Margarita Cocktail Recipe

The Margarita is one of the most popular cocktails in North America—for good reason. Combining the tang of lime and the sweetness of orange liqueur with tequila’s distinctive flavor profile, the classic Margarita remains one of the most recognizable and timeless examples of the sour category of cocktails (those that balance a spirit with acidic citrus juice and a sweetening element). What’s less certain, however, is the drink’s origin.

Some say the cocktail was invented in 1948 in Acapulco, Mexico, when a Dallas socialite combined blanco tequila with Cointreau and lime juice for her guests. Others say that the Margarita, which translates to daisy flower in Spanish, was an inevitable twist on the earlier Daisy cocktail, another category of drinks that follows a template of spirit, citrus, orange liqueur and soda. Make one with tequila, leave out the soda, and you get a Margarita. But regardless of how or when it was invented, the Margarita has earned its way into drinkers’ hearts.

When choosing your tequila, quality is key. Opt for a blanco made from 100% blue agave. If it doesn’t say this on the label, it’s mixto—a tequila composed of up to 49% mystery sugars. And although many people still reach for premade sour mix, using fresh lime juice will result in a vastly superior drink, and is the only way to make a quality Margarita.

Orange liqueur has long been one of the Margarita’s signature ingredients. However, as variations on the classic formula have gained in popularity, what was once a mandatory ingredient is now considered optional by others. A common substitute for orange liqueur is agave syrup, which forms the basis of the Tommy’s Margarita, an iconic variant created by Julio Bermejo in the early ’90s at Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco.

When talking Margaritas, it’s easy to get lost in stories about who invented the drink or become mired in debates over salt versus no salt, blended or frozen, triple sec, Cointreau or Grand Marnier, and so on. In our opinion, this version is the tried-and-true recipe for the best Margarita you can make. Memorize it, and you’ll always impress.

Margarita Ingredients:

To make the best margarita mix, all you really need are three basic margarita ingredients:

• Tequila: Silver or reposado is traditionally considered to be the best tequila for margaritas, but any type of tequila (or smoky mezcal or sotol) will work.
• Freshly-squeezed lime juice: For the best fresh flavor, I highly recommend juicing your own limes versus using store-bought lime juice. I swear by this citrus juicer, which makes juicing a breeze and comes in especially handy if you are making a large batch.
• Orange liqueur: Cointreau is my go-to, but Grand Marnier is also delicious or you can use a good-quality Triple Sec.

You are also welcome to add:

• Agave: If you would like to sweeten your margarita, I recommend adding agave syrup (or simple syrup, or any other sweetener you prefer) to taste.
• Kosher salt: If you would like to salt the rims of your glasses, run a lime wedge around the rims and then dip them in coarse Kosher salt or margarita salt. (I also like to mix some Tajín into my salt to give it an extra chili-lime kick.)
• Additional lime slices/wedges: Save a few extra lime slices or wedges if you would like to add them to the glass as garnish.