggan has been featured on NPR, HuffPost, FoxNews, LA Times, and more.
