5 Best Margarita Recipes

No one's quite sure why national margarita day is February 22, but we're happy to join in on any holiday that celebrates one of our favorite beverages. The margarita debuted somewhere around the 1930s and has been one of America's favorite drinks ever since. Whether you like it frozen or on the rocks, with or without salt, there's a margarita for every one out there, so we put together a list of five of our favorites!

Skinny Margarita

• Kosher salt or coarsely ground sea salt
• 2 ounces (1/4 cup) tequila
• 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) fresh lime juice
• 1 ounce (2 tablespoons) fresh orange juice
• 1 teaspoon light agave nectar
• 1 lime wedge or round, for garnish

Instructions:

Pour a layer of salt onto a small plate (preferably one just slightly larger than the top of your margarita glass). Slice off a small piece of lime and run the wet edge of the slice along half of the rim of your glass. Dip the top of the glass into the salt at a 45-degree angle and roll it from side to side to catch the salt. Add ice cubes to your glass and set it aside.

Fill a small cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the tequila, freshly squeezed lime and orange juice and agave nectar. Put on the lid and shake for 30 seconds. Strain the liquid into your glass and garnish with a slice of lime.

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Mango Margarita

Ingredients:

makes 4 margaritas

• salt or Chile powder
• lime wedges
• 1 cup tequila
• 1 cup fresh mango juice
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/2 cup Cointreau
• ice cubes

On a small plate spread salt.  With lime wedges moisten rim of 6 ounce glasses.  Dip glasses into salt or Chile powder.   Place glasses into freezer to chill.

In a pitcher combine tequila, mango juice, lime juice and Cointreau.  Remove glasses from freezer and serve margarita mixture over ice. Garnish with lime slices.

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Blood Orange Margaritas

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 ounces tequila (silver or gold, based on your preference)
• 1 ounce grand mariner
• 1 1/2 ounces simple syrup
• 1 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1 1/2 ounces blood orange juice (about 1-2 oranges)
• salt for the rim, lime/orange wedges for garnish

Rim the ridge of your glass with a lime wedge and dip in margarita salt. I actually combined the salt with some blood orange sugar, but that’s up to you. Fill the glass with ice. In a cocktail shaker, combine tequila, grand marnier, simple syrup, blood orange and lime juice with ice, and shake for about 30 seconds. Pour over ice and squeeze in lemon and orange slices.

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Strawberry Margarita

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces Grand Marnier or Triple Sec
• 3 ounces Tequila
• 4 ounces lime juice
• 5 ounces strawberry simple syrup [recipe below]
• lime + fresh strawberries for garnish
• salt + sugar for the rim

Rim the ridge of your glasses with a lime wedge and dip in a mix of margarita salt + sugar [I used about 3 tablespoons salt to 2 teaspoons sugar]. Fill the glasses with ice. In a cocktail shaker, combine tequila, triple sec, simple syrup and lime juice with ice, and shake for about 30 seconds. Pour over ice and squeeze in lime slices and add a few strawberries.

For strawberry simple syrup: combine equal parts sugar and water, bring to a boil and let sugar dissolve, then turn off heat and let cool completely. Combine 1 cup simply syrup + 1 1/2 cups slices strawberries in a blender and blend until combined. I don’t mind strawberry seeds, but if you’d like you can strain the mixture over a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds.

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Blackberry Margarita

Ingredients:

For the blackberry puree:

• 6 oz blackberries
• 1/4 cup water

For the cocktails:

• 3-4 oz blackberry puree
• 9 oz lime juice
• 9 oz water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3 oz orange liqueur
• 3 oz blackberry liqueur
• 6 oz tequila

Instructions:

1. Heat berries and 1/4 water over medium heat.
2. Simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to break down the berries.
3. Pour into a strainer set over a bowl and press the pulp and juices through the stainer, into the bowl.
4. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup water and heat until sugar is dissolved and the water is clear.
5. Add puree, simple syrup, lime juice, liqueurs, and tequila in a small pitcher or carafe.
6. (If you have trouble finding blackberry liqueur, omit it or replace it with a couple extra tablespoons of blackberry puree).
7. Stir well and serve over ice.