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Here’s how to make the best homemade margarita recipe! Learn the ingredients and ratio to make the classic, plus popular riffs on this drink.

Best margarita

The homemade margarita is at the top of our list of great cocktail recipes you should know. Crisp, cool, tart and refreshing, it’s one of the most popular and versatile drinks of all time. From late night drinks to a dinner party to brunch, there’s no time that’s not better with a margarita in hand.

Here are the very best homemade margarita recipes you can make! Start with the classic way, then venture into more types of margaritas: frozen, skinny, pitcher, beer, jalapeno…even margarita mix! There are countless ways to change up this incredible cocktail. Below the recipes, we’ll share more tips on margarita ingredients, how to make a margarita, the best tequila for margaritas, and more.

And now…the best margarita recipes!

We couldn’t narrow it down to just 21! Try these other deliciously inventive margarita recipes:

  1. Prickly Pear Margarita Beautifully pink and sweet!
  2. Hibiscus Margarita Floral and delicate.
  3. Texas Margarita Make it the Texas way with OJ!
  4. Agave Margarita Sweeten with agave instead.
  5. Hennessy Margarita Use Cognac to step up your marg.
  6. Vodka Margarita Yes, you can make a margarita with vodka.
  7. Patron Margarita Make it with the best tequila.
  8. Orange Margarita One of our favorite fresh spins.
  9. Triple Sec Margarita Triple sec makes a zippy citrus flavor.
  10. Raspberry Margarita This bright berry spin takes the cake.
  11. Blackberry Margarita Dark purple berries make magic.

Margarita ingredients & margarita ratio

Out of all the margarita recipes, there’s nothing better than a classic margarita! It’s tart, with just the right bite from the tequila and scent of orange from the Cointreau. Did you know the classic margarita has no added sugar? Many bars and mixes load it down with sugar. But that strays far from an authentic margarita.

The margarita is a classic alcoholic drink on the list of International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails. This means that there’s an “official” definition for margarita ingredients and the margarita ratio. Here’s the perfect formula:

  • 1 ½ ounces tequila
  • 1 ounce Cointreau
  • ¾ ounce lime juice

Some people say the margarita ratio is 3, 2, 1: 3 tablespoons tequila, 2 tablespoons Cointreau and 1 tablespoon lime juice. Here we use the ratio 3, 2, 1.5, since we like our margaritas on the tart side. Feel free to experiment with the ratio that’s right for you!

How to make a margarita at home (3 steps!)

Once you’ve got the ingredients, you’re good to go! Here’s how to make margaritas at home — the single drink method:

  1. Rim the glass with salt. A classic margarita has salt on the rim. Why? The salt enhances the sweet and sour flavors in the drink!
  2. Shake in a cocktail shaker. Take that tequila, Cointreau and lime juice and shake it together in a cocktail shaker with 4 ice cubes.
  3. Strain into a glass. Add ice if serving on the rocks. The margarita is often served in a lowball or Old Fashioned glass, though of course you can use the classic margarita glass too. If you’d like to serve it on the rocks, throw in a few ice cubes (use Clear Ice for a stunning look).

Want to make 8 servings at once? Try our Margarita Pitcher instead! It’s even easier.

Skinny margarita

Best tequila for a margarita

Here’s the key to how to make all the types of margaritas above: buy a good tequila! A cocktail is only as good as the alcohol you use. Instead of recommending a specific brand, look for a mid-price range tequila (or a high end one, if your budget allows). The price is typically an indicator of quality. The other tip: use tequila reposado instead of blanco! Because it’s aged, it has a more interesting flavor. Here’s the difference between these types of tequila:

  • Tequila blanco (or “new” tequila) has been aged less than 2 months and has a strong, straightforward flavor.
  • Tequila reposado (“rested” in Spanish) is aged longer, from 2 to 12 months. It has a more nuanced flavor, with notes of oak and vanilla.

Read more at Best Tequila for Margaritas.

How to make a salt rim

The salt rim is essential to all of these margarita recipes. The salt enhances the flavors in the drink, and gives it that classic look. Try our Margarita Salt for a colorful flair: lime zest and orange zest add beautiful orange and green. Here’s how to make a salt rim:

  • Spread on a plate: Spread the kosher salt, flaky sea salt, or margarita salt on a plate in an even layer.
  • Wet the glass with a lime: Take a lime wedge and cut a notch in the middle: then slide it around the rim of the glass. This perfectly moistens the glass rim without having to use your fingers!
  • Rim the outside edge only: Tilt the glass so that only the outside edge goes into the salt. You don’t want it on the inside where it can fall into the drink. Shake off any loose salt into the sink.

Try clear ice to look like a pro!

Want a professional look to your margarita recipes? Add clear ice! It will make your drink look like it came from a trendy bar, but you can easily make it in your own home. All you need is a small cooler and 24 hours. Go to How to Make Clear Ice.

Virgin margarita
Clear ice makes for a stunning cocktail.

These margarita recipes are…

Vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free and gluten-free.

Print
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Margarita

The Original Margarita Recipe


  • Author: Sonja Overhiser
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 0 minutes
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 1 drink 1x

Description

Here’s how to make the best homemade margarita recipe! Learn the ingredients and ratio to make the classic and popular riffs on this drink.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 ½ ounces (3 tablespoons) tequila blanco or reposado
  • 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) Cointreau
  • ¾ ounce (1 ½ tablespoons) fresh lime juice
  • Kosher salt or flaky sea salt, for the rim
  • For the garnish: Lime wedge

Instructions

  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 flaky sea 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.
  • Category: Cocktails
  • Method: Shaken
  • Cuisine: Mexican
  • Diet: Vegan

Keywords: Margarita recipes, margarita recipe, How to make a margarita, How to make margaritas at home, Margarita ingredients, Margarita ratio, Homemade margarita

Last updated: March 2021

About the authors

Sonja & Alex

Meet Sonja and Alex Overhiser: Husband and wife. Expert home cooks. Authors of recipes you’ll want to make again and again.

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3 Comments

  1. Is that salt putting process mandatory beside the glass? I don’t like salt too much that’s why, I want to avoid it.