Recipe Roundup

21 Margarita Recipes to Kick Off Your Weekend, Jimmy Buffet Optional

These margs go way beyond basic, and frozen or on the rocks is only the beginning.
Three grilled fruit Margaritas in glasses.
Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton

There’s no need to be wastin’ away, searchin’ for your lost shaker of salt or some good margarita recipes—we have every drink you need right here. Sometimes nothing but the classic margarita will do, but these variations all deserve your attention. Start with a bottle of the good stuff, then try muddling in fresh fruit or experimenting with spice and fresh herbs. Some of these recipes swap the tequila for mezcal; others switch out the orange liqueur for other options. Catch up on your margarita history, then scroll down for all of our favorite recipes.

  • Three margarita cocktails in glasses with salted rims.
    Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert
    1/21

    The Classic Margarita

    We couldn’t make a list of margarita recipes without this classic. To be honest, it's a formula that’s simple enough to memorize: 2 parts good tequila, 1 part Cointreau or other triple sec, and 1 part freshly squeezed lime juice. Once you've made it, feel free to start adjusting to your personal preferences: some folks decrease both the orange liqueur and lime juice a bit, others decrease just the lime or replace part of the orange liqueur with simple syrup.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart
    2/21

    Blackberry Margarita

    Margaritas take well to variations, but the additions don't have to be complicated. Muddling sweet, ripe blackberries makes a world of difference in this juicy summer marg. Peychaud’s bitters are the secret ingredient that make this taste like you got it in a fancy cocktail bar.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Kaitlin Wayne
    3/21

    Frozen Margarita

    Making this frozen margarita recipe is as easy as could be, but if it's a super-hot day, you may want to start by stashing your bottle of tequila in the freezer.

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  • Photo by Chelsea Kyle, Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio, Food Styling by Michelle Gatton
    4/21

    3-Ingredient Grilled Orange Margarita

    Grilling fruit gives it a warm sweetness and the barest touch of smoke. Here, juicy grilled oranges contribute wonderful depth to a spin on the classic margarita. Añejo tequila is extra-rich and smooth from barrel-aging, and it works beautifully here. Serve at your next cookout.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    5/21

    Frozen Mango Margarita

    A sunny mango margarita is best with really ripe fruit—but you can adjust with a pinch of sugar if needed.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Stevie Stewart
    6/21

    Avocado Margarita

    Don't be afraid of the phrase “avocado cordial”—it's just a simple blender combo of avocado, lime, and sugar, plus a pinch of salt.

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  • Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Micah Marie Morton
    9/21

    Frozen Watermelon Margarita

    Frozen watermelon cubes are the key to this drink's silky-smooth texture. Serve in chilled glasses if you can.

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  • photo by Paul Elledge
    10/21

    Mezcal Margarita #2

    If you've never made a margarita recipe with mezcal, you're missing out. The slightly savory spirit makes for wonderfully complex and boldly flavored drinks. Start here, then try our other favorite mezcal cocktails.

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  • Eric Medsker Photography
    15/21

    Retox Cocktail

    This is what happens when a margarita recipe meets that old cayenne-based detox cleanse. Made with fresh jalapeños, lemon, and deeply flavorful grade B maple syrup, it's a luscious delight.

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  • Photo by Jamie Chung
    16/21

    Agave Margarita

    This famed recipe from Tommy's Mexican Restaurant in San Francisco has no triple sec. Instead, there's just blanco tequila and a bit of agave syrup for sweetness, plus lots of fresh lime.

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  • Leigh Beisch
    17/21

    Prickly Pear Margaritas

    Cactus fruits, also known as "prickly pears," are any number of fruit nodules that grow wild on the nopales cactus in the deserts of Mexico and the southwestern United States.

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  • Travis Rathbone
    18/21

    Beeritas

    For those times when you can't decide between a beer and a cocktail, this easy drink is the answer.

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  • Pornchai Mittongtare
    19/21

    Pineapple-Chile Margarita

    If desired, garnish this spicy margarita recipe with a wedge of grilled pineapple and a chile slice. This recipe makes enough for two drinks—but you might want to keep them all to yourself.

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  • 20/21

    Homemade Sweet-and-Sour Mix for Margaritas

    Homemade sour mix is so much better than anything you can buy from a grocery store shelf. Of course, it tastes best the day that it's made, so get prepped in the morning, and then declare it margarita time come afternoon.

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