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Home Cocktails

Margaritas!!!

By:Nagi
Published:7 Nov '19Updated:19 Jan '20
19 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

Stop spending a fortune on Margaritas when you’re out! Bring the party IN this weekend with homemade margaritas! It’s as easy as 1-2-3:  1 part Cointreau, 2 parts lime juice, 3 parts tequila. Shake, pour, sip!

3 Margaritas with salt rim and lime slice

Margaritas

If, like me, it makes you ill thinking how much you’ve spent on cocktails in your lifetime, it’s time to get onto the band wagon of making margaritas at home! Ridiculously easy, it’s a party starter that’s fresh and zingy with just enough sweet, and certainly with a good kick of alcohol that’s going to get you buzzing in no time!

What goes in Margaritas

Here’s what you need – it’s easy as 1-2-3:

  1. 1 part Cointreau (or other triple sec)

  2. 2 parts lime juice

  3. 3 parts tequila

(With “parts” being anything from a shot glass, a tablespoon, a mug or a bottle – just use the same measuring vehicle for each ingredient!)

No sugar! Cointreau is sweet enough as it is – and proper margaritas are meant to be fresh and zingy, not crazy sweet!

What goes in Margaritas

What’s Triple Sec?

Triple Sec is an orange flavoured alcoholic syrup. The most well known brand is Cointreau which is made in France. Triple Sec brands vary in sweetness and intensity / quality of orange flavour. Cointreau is less sweet than most, with a better orange flavour.

SKINNY Margaritas

Skinny Margaritas are all the rage nowadays – and compared to the outrageously sugary margaritas that some places serve, they are much lower in calories. It’s made with orange juice and agave syrup instead of Cointreau.

But here’s what they don’t tell you – Skinny Margaritas only have 15 calories less than classic margaritas made properly with no added sugar.

So, here’s what you need for the Skinny version – and I’ve included the quantities in the recipe card below. It’s a tasty alternative, but I personally don’t make it as a lower cal alternative of classic Margaritas!

What goes into Skinny Margaritas

Both normal and skinny Margaritas can be served in any type of glass, but for the sake of distinguishing between them, here is the Skinny version in a tumbler, served with ice.

Skinny Margarita in a glass with ice, salt on the rim and lime wedge

When to serve Margaritas – and what to serve it with!

Margaritas are a classic drink of choice for parties and all things Mexican! A backyard BBQ with friends, Friday night Nachos, a Sunday Mexican fiesta!

Kick off a party with Margaritas, chips and dip – everybody’s favourite Guacamole or my infamous Pig-Out-Salsa that everyone goes bonkers over.

They’re dangerously drinkable – fresh and zingy rather than ridiculously sweet which means you don’t get sugared out, you can literally drink them all night. You can’t taste the alcohol but they are pretty darn potent!

Plus, they’re easy to make in big batch quantities – just mix up a jug and keep it in the fridge to pour on demand. Now that’s a way to keep the party going!! – Nagi x


Watch how to make it

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3 Margaritas with salt rim and lime slice

Margaritas (plus SKINNY margaritas!)

Author: Nagi
Prep: 5 mins
Cocktail
Mexican, Western
5 from 4 votes
Servings1
Tap or hover to scale
Print
Recipe video above. Classic margarita! Fresh and zingy with just a touch of sweet. Crazy sugary margaritas are just wrong!!! Use recipe SCALER to make a big jug. Bonus Skinny Margarita version provided - but NOTE if you make classic margaritas the propery way (per this recipe), they only have 15 calories more than Skinny Margaritas!

Ingredients

Margaritas:

  • 45 ml / 1.5oz tequila
  • 30 ml / 1 oz lime juice
  • 15 ml/ 0.5 oz Cointreau (or other Triple Sec) (Note 1)

Skinny Margaritas:

  • 60 ml/ 2oz tequila
  • 45 ml / 1.5 oz lime juice
  • 30 ml / 1 oz orange juice
  • 1 tsp light agave nectar (Note 2)

For serving / salt rim:

  • 1 lime wedge , plus extra for serving
  • 1/4 cup coarse salt

Instructions

Salt rim:

  • Chill glasses in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  • Place salt in small dish.
  • Rub rim lightly with lime wedge, then press rim down into salt.

Margarita (both versions):

  • Place ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake 15 times to chill well.
  • Strain into cocktail glass or tumbler. Ice in glass is optional.

Recipe Notes:

1. Triple sec is an orange flavoured liquor. The most popular brand is Cointreau.
2. Agave nectar is a natural sweetener with lower calories than sugar and other liquid sweet things like honey (it has about half the calories or honey). Nowadays can be found in large supermarkets (Australia: Coles/Woolies/Harris).
3. Big batch - make in jug and keep in the fridge. Don't use ice - they will melt and dilute the flavour. Or use non-melting ice options like reusable ice cubes (artificial ice cubes).
4. Nutrition for classic Margarita. Skinny Margarita - 148 calories with 11g carbs, it has more carbs because of the sugar in the orange juice!

Nutrition Information:

Calories: 163.05cal (8%)Carbohydrates: 9.26g (3%)Protein: 0.28g (1%)Fat: 0.11gSaturated Fat: 0.02gSodium: 28295.95mg (1230%)Fiber: 0.5g (2%)Sugar: 5.64g (6%)Vitamin C: 14.24mg (17%)Calcium: 17.52mg (2%)Iron: 0.24mg (1%)
Keywords: Margaritas, skinny margaritas
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

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19 Comments

  1. Jo says

    December 18, 2021 at 6:07 pm

    Yum! Made these last night for a few mates. We picked our lime tree bare so had to continue with oranges… soo good! We all loved how refreshing and not too sweet they were. Beautiful with Greek chicken kebabs on the bbq. We used salt and sugar on the rims. Mmm!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 20, 2021 at 5:39 pm

      My fave drink too, Jo!! N x

      Reply
  2. Lorraine says

    October 7, 2021 at 1:49 am

    5 stars
    Alcohol all the way for me. Thought it’d be too limey for me but, wow, simply delicious.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      October 7, 2021 at 5:18 pm

      Ha Ha!! Summertime fun! Nx❤️

      Reply
      • Lili says

        January 24, 2022 at 11:03 pm

        Hi Nagi – thank you for sharing your awesome recipes. How do I use recipe scaler to make a big jug of this? I’d like to make it before the guests arrive…

        Reply
  3. Nikita says

    October 2, 2021 at 10:48 pm

    Hi Nagi! Can I replace Agave Nectar with honey? Thanks!

    Reply
  4. Alison says

    August 2, 2021 at 7:48 am

    5 stars
    We had a taco night on Saturday and invited some friends over. Your margarita recipe was a big hit. Thank you Nagi!

    Reply
  5. April says

    May 24, 2021 at 4:54 am

    5 stars
    Perfect summertime beverage! Do you have a strawberry margarita version? That’s my husband’s favorite.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 24, 2021 at 8:50 am

      Hi April, I don’t sorry – I do have a strawberry daiquiri though! https://www.recipetineats.com/frozen-strawberry-daiquiri/ N x

      Reply
  6. carolyn marshall says

    February 14, 2021 at 9:37 am

    What brand of glasses do you use? They are a nice shape!

    Reply
  7. corine says

    August 7, 2020 at 7:49 pm

    Hello Nagi

    merci beaucoup pour ces superbe recette
    j’adore ton chien il est trop drôle

    Reply
  8. Leslie says

    April 18, 2020 at 2:47 am

    I got included in a recipe exchange. I thought what better recipe to send then this!! We could all use a drink right now during these stressful times!! Take care! Thank you Nagi

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 18, 2020 at 5:59 pm

      Yes 100% Leslie! N x

      Reply
  9. alimak says

    December 30, 2019 at 2:30 pm

    5 stars
    oh my!!! oh my, oh my, oh MY!!!

    I feel wonderful …………… and pretty, I feel pretty ……………

    YUM

    (maybe shouldn’t have made a jugful when I’m home alone, hahahahahahaha)

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 31, 2019 at 10:40 am

      I’m not judging at all!! 😉

      Reply
  10. Jan Rhoades says

    December 7, 2019 at 7:08 am

    I love reading your page and keeping up with Dozer.
    I’m keen to try those yummy looking cheese puffs. They look delicious and divine and so easy to make.
    Keep up the good work and thanks for the entertainment

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      December 8, 2019 at 1:55 pm

      Thanks so much Jan!

      Reply
  11. Lynette says

    November 9, 2019 at 8:11 pm

    Hi Nagi
    Was feeling miserable with hay fever.
    Made your Margarita and nowI feel wonderful.
    Thank you lovely girl.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      November 10, 2019 at 6:19 pm

      A good margarita can fix any ailment 😉

      Reply

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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