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Our best margarita recipe is simple and classic, with fresh lime balanced by crisp tequila and citrusy orange liqueur. Here’s how to make a basic margarita—in 5 minutes with 3 ingredients! It’s a true fan favorite.
There’s a reason the margarita is the world’s most popular tequila cocktail! This classic drink hits just the right balance of boozy tequila, zingy lime, and sweet orange liqueur. Alex and I are cocktail experts and certified mixologists with over 300 cocktail recipes in our library, but guess what? We keep coming back to this classic formula.
Why we love this basic margarita recipe: It takes just 3 ingredients for the best margarita recipe. It’s refreshing and balanced: boozy, zingy, salty, and sweet. We have made it countless times and even featured this recipe in our latest cookbook! You’ll love it, we promise.
Featured reader comment
“It was perfect. So many recipes out there are too sweet. This is a homerun!” -Rachel
Ingredients in this basic margarita recipe
The margarita is one of the most popular classic cocktails of all time, likely invented in Mexico in the 1930’s. Margarita means “daisy” in Spanish, so it was probably a spin on the Brandy Daisy (a family of drinks with base liquor, orange liqueur, lemon juice, and soda water). Swap in tequila and lime, and you’ve got a margarita!
You can serve a margarita straight up, or on the rocks in a lowball glass. The ingredients in this basic margarita recipe are:
- Tequila: A mid-price range tequila blanco is ideal, but you can also make the drink with tequila reposado for more nuanced, smooth flavor notes.
- Triple Sec or Cointreau: We like a margarita with Cointreau, which adds a sophisticated finish. You can also use Triple Sec, an inexpensive orange liqueur with more straightforward flavor.
- Lime juice: Always use the juice of fresh limes: bottled just can’t compare to fresh citrus.
Best tequila for margaritas
Many experts say tequila blanco is best for margaritas. Tequila blanco (“new” tequila) is unaged and has that classic burn. However, tequila reposado (aged tequila) adds depth of flavor to this drink. We like this margarita recipe both ways! Here are a few tips for finding the best tequila for margaritas:
- Any mid-priced tequila tastes great in a margarita. Look for 750 ml bottles in the range of $22 to $35.
- Tequila blanco is ideal for margaritas. It has a straightforward agave-centric flavor and spicy finish. Some brands we like are Espolon Blanco, El Tesoro Blanco, Patrón Silver, and Casamigos.
- Tequila reposado (aged) makes a smooth, sophisticated margarita. Tequila reposado is aged 2 to 12 months in oak barrels. It has a smooth flavor and notes of oak, vanilla, and caramel. Some brands we like include Casamigos, Milagro Reposado, and Suerte Reposado.
How to make a margarita: step by step
The simple margarita recipe is quick and easy: mix it up as a single drink, 2 drinks at once, or make a margarita pitcher. Make sure to prepare the glass rim and garnishes before making the drink. Here’s how to make a single drink (or jump to the recipe):
Step 1: Add kosher salt to a plate in an even layer, then take a lime wedge and slide it around the rim of the glass. Dip the outside edge of the glass into the salt, rotating until it’s covered.
Step 2: Place 1 ½ oz tequila, 1 oz Cointreau and ¾ oz lime juice in a cocktail shaker and add 4 ice cubes. Shake it until the drink is cold.
Step 3: Strain into the glass. If serving the margarita on the rocks in a lowball or Old Fashioned glass, add clear ice. Serving straight up in a stemmed margarita glass works too.
Tip: Try our Casamigos Margarita or Patron Margarita recipes, each with different types of tequila!
Margarita rim ideas
A salt rim enhances the margarita’s sweet and sour flavors. You can use simple kosher salt or step it up with this colorful margarita salt with lime and orange zest.
Or, try a Tajín rim: it’s a Mexican seasoning blend of chili peppers, lime, and salt that adds a burst of tangy, spicy flavor.
Quick history of the margarita
🍹 A popular story suggests that the margarita was invented in 1938 by bartender Carlos “Danny” Herrera, head of the restaurant Rancho La Gloria in Tijuana. He claimed he invented the recipe for a customer who wanted a cocktail, but was allergic to all alcohol except tequila.
But a more likely origin could be this story in a 1939 Albuquerque Journal. It suggests an Irish bartender named Madden in Tijuana may have invented the drink as a riff on the brandy Daisy. He accidentally used tequila and created an entirely different drink!
Variation: margarita pitcher
Want to serve this margarita recipe for a crowd? The best way to make multiple margaritas at once is to make a pitcher. The margarita pitcher makes for 8 servings and you don’t need to shake up each drink separately, which is time consuming. Stir ice right into the pitcher to chill and dilute the drink. Here’s what to do:
- Place 1 ½ cups tequila, 1 cup Cointreau or Triple Sec, and ¾ cup fresh lime juice in a pitcher.
- Add 3 handfuls ice and stir until cold.
- Pour into the prepared glasses.
Use clear ice for margarita on the rocks
❄️ The best way to make a margarita on the rocks? Use clear ice, artisanal ice that is crystal clear and can be cut into beautiful organic shapes. It’s a great way to take a cocktail from good to glamorous! You can make your own clear ice at home using a small cooler or clear ice tray. Go to How to Make Clear Ice.
Margarita recipe variations
There are many variations on the basic margarita! While the classic simple margarita remains our favorite, there are lots of great ways to mix up the formula. Here are some of our top margarita recipes:
- Try a frozen margarita for a summery spin.
- Make it spicy with a jalapeno margarita, or smoky for a mezcal margarita.
- Swap in Grand Marnier to make a sophisticated Cadillac margarita, amaretto for an Italian Margarita, or beer for a beer margarita.
- Try fruity spins like the strawberry margarita, mango margarita, pineapple margarita, and more.
Frequently asked questions
For the most authentic flavor, use a 100% agave tequila. Blanco (silver) tequila is the classic choice, but reposado (aged) tequila can add a smoother flavor profile.
A common starting point is the 3:2:1 ratio – 1.5 oz tequila, 1 oz orange liqueur, and ½ oz lime juice. Feel free to adjust these proportions based on your taste preference.
While convenient, pre-made sour mix often contains artificial ingredients and added sugar. Fresh lime juice provides the best flavor for a classic margarita.
Taste your margarita as you go! Adjust the sweetness with agave nectar or simple syrup, and the tartness with fresh lime juice. Start with a small amount of sweetener and add more to taste.
Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass to moisten it. Dip the rim upside down into a plate filled with coarse kosher salt or another flavored salt of your choice.
Infuse your tequila: Let fruits, herbs, or spices infuse your tequila for a unique twist.
Get creative with fruits: Muddle fresh fruits like strawberries, mangoes, or peaches for a fruity twist.
Spicy kick: Add a jalapeno slice or a dash of hot sauce for a spicy margarita.
Pre-squeeze your lime juice and prepare any simple syrup in advance. However, assemble and serve margaritas right before drinking for the freshest flavors and perfect consistency (especially for frozen margaritas).
Classic Margarita Recipe
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
Description
Here’s how to make the classic margarita recipe! It’s easy with just 3 ingredients: tequila, lime, and orange liqueur.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces tequila blanco or reposado*
- 1 ounce Cointreau or Triple Sec
- ¾ ounce fresh lime juice
- Kosher salt or flaky sea salt, for the rim
- Lime wedge, for the garnish
Instructions
- 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.
- Place all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with 4 ice cubes and shake until cold.
- Strain the margarita into the glass with the salted rim. Fill the glass with ice and serve.
- For a margarita pitcher (8 servings): Place 1 ½ cups tequila, 1 cup Cointreau or Triple Sec, and ¾ cup lime juice in a pitcher. Add 3 handfuls ice and stir until cold. Pour into the prepared glasses.
Notes
- For a spicy variation, add 3 to 4 jalapeno pepper slices to the cocktail shaker, or go to Jalapeno Margarita.
- For a smoky variation, replace half the tequila with Mezcal, or go to Mezcal Margarita.
- For a frozen variation, go to Frozen Margarita.
- For a virgin variation, go to Virgin Margarita.
- For fruity variations, go to Pineapple Margarita, Strawberry Margarita, Mango Margarita, or these 25 Margarita Recipes.
- Category: Cocktail
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: Cocktail
- Diet: Vegan
Very strong, but great! I made 3 double batches. Making the drinks was very fast and easy. I juiced 9 limes and had just enough juice for 3 batches.
It was perfect. So many recipes out there are too sweet. This is a homerun!
Excellent, I have never tasted tequila before in my life. I found your recipes very simple and easy to follow. I will make sure to carry a bottle of tequila while going back to India.
love this with Cointreau or even Triple Sec, I’ve only ever used some kind of margarita mix! thank you
Can I use any type of tequila for a margarita?