Best Classic Margarita Recipe

The Margarita is a classic for a reason! Just three ingredients—tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice. Salted rim optional.

The classic margarita has a nobility that’s expressed by its simplicity—tequila, orange liqueur for sweetness, and tart lime juice.

Just three ingredients, harmoniously combined and perfectly balanced.

This is a cocktail recipe that you should memorize since it’s so easy to whip up at impromptu dinner parties, summer BBQs, or when you need a reminder of sunshine in the middle of winter.

The Story Behind The 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.

Also Read: Icy Watermelon Granita

Best Classic Margarita Recipe

Recipe by RecipeWikkiCourse: DrinksCuisine: InternationalDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

10

minutes

Calories

168

kcal

Now one of the most popular cocktails in the world, the margarita is thought to have started out as the variation on another prohibition-era drink called the “Daisy.” Spanish for “daisy,” the marg swapped in tequila for the requisite brandy and lime juice for lemon juice, and a classic was born.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 ounces blanco tequila (also called plato or silver tequila)

• 1 ounce orange liqueur, such as triple sec, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier

• 1/2 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice

• Plenty of kosher or flake salt for glass, optional (do not use iodized salt)

• Ice cubes, optional

• Lime wedges for garnish, optional

Directions

• Salt your glass (optional):
  Pour some kosher salt into a wide bowl or small dish. Take a wedge of lime and generously rub it around the rim of your glass. Dip the rim into the salt.
  Fill the glass with some fresh ice and set aside. (Skip the ice if you like your margarita straight up.)
• Make the cocktail:
  Place the tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake for 10 seconds, and then strain into a prepared cocktail glass. Garnish with a lime wedge if desired.

Notes

• Buy tequila marked “100% de agave” and that has been aged for at least 2 months.