Say goodbye to overly sweet restaurant margaritas and hello to the perfect homemade classic margarita! Our recipe strikes the ideal balance between tart lime juice, smooth tequila, rich orange liqueur, with just enough agave syrup to round out the flavors. The result? A crisp, refreshing cocktail with bright citrus notes and a smooth finish. Whether you’re hosting a dinner party or simply unwinding after a long day, this timeless cocktail delivers pure margarita perfection in every sip.

Close up of a classic margarita on the rocks in a salt rimmed rocks glass with a lime slice.

Our passion for home mixology has evolved over years. From weekend experimentation to entertaining friends, we’ve devoted a lot of time to perfecting classic cocktail recipes. And this margarita recipe represents the pinnacle of our tequila-based endeavors!

Through careful testing and thoughtful adjustments, we’ve fine-tuned every aspect. We’ve learned that using freshly squeezed lime juice is non-negotiable, quality tequila makes a world of difference, and a tiny bit of agave syrup provides a cleaner sweetness that works wonderfully with the other ingredients. The result is a consistently exceptional margarita that delivers a restaurant-quality (actually, better-than-restaurant-quality) margarita anyone can recreate at home.

You’ll Love Our Margarita on the Rocks!

Customizable. When making margaritas at home, you can adjust the sweetness, tartness, and strength to perfectly suit your preference. Too tart? Add a bit more agave. Want it stronger? Add an extra splash of tequila. This ensures you get your ideal margarita every time.

Better Ingredients. This recipe doesn’t use any funny mixes that often contain artificial flavors, preservatives, and an excessive amount of sugar. We’re using fresh lime juice, quality tequila and orange liqueur, and a natural sweetener to give you a cleaner, fresher, and more flavorful drink experience.

Cost Effective. While the initial investment in good tequila and orange liqueur might seem significant, making margaritas at home is substantially more economical than ordering them at bars or restaurants, especially when entertaining friends.

Great Cocktail Option for Hosting! Margaritas are the ultimate crowd-pleaser that instantly creates a festive atmosphere. They can be batch-prepared ahead of time (we give you pitcher directions below), allowing you to spend more time with your guests instead of playing bartender all night.

Ingredients for a Margarita Cocktail

Ingredients needed to make a classic margarita on the rocks.

Fresh Lime Juice. Lime juice is a MUST when making a margarita! This ingredient adds that pop of citrus you’d expect from this drink. Fresh squeezed tastes best.
Orange Liqueur. Orange liqueur is another common ingredient for margaritas. It adds additional citrus notes and sweetness to our drink. We use Grand Marnier (it’s the type of orange liqueur we always have), but Cointreau or Triple Sec are both commonly used for margaritas and would be a great choice!
Blanco Tequila. A good tequila makes a good margarita!
Agave Syrup. Sweetens our cocktail naturally, and helps to balance our drink. Agave is the natural choice for margaritas because tequila is also made from the agave plant!
Ice. Used for shaking and serving.
Optional Garnish: Lime Wedge or Lime Wheel. A simple, easy, and elegant garnish choice. Add it to the rim or your glass, or simply toss it right in your drink.
Optional: Salt Rim. Adding a salt rim to a margarita not only looks nice, but it acts as a flavor enhance for our drink too!

For all ingredient measurements, see the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

The Best Tequila for Margaritas: Blanco or Reposado

Tequila blanco, also called white tequila or silver tequila, is the best tequila option to use in margaritas. This unaged tequila has a clean, crisp flavor that let’s the other ingredients’ flavors shine. Because of this light flavor and it’s affordable price-point, blanco tequila is often considered one of the best types of tequila for mixed drinks.

For a premium cocktail use a reposado tequila. Aged up to 1 year, reposado tequilas still have a mellow flavor and a bit of sweetness (often showcasing notes of caramel and vanilla). This type of tequila is often used in premium mixed drinks.

How to Make a Margarita from Scratch

Process shot showing a lime wedge being run along the rim of a rocks glass.

If rimming your glass, run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass to wet it.

Process shot showing the rim of a rocks glass after just being dipped in coarse salt.

Then dip the glass (or gently roll it) in coarse salt. Set aside.

Process shot showing lime juice being poured into a cocktail shaker.

Add the tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, and agave syrup to a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice.

Process shot showing the cocktail shaker being shaken.

Cap the shaker tightly and shake it vigorously until the outside of the shaker is very cold (about 15 seconds).

Process shot showing the traditional margarita cocktail being poured from the shaker into a rocks glass.

Strain the contents of the shaker into your serving glass with ice.

Process shot showing a lime slice being placed on the rim of the glass.

If desired, add a lime wedge or wheel for garnish and enjoy!

Make this for a Crowd: Pitcher Margarita Instructions

Having a party? Mix up a pitcher of margaritas to share! All you need to remember is our simple ratio: 1-1-1-⅓.

In a large pitcher, add equal parts tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice with ⅓ of that amount agave syrup. Add a handful or two of ice and stir to combine. Taste and adjust according to your preference. Serve over ice and enjoy!

For example: 1 cup tequila, 1 cup orange liqueur, 1 cup lime juice, and ⅓ cup agave syrup. The quantities will vary based on the size of pitcher you use.

Bonus points if you prep serving glasses ahead of time with a salt rim! I like to do a little assembly line and knock out a bunch all at once.

Variations on Classic Margaritas

Make it spicy! If you love your margarita to have a bit of a kick, muddle one or two jalapeño slices in the cocktail shaker before adding in the rest of your ingredients and shaking. Garnish with jalapeño slices too (for that cute factor). You can also use serrano chiles, prepared the same way, if preferred. Note: with both of these peppers, a little goes a long way! Start with one or two and amp up the spice from there.

Make it smoky with Mezcal. If you’re a lover of Mezcal margaritas, this is the variation for you! Simply replace the blanco tequila 1-for-1 with your favorite brand of Mezcal (a smoky distilled spirit).

Use simple syrup instead of agave syrup. If you have classic simple syrup on hand (or even a batch of our honey simple syrup), you can use this to sweeten your cocktail in place of the agave. Start with a 1-to-1 swap and adjust according to your taste.

Customize your rim. Try a combination of salt and Tajín for a fun chili-lime salted rim. A sugar rim is another fun option for your margarita. Sometimes I will do a blend of sugar and salt for a sweet-salty version!

What to Serve with Margaritas

Margaritas pairs nicely with any and all of your favorite Mexican and Tex-Mex foods!

You really can’t beat sipping on a marg with a side of chips, salsa, and some guacamole. Or enjoy your drink with a meal like our crispy fish tacos, vegetarian sheet pan tacos with chimichurri, or using our slow cooker salsa chicken for tacos!

Love This Recipe? Try One of These Easy Tequila Cocktails Next!

Did you make this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating & comment below! You can also tag @ourlovelanguageisfood on Instagram & Facebook. Be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter to get free recipes sent directly to your inbox!

Comments

5 from 2 votes

Classic Margarita Recipe