How To Make A Margarita On The Rocks
So you have rimmed your glass and now your need your cocktail. This is how you make it.
- fill the shaker half full of ice, cover and shake it for at least 10 seconds
- strain into your rimmed glass and serve
You dont have to taste it before shaking each time, but we suggest doing it for the first cocktail.
How To Make A Perfect Salt Rim
Last, lets talk about the glass rim in this classic margarita recipe! The best type of salt to use is kosher salt or flaky sea salt: they have a nice chunky texture. Or try our Best Margarita Salt the orange and lime zest makes the glass look perfectly look festive! Here are our tips to making the perfect rim:
Another drink with a salt rim? Our Salty Dog.
How Much Alcohol Is In A Margarita
This really depends on the recipe and your preferences. My preferred ratio for a great margarita is 2 parts Tequila to 1 part lime juice and 1 part Triple Sec. Thats quite a bit of alcohol in any given margarita .
So for a typical glass, you could expect 3 ounces of alcohol. If you want less alcohol in your drink, simply use a 1:1:1 ratio .
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How To Make A Margarita :
Detailed instructions are included in the recipe below, but here is a brief overview of how to make a single-serving homemade margarita:
Whats The Best Tequila For Margaritas

Many sources say tequila blanco is best for margaritas. Tequila blanco has been aged less than 2 months and has that classic tequila burn. But tequila reposado also works! Heres our preference for the best tequila for margaritas:
- Tequila reposado is aged longer, at least 2 months. This gives it a more nuanced flavor than tequila blanco, with notes of vanilla and oak. We like this drink best with reposado, but you can use whatever you prefer!
- Either way, try to find a mid-price range tequila. You dont want to be making this drink with the cheap stuff!
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Dress It Up With Clear Ice
How to make a stunning simple margarita on the rocks like in the shot above? Use clear ice. Clear ice is artisanal ice used in cocktails because of its crystal clear look and beautiful organic shapes. Its the best way to take your cocktail from good to glamorous! Alex and I try to have a batch ready before we have a cocktail hour because this ice truly steals the show.
You can make clear ice at home and its so easy! All you need is a small cooler and 24 hours, and your cocktails will look like you ordered it in a fancy bar. Heres how to make clear ice.
Top Tips To Make The Best Margaritas
- Keep your tequila in the freezer so the margaritas are nice & cold without extra ice.
- Mix in a bit of lime zest with the salted rim of your glasses.
- Always SHAKE your margaritas with ice before serving .
- Make your own lime juice by squeezing fresh limes.
- Try some fun, flavored salts on the rim of your glass!
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How To Make A Pitcher Of Mojitos:
If you happen to be making a round of mojitos for a group, feel free to try out the mojito pitcher recipe below instead! To make a pitcher of mojitos, simply
Classic Margaritas On The Rocks
May 3, 2017
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Did you know there’s only 4 ingredients in the perfect Classic Margarita on the rocks . Just 4! It’s ridiculously simple, and just SO good. Concerning ingredients, I prefer to go for the good stuff. If you’re making a margarita from scratch, definitely invest in a bottle of Cointreau. This orange liquor has great, yet subtle flavor that won’t overpower your drink and will literally save you the headache of the over sweetened, $6-8 bottles of triple sec. Totally worth it.
I don’t know about you, but I one hundred thousand percent prefer my Classic Margaritas on the rocks. Not going to lie, those first I-just-turned-21 days, I was definitely all about a blended margarita. Nope. Not anymore. Blending the ice inevitably waters down your drink much quicker and also takes away from the sweet orange of the Coiuntreau, the tang of the lime juice, and of course, the delicious burn of Tequila. On the rocks, a classic margarita truly shines.
Lastly, I know it’s a pain but try and use fresh lime juices as best you can. It can be so obxnious juicing all those limes but sip a margarita with fresh limes versus one with bottled juice, and you’ll instantly taste the difference. Trust.
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How To Make Lime Margarita On The Rocks
Zesty cointreau and lime built over strong tequila makes up this tasteful and lip-smacking 5-minute lime margarita on the rocks!
2 minutes
- 2ozclear Tequila,
- splashlime juice,fresh
Combine the tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau over a glass of ice.
Garnish with a lime wedge and salt or sugar.
Serve and enjoy!
How To Make A Mojito:
So lets talk about how to make mojitos! For a single serving, simply:
That said, while making a mint mojito in a cocktail shaker is standard, I often take a shortcut and just muddle and mix everything together directly in the serving glass , which is just as delicious. )
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Why This Recipe Works
There is never a wrong time for a margarita. And a is super quick and easy. .
Using just a cocktail shaker, anyone can make a margarita from scratch. You dont need any special skills to make one at home. And its almost impossible to screw it up.
In under 5 minutes, you can be sipping on a perfect margarita. As a huge fan of fresh lime juice and tequila, this recipe is one that I really enjoy.
Its a great recipe to serve for a girls night in, happy hour with neighbors or any barbecue.
Dont forget to also check out my Super Skinny Margarita, Strawberry Basil Margarita, Basil Margarita and Blood Orange Margarita!
But if youre feeling lazy, just make a Tequila Soda. Or make instead.
What Ingredients Go Into This Recipe

- fresh lime juice
- maple syrup or agave syrup
- good tequila
- salt optional around the rim
Traditional Mexican margarita ingredients are usually made with triple sec, tequila , and lemon or lime juice shaken or on the rocks. This skinny margarita recipe has only 4 ingredients: fresh squeezed lime juice, water, maple syrup and tequila shaken, not stirredlol!
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A Note About Measuring
In the recipe section, I referred to the ingredients as shots. Some recipes use ounces, cups, and shots, all in one. Holy confusion after youve had a few.
The very average-sized shot glass I use holds the same amount of liquid as a 1/4-cup measure, which makes it easy to make the recipe in bulk. X parts this to Y parts that.
While you could technically share the recipe as written, after having one, youll want another. So plan on it serving one, nicely. You can sip worry-free since theres no sugar.
They go down so incredibly easy. Especially on vacation.
How To Make This Classic Margarita Recipe
First, start with fresh lime juice. FRESH! Bottled lime juice has a disgusting after taste. A juicer really helps to cut down the work here. If youre looking for a cheap one, this is a newer version of the one we have. I recommend juicing more than the one ounce the recipe calls for. Trust me, after downing one margarita, youll want another.
Add one ounce of fresh lime juice to a shaker filled with ice. Add 1.5 ounces of good tequila. When it comes to tequila, you get what you pay for. If you try to save a few pennies by buying the cheap stuff and you will regret it the next morning. Quality tequila also tastes better. That doesnt mean you have to blow a hole in your wallet by buying the most expensive stuff on the shelf. But stay away from rotgut brands like Pepe Lopez.
Next, add one ounce of orange liqueur. Grand Mariner, Grand Gala, Triple Sec or Cointreau are common brand name terminologies you need to look for. Grand Marnier, and its cheaper cousin Grand Gala, is an orange-flavored cognac-based liqueur. Triple sec, also known as Curaçao is a strong, sweet and colorless orange flavored liqueur. Cointreau is a brand of triple sec.
Finally, a quarter ounce simple syrup. If you dont know what simple syrup is, its nothing but equal parts sugar dissolved in water. Simmer in a saucepan until the sugar is dissolved, then let cool.
Shake the ingredients, then pour over ice into a salt-rimmed glass. Enjoy!
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Whats In A Margarita 3 Simple Ingredients
Theres nothing I love more than a basket of chips and salsa and a margarita in my hand. At restaurants and bars, I tend to ask the bartender if they can make it tart. Little did I know, a true margarita drink contains no added sugar! Thats right: no simple syrup at all. Youll find that this makes the very best margarita recipe youll find.
This popular Mexican cocktail was invented in the 1930s. Its a classic sour cocktail thats on the list of International Bartender Associations IBA official cocktails. This means that theres an official definition . Heres whats in a margarita:
- Tequila
- Lime juice
How To Make The Best Margarita
Making an awesome margarita at home is easy! Heres what you need to do:
- First, salt the rim of a margarita glass. Rub it with a wedge of lime and dip the top of the glass in a small plate of salt. Just a heads up, its super easy to forget to do this step before you start mixing up your cocktail . But in order for you to get a good salt rim on your glass, it has to be empty. You need to be able to turn the glass upside down so that you can dip it in the salt, so always remember to do this step first!
- Next, mix up your drink! Add the tequila, Cointreau, and freshly squeezed lime juice to the glass, and stir to combine. Top the glass with ice cubes or crushed ice, and add a splash of agave nectar or simple syrup.
- Finally, taste and adjust. In order to make a cocktail you really love, youre going to have to taste and adjust. If you prefer a sweeter drink, add more agave, simple syrup, or even a splash of orange juice. If you like a stiffer drink, add more tequila and Cointreau. I like mine really tangy, just as the recipe is written. Garnish your glass with a lime slice, and enjoy!
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
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Do You Really Need Cointreau
Yes! The very best margarita recipe has Cointreau. Triple Sec is often used in margaritas, but it just doesnt do it here. Cointreau has a orange perfume flavor thats well balanced between bitter and sweet, but Triple Sec can have a more harsh flavor. If youre not sure whether you want to buy a bottle, there are lots of Cointreau drinks like the Sidecar, Lemon Drop Martini, and Cosmopolitan.
Fun fact: triple sec means triple distilled: its actually not a brand name! Cointreau is a brand of triple sec: its triple distilled.
How Do You Make A Skinny Margarita
For my favorite skinny margarita recipe, I just make a couple of tiny changes compared to a classic margarita. Replace the Triple Sec with freshly squeezed orange juice for that simple orange flavor without the extra calories. You can also use agave syrup to add a bit of sweetness to your liking. This comes out to less than 200 calories for a large glass of my skinny margaritas!
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What Is The Best Tequila For Margaritas
You can use whatever tequila you like for margaritas, but I prefer to go with cheaper options rather than the best Tequila. Once its mixed in, having the highest quality Tequila wont matter.
That being said, I also dont pick the cheapest Tequila. Go for a good mid-range Tequila and youll be set. Repasado Tequilas are much smoother than Blanco Tequilas, so I prefer that.
What’s The Difference Between A Daiquiri And A Margarita

The daiquiri and margarita are two very popular classic cocktails that have a similar sweet-tart flavor profile. The original recipes for both use lime juice, though the daiquiri has a rum base and is typically sweetened with simple syrup rather than triple sec. Both cocktails can be made with a variety of fruits or tossed in the blender too.
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Why Make This Recipe
+ The best margarita cocktail around! These lime margaritas on the rocks are guilt free compared to a traditional margarita since there is no processed sugars and all the ingredients are completely natural with no triple sec and using the juice of fresh lime.
+ It’s all about fresh lime juice here. Make sure to use fresh juice from fresh citrus fruits because boy does it make the difference in a margarita! Plus lime juice is alkaline to help balance the acidity levels in the body from alcohol.
+ Refreshing cocktail! This skinny margarita recipe is so tasty, light and refreshing! And with the high humidity heat in Texas, you’ll be sure to find me poolside sipping on these skinny margaritas! Since there is less sugar and it is lower in calories, I love that I don’t pack on pounds like other margaritas tend to do.
Make Homemade Margarita Mix
Homemade margaritas are so easy to make from scratch, so I dont think pre-made margarita mixes are really necessary. However, you can make your own homemade margarita mix .
If youre planning to host a party, a mix will make the drink-making process much easier!
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How To Make A Margarita On The Rocks Step
This article is about how to make a margarita on the rocks. If you would like to learn how to make a frozen margarita, we’ve got you covered.
A classic margarita has just a few simple ingredients: tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice. With so few components, and no sugary, faux-fruit sweeteners, it’s best to start with high-quality booze and real honest-to-goodness limes.
As for the alcohol, I like this tequila, which was featured on our holiday gift guide, but any blanco or reposado tequila will work. Choose blanco if you like a crisp-tasting margaritait’s the least aged tequila, has a clear appearance, and generally has a vegetal taste and aroma. If you like a margarita with a little more complexity, go for reposado, which has been aged in oak from 2 months to 1 year and has a smoother taste and golden color. You may also see joven tequila, a blend of blanco and reposado, which is also a great margarita base, as well as añejo and extra-añejo . Those last two are considered sipping tequilas, and not something you would typically use for a mixed drink .
Finally, there’s the mezcal margarita. Mezcal is essentially tequila that’s undergone a smoking process during production and makes for a margarita that pairs exceptionally well with a grilled Mexican feast.