This is my go-to recipe for fresh squeezed margaritas! Whether I’m making regular margaritas or if I want to get creative with fresh fruit that I have lying around the house, I use this recipe as my margarita “base”.
If you don’t have Cointreau, you can always substitute with Grand Marnier. I have also found that using a few dashes of Orange Bitters also works if you’re in a pinch!
In the summertime, I am constantly making pitchers of fresh margaritas, which means I am constantly squeezing limes (and running out of limes!) A huge time saver for me is buying fresh squeezed lime juice from the grocery store if I know I am going to making margaritas for a bigger crowd. Trust me, it is WELL worth it and it saves time, plus you don’t have to make a mess in the kitchen squeezing lime after lime.
Yield: 1 large margarita | Prep Time: 10 minutes |
Ingredients:
½ cup Fresh Lime Juice
Juice of 1 Orange
3 1/2 ounces Silver Tequila (I prefer to use a higher quality Tequila-always look for a tequila that says 100% agave)
2 Ounces Cointreau (You can opt for Grand Marnier)
1 Tablespoon Agave Nectar
2 Tablespoons Water
1/2 of Jalepeno, seeds taken out (Optional)
Cucumber Slices (Optional)
Ice
Equipment:
Martini Shaker
Ice
1 Small Plate (for salting the rim)
Long Spoon
Glass pitcher
Garnishes:
· Lime Wedges
· Orange Peels
· Chile Tajin
· Jalapeños
Directions:
(If you would like a salted margarita rim, then you will do this before you make the margaritas.)
1. To salt your rim, I like to take a lime or orange wedge and run it around the rim of the glass. Make sure to generously apply to get all sides of the glass. Next, dip the rim of the glass in chile tajin or kosher salt, and set aside.
(Pro Tip: I pour about 4 Tablespoons of the chile tajin or salt onto a small plate so it is easier to dip the rim of the glass into).
2. Combine the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Add the lime juice, orange juice, tequila, agave and water in the cocktail shaker. Stir together with spoon. Add ½ cup of ice and shake the cocktail shaker for at least 30 seconds. Taste margarita mixture to see if you need to adjust flavor, (you may want to add a teaspoon of agave nectar if you like a sweeter margarita).
3. Fill glasses with ice. Pour margarita over ice and enjoy! Have fun with garnish and add a fresh lime wedge, jalapeños, cucumber slices or even an orange peel.