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Classic Margarita cocktail with salt rim and lime wedge
Classic Cocktails5 min read

How to Make a Margarita

The Margarita is arguably the world's most popular cocktail — and for good reason. It's simple, refreshing, and perfectly balanced. Three ingredients, five minutes, and you have a drink that tastes like a beach vacation.

The Classic Margarita

Ingredients

  • Blanco tequila2 oz
  • Fresh lime juice1 oz
  • Triple sec (or Cointreau)¾ oz
  • Coarse salt (for rim)optional

Instructions

  1. 1. If using salt, run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass and dip in coarse salt.
  2. 2. Add tequila, lime juice, and triple sec to a shaker with ice.
  3. 3. Shake hard for 15 seconds until well-chilled.
  4. 4. Double-strain into your prepared glass over fresh ice.
  5. 5. Garnish with a lime wheel or wedge.

Pro Tips for the Best Margarita

🍋 Use Fresh Lime Juice (Not Bottled)

This is the #1 mistake people make. Bottled lime juice has preservatives that taste flat and slightly bitter. Fresh limes take 30 seconds to juice and make a world of difference. One good lime yields about 1 oz of juice.

🥃 Choose a Good Blanco Tequila

Look for 100% blue agave on the label — this means it's real tequila, not a mixto (which can be up to 49% sugar alcohol). Good options under $30: Espolòn, Olmeca Altos, El Jimador, or Milagro Silver. If you want to splurge: Fortaleza Blanco or Casamigos.

🧂 Salt Rim: Yes or No?

Salt enhances the sweet-tart flavors of the drink, but it's personal preference. Try a half-salt rim (salt only the outside half of the glass) so you can taste both with and without. Use coarse kosher or sea salt — never fine table salt.

❄️ Shake, Don't Stir

Margaritas need a hard shake with plenty of ice. This chills the drink, properly dilutes it (about 20%), and creates a slight frothiness from the citrus. Stirring won't achieve the same texture.

5 Margarita Variations to Try

🍅

Tommy's Margarita

Replace triple sec with ½ oz agave nectar. Created at Tommy's in San Francisco. Let the tequila shine.

🌶️

Spicy Margarita

Muddle 2-3 jalapeño slices in the shaker before adding ingredients. Start mild — you can always add more heat.

🥭

Mango Margarita

Add 1 oz mango purée or muddle fresh mango. Garnish with a mango slice. Perfect for summer.

🍇

Cranberry Margarita

Add ½ oz cranberry juice for a beautiful color and slight tartness. Great for holidays.

🥥

Coconut Margarita

Add ½ oz coconut cream and blend with ice for a frozen version. Like a piña colada met a margarita.

What Can YOU Make Right Now?

If you have tequila, lime, and triple sec in your bar, you can make a Margarita. But what else? Bartools tells you exactly which cocktails you can make with the bottles you already own — and which ONE more bottle would unlock the most new recipes.

Track Your Bar — FreeBrowse All Recipes

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