Our Best Margarita Recipes
Spicy, sweet, fruity, or frozen — there's a margarita for every mood.
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne
Is there any cocktail more flexible than the margarita? Perfect for incorporating seasonal produce, from juicy Meyer lemons to blueberries, or for placating your friend that really prefers spicy drinks to sweet ones, the margarita is one of our favorite drinks to make year-round. Whether you're looking to make the most of that bottle of blanco tequila, aspire to select the best tequila for a margarita, or want to get a bit more creative with smoky flavors by incorporating mezcal, we've got you covered. Read on for our 15 favorite margarita recipes that range from colorful and over-the-top (looking at you, Green Beast), to classic and dependable. Oh, and don't forget to get creative with your rims!
Classic Margarita
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter
Never forget the basics: There's a right and a wrong way to make this classic cocktail.
Mumbai Margarita
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
Rose petals and rosewater make this fragrant margarita both eye-catching and delicious.
Green Beast
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
Lorenzo Antinori, founder of F&B consulting company Lorenzo Antinori Studio, uses a product from Mexico to create a geographical tie to tequila for his spin on the classic margarita. Avocado adds creaminess and serves as a thickening agent, mezcal can bring smokiness, and cracked pepper on top contributes texture.
Margherita
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling Lucy Simon
At Italian-American, Michelin-starred restaurant Don Angie in New York, Quality Branded creative director Bryan Schneider combines Finocchietto fennel liqueur with a reposado tequila and Calabrian chili-infused honey syrup for this Italian-inspired margarita.
Meyer Lemon Mezcal Margarita
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Barrett Washburne
Mezcal gives this margarita a smoky flavor, while Makrut lime leaves, ginger, and Meyer lemons add floral, tart notes to each sip.
Mezcal Margarita
Smoky mezcal brings depth to a classic margarita recipe. A combination of slightly sweeter Combier and mildly bitter Cointreau balances the floral orange notes in the drink. Double the Cointreau if Combier is unavailable.
Spicy Margarita
Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon
When it comes to making a perfect spicy margarita, just add a jalepeño pepper to the mix, which serves double-duty as an ingredient and garnish.
Sour Cherry Mezcal Margarita
This fruity spin on a margarita combines smoky mezcal, citrusy Cointreau, and sweet-tart cherry puree in a vibrant red drink perfect for late-summer sipping. Bright, pleasantly tart sour cherries are in season for a limited window, so this simple roasted puree is an easy way to preserve their flavor.
Pomegranate Margarita
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson loves a good margarita, especially when it's made with his Teremana tequila. This sweet-and-sour version has a tart kick from the pomegranate juice and a vibrant red color.
Frozen Cucumber Margaritas with Chili-Sumac Salt
Top Chef judge Gail Simmons says her recipe for Frozen Cucumber Margaritas with Chili-Sumac Salt is an an ode to the Mexican street snack fruta con chile y limón. The tequila, cucumber, and coconut water creation is blended with cilantro and lime and garnished with a chili powder, sumac, and salt rim.
Blueberry Margarita
This quick and easy margarita recipe is made with muddled blueberries and bitters.
Spicy Margarita Punch
Muddled cucumber, jalapeño, cilantro, and mint make this one extra flavorful.
Salt Air Margarita
Chef José Andrés uses Sucro, a powdered emulsifier beloved by avant-garde chefs, to make the salty foam topping for this innovative margarita recipe.
Gingerbread Margarita
This winter margarita has a warm, cozy, cake-spice panache that wouldn't be out of place at a holiday party. The spiced syrup is key: It intensifies the orange flavors of the cocktail while adding a seasonal spice hit that brings much-needed warmth during the winter months.
Grape-Margarita Paletas
Oven-roasted grapes develop a concentrated, caramelized flavor; paired with tequila, they give these deeply purple ice pops a grown-up twist. Use seedless grapes to prevent the juice from turning bitter when pureed. Blanco tequila works best in these boozy ice pops since its clean, unaged flavor lets the fruity agave shine through, a perfect match for sweet roasted red grapes.
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