Traditional Margarita

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.

This classic margarita recipe delivers the crisp, refreshing cocktail you’ve been craving! Our homemade version strikes the ideal balance between tart lime juice, smooth tequila, and rich orange liqueur, with just a touch of agave syrup to round out the flavors. The result is a bright, citrusy cocktail with a clean finish that beats any restaurant version or store-bought mix you’ve tried.

As passionate home bartenders, my husband and I have spent 15+ years perfecting our cocktail recipes through weekend experimentation and entertaining family and friends. We absolutely love a good margarita, and they’re so fun and easy to mix up! This recipe is perfect for taco night or when hosting, especially during the summer months to sip out on the patio.

Through extensive testing and careful adjustments, we’ve discovered the key elements that make this margarita recipe exceptional. Fresh lime juice is absolutely essential (bottled just doesn’t do the trick), quality tequila makes a noticeable difference in taste, and agave syrup is the natural sweetener choice since both tequila and agave syrup come from the agave plant. These thoughtful ingredient choices, in the outlined ratios, come together to create a consistently delicious margarita that anyone can recreate at home with confidence.

Classic Margarita Ingredients

• 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: Single Serve

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

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

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

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

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

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

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!