Simple Margarita Recipe

Here’s the absolute best simple margarita recipe! Serve this drink on the rocks with the classic ingredients: lime, Cointreau and tequila.

Stop right there. Here’s the best margarita recipe you’ll find: zingy, clear, and classic. It’s simple and uses only 3 ingredients. Many restaurants and pre-made mixes use loads of sugar, but you won’t miss it here! This classic drink is perfectly tangy and balanced. Make an individual drink or a pitcher for a night with friends. Here’s how to make the best classic margarita on the rocks…in just 5 minutes!

There’s 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 simple syrup! That’s right: just the sweetness of the orange liqueur. This makes the very best margarita recipe you’ll find.

This popular Mexican cocktail was invented in the 1930s. It’s a classic sour cocktail that’s on the list of International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails. This means that there’s an “official” definition. Here’s what’s in a margarita:

Best Simple Margarita (Classic Recipe!)

Here’s the absolute best simple margarita recipe! Serve this drink on the rocks with the classic ingredients: lime, Cointreau and tequila.

Prep: 5min

Total: 5min

Yield: 1

Nutrition Facts: servingSize None, calories 166 calories, Sugar 0.4 g, Sodium 1.1 mg, Fat 0 g, Saturated Fat 0 g, Trans Fat 0 g, Carbohydrate 1.9 g, Fiber 0.1 g, Protein 0.1 g, Cholesterol 0 mg

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) tequila blanco or reposado*
• 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) Cointreau (or Triple Sec)
• 3/4 ounce (1 1/2 tablespoons) fresh lime juice
• Kosher salt or flaky sea salt, for the rim
• For the garnish: Lime wedge

Instruction:

1. Cut a notch in a lime wedge, then run the lime around the rim of a glass. Dip the edge of the rim into a plate of salt (or for a festive look, use our Margarita Salt).
2. Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with 4 ice cubes and shake until cold.
3. Strain the margarita into the glass with the salted rim. Fill the glass with ice and serve.
4. Place 1 1/2 cups tequila, 1 cup Cointreau or Triple Sec, and 3/4 cup lime juice in a pitcher. Add 3 handfuls ice and stir until cold.

Margaritas

My favorite margarita recipe is made with just 3 easy ingredients! See instructions below for how to make a single serving or a big pitcher for a party.

Prep: 5min

Total: 5min

Yield: 1

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounces silver tequila
• 1 ounce orange liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier or Triple Sec)
• 3/4 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice
• optional sweetener: agave nectar or simple syrup, to taste
• ice
• lime wedge and coarse salt for rimming the glass
• 3 cups silver tequila
• 2 cups orange liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier or Triple Sec)
• 1 1/2 cups freshly-squeezed lime juice
• optional sweetener: agave nectar or simple syrup, to taste
• ice
• lime wedges and coarse salt for rimming the glasses

Instruction:

1. Run a lime wedge (the juicy part) around the top rim of your serving glass. Fill a shallow bowl or plate with salt, then dip the rim until it is covered with your desired amount of salt. Set aside.
2. Add tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice and a few ice cubes to a cocktail shaker. Cover and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds. Give the mix a taste and stir in a teaspoon or two of sweetener if desired.
3. Fill the prepared serving glass with ice. Strain in the margarita mix, garnish with a lime slice, serve and enjoy. Cheers!

Simple Margarita

The Margarita is a universally beloved cocktail — it’s not only America’s top cocktail, but the most favored tequila cocktail in the world. Despite its international acclaim, it’s often thought of as a traditional Mexican drink. It might not be as Mexican as you think, though. The origins of this citrusy concoction are actually quite contested, with a slew of people — from Tijuanan restaurant owners to Texan socialites — asserting that they created it. The recipe is simple enough for any one of their claims to be believable. It’s also undoubtedly delicious — earning it a spot on the menu of just about every bar in America. If you want to whip up a Marg at home, however, look no further. This simplified recipe calls for simple syrup or agave as a replacement for triple sec, offering an extra bit of sweetness to cut through the cocktail’s tart flavor profile. The Best Margarita Ingredients: Need the right tequila? See our picks for the best tequilas for Margaritas! Need the right liqueur? See our picks for the best triple secs and orange liqueurs for Margaritas! Short on time? See our picks for the best Margarita mixes! Read on for the Simple Margarita Recipe!

Yield: 1

Nutrition Facts: calories 194 calories

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces blanco tequila
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice
• ½ ounce simple syrup or agave syrup
• Salted rim optional
• Garnish: Lime wheel

Instruction:

1. Take a lime wedge and slide it along the outside rim of your rocks glass.
2. Gently dip the edge of the glass into coarse sea salt, then set aside.
3. Combine tequila, lime juice, and syrup in a cocktail shaker with ice.
4. Shake and strain into your prepared rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
5. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Margarita

Fresh lime juice is the answer to the question: how to make a margarita that is unforgettable. A classic margarita should have a nice balance of both sweet and sour. This particular cocktail won’t lie; most prepared mixes don’t taste as bright and fresh as the real thing so taking the time to squeeze juice before bartending is key.

Prep: 0 5min0

Total: 0 10min0

Yield: 1 serving

Serving Size: 1 of 1 servings

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 of 1 servings, calories 1114, Fat 0g, Saturated Fat 0g, Carbohydrate 238g, Fiber 2g, Sugar 228g, Protein 1g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 1570mg

Ingredients:

• Ice cubes
• 3 ounces tequila
• 2 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
• 1 ounce Simple Syrup, recipe follows
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon orange liqueur
• 1 tablespoon Lime-salt-sugar, recipe follows
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• Zest of one lime
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Instruction:

1. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add tequila, lime juice, Simple Syrup and orange liqueur. Cover and shake until mixed and chilled, about 30 seconds. (In general, the drink is ready by the time the shaker mists up.) Place Lime-salt-sugar on a plate. Press the rim of a chilled rocks or wine glass into the mixture to rim the edge. Strain margarita into the glass.
2. Put the sugar and water in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. (Alternatively, heat in the microwave.) Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.
3. Blend together lime, salt and sugar in a small blender or mini food chopper.

How to Make an Easy Margarita – The Easiest Way

FAQ

What is the formula for a margarita?

What is a classic margarita made of?

Is triple sec necessary for margaritas?

What is in homemade margarita?

• 1 1/2 ounces silver tequila.
• 1 ounce orange liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier or Triple Sec)
• 3/4 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice.
• optional sweetener: agave nectar or simple syrup, to taste.
• ice.
• lime wedge and coarse salt for rimming the glass.