Strawberry Margarita

When it comes to cocktails, nothing is as instantly refreshing on a hot summer day as a strawberry margarita. This version of a frozen margarita—which ups the summer vibes with the addition of sweet and ripe strawberries—takes just five minutes, uses just five ingredients, and is easy to whiz up in a blender, and tastes so much better than those store-bought mixes packed with artificial ingredients.

Fresh strawberries taste great, but frozen berries will help keep the drink colder longer, so either type works. Since the sweetness of the fruit varies so much by the type of berry and season, be sure to taste the mixture and adjust it if needed for the perfect balance of sweet fruit and tart lime juice whizzed up with blanco tequila and Cointreau that’s just waiting to be slurped.

Strawberry Margarita Ingredients and Notes

Be ready at all times to make this refreshing 5-ingredient strawberry margarita by keeping these ingredients on hand:

• Salt or sugar: This is for a rim on the glass and is optional. There's no hard and fast rule about cocktail rims. You can add one if you want.
• Fresh or frozen strawberries: Frozen strawberries will make for a thicker frozen margarita, but fresh will work, too. You may need more ice to get the texture you want if using fresh berries.
• Tequila: Blanco or silver tequila work best and have the cleanest flavor for the strawberries.
• Triple sec: We prefer Cointreau, but you could use Grand Marnier.
• Simple syrup: You can buy bottled, but making homemade simple syrup is so easy, why not DIY and have a fresh batch for many cocktails to come? If you want to double down on the fruity flavor, try a strawberry simple syrup.
• Fresh lime juice: And we do mean fresh, as in freshly-squeezed. The bottled kind will work in a pinch, but since limes are available year around, go for the real deal. The flavor difference is significant.
• Ice: To give this frozen margarita the right texture. Add more or less depending on the type of strawberry you use.
  

How To Make a Strawberry Margarita: A Step-by-Step Guide

Full instructions for making a strawberry margarita are below, but here's a brief recap before you gather your ingredients:

• Step 1. Add the cocktail rim (optional): Dip the rim of a glass in water or lime juice, then dunk in a plate of salt or sugar.
• Step 2. Blend ingredients: In a blender's pitcher, add the strawberries, tequila, triple sec, simple syrup, and lime juice. Blend until smooth.
• Step 3. Pour: Once you have the perfect texture, pour the margarita into a glass and add a garnish like a fresh strawberry.

Recipe Tips and Variations

• Swap tequila for rum: If you like rum better, swap out the tequila. You practically have a Strawberry Daiquiri at that point.
• Swap orange juice for triple sec: If you don't have Cointreau or another triple sec, you can use the equivalent amount of fresh orange juice, though the liqueur is a more complex and sweet than juice alone.
• Use mezcal instead of blanco tequila: This type of tequila is smoky and rich, and some people prefer that more intense flavor in their margaritas.
  

Daiquiri vs. Margarita

The key distinction between a daiquiri and margarita is the type of liquors used. A daiquiri uses white rum, while a margarita uses tequila and triple sec.

They both use lime juice, a sweetener like simple syrup, and lots of ice.

The Best Cocktail Rim for a Margarita

Rock salt and kosher salt are frequently used as a rim on margarita glasses, but you can also use other options, such as:

• pink Himalayan salt
• smoky sea salt
• granulated sugar
• powdered sugar
• Tajin, a chile-lime seasoning
• freeze-dried fruit that's been processed into a powder

These rims all work to intensify the flavors of the drink by drawing the sweet-salty flavors into contrast, but none of them are required. They're fun and often beautiful but not mandatory.

More Tasty Cocktails

While you've got the blender out, make these favorite cocktail recipes:

• Frozen Margarita
• Banana Daiquiri
• Peach Margaritas
• Frozen Peach Old Fashioned