How to Make a Margarita

This easy classic cocktail recipe for the Margarita brings summer to any party! With a side of chips and salsa, it’s really the perfect summer cocktail.

For a super simple cocktail, like the Margarita, you have loads of choices. Salt or no salt, 100% agave or mixto tequila, Triple Sec, Cointreau or Grand Marnier, sugar syrup or agave? Every margarita tells a different story and it’s up to you to write it.

Where was the cocktail born

There are loads of creation myths for the Margarita. I love the singer Peggy Lee, so, as much as I know this is probably untrue, I want to imagine bartender Santos Cruz, at the Balinese Room in Galveston, Texas, mixing it up for her while she croons Fever.

If we are going with cocktail historian David Wondrich, then the Margarita, which is the Spanish word for daisy, belongs to the daisy style of cocktails. The Daisy cocktail is almost the same as the Margarita – tequila, sugar, orange liqueur, but lemons instead of limes and a dash of soda.

Another urban myth is that it was invented when a woman mixed up tequila, lime juice and Cointreau at her hotel bar in Acapulco, Mexico, in 1948. I would probably go with David Wondrich on this!

What tequila should you use in a Margarita

Blanco tequila is called for in a Margarita. I would always chose 100% Agave if given the chance. That means that the liquid inside the bottle is make from 100% of the agave plant and nothing else is added. Spend the money to get a good tequila, it makes all the difference.

What orange liqueur should you choose

Triple Sec, Cointreau and Grand Marnier are three of the most well-known orange liqueurs, but there is also Curacao from the island of Curacao and Filfar from Cyprus, and loads of others I am sure. First up, when making your margarita, I would use whatever you have in your house. See if you like it, if not then try one of the others.

• Triple Sec is original ingredient and the one to try first.
• Cointreau is the most common replacement of Triple Sec.
• Grand Marnier is made from brandy and distilled essence of oranges and gives a heavier mouthfeel.

Should I rim the edge with salt?

The answer to the salt or no salt question is it’s up to you. I hate salt, but others love it. It is supposed to cut the harshness of the tequila, but if you are using a great tequila, there is no harshness to cut!

Top Tip(ple)🍸: Discover what Pritesh Mody adds to his Margarita instead of salt to give it that zing on my Lush Life podcast!

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How to make the Margarita

You need the following ingredients and equipment to make the Margarita:

Here is the recipe:

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