Classic Margarita

It has everything you want in a margarita recipe: tart, strong, and dangerously easy to shake. Meet your new signature cocktail.

What is a Classic Margarita

A good classic Margarita recipe only needs 3 ingredients: tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau or triple sec -with the addition of simple syrup only used to sweeten it if needed. It's always shaken to mix and chill the ingredients and then poured over ice.

What sets it apart from all the other margarita recipes is the simplicity of its ingredients; without the Cointreau or triple sec, it's just a tequila cocktail.

I'm a stickler for a good Margarita, and I guarantee this will be one of the best you'll ever have. I wrote down the ratios after spending time in Mexico City many years ago, where I visited Cantina Tío Pepe (more than once!), which is world-famous, a local favorite, and has been open since 1807! Also one of the top tequila bars in Mexico City by Conde Nast. It helps to speak the language fluently, and all I had to do was ask the secret to make a great marg.

Classic Margarita on the Rocks

Personally, I prefer my Classic margarita served on the rocks, which means over ice. All the ingredients are shaken inside a cocktail shaker with ice to mix them and chill them; they're never poured over the ice and stirred -I was told by the Mexican bartender at Cantina Tio Pepe that this is sacrilegious.

I was also taught to pour the ice from the shaker directly into the glass whenever using good tequila or making a top-shelf margarita like a Grand Marnier Margarita or a Reposado Margarita and then adding a little ice to top it off.  

Ingredients for the Best Margarita Recipe

You'll find the measurements for this recipe in the recipe card, but first, a few notes on the ingredients to ensure you make the best Margarita ever:

• Tequila: silver or blanco or even reposado make great margaritas. The better the tequila the better the marg.
• Triple sec or Cointreau: triple sec is a bar staple (also cheaper), but Cointreau does not have that "alcohol" aftertaste, so you'll get a much better margarita.
• Lime: fresh lime juice is best because the pre-squeezed stuff in the green plastic lime tastes different.
• Simple syrup: a bar staple that's used to sweeten up your margaritas unless you skip it and want a low-calorie margarita.
• Margarita salt: for the rim, optional.

What is the Formula for a Margarita

The formula for any Margarita always includes mixing 3 key ingredients: tequila, Cointreau or triple sec, and lime juice. How much of each will depend on the recipe and the bartender.

Personally, I use equal parts of tequila and Cointreau and a little less fresh lime juice when I make a classic Margarita. And if I add simple syrup, that's half of the amount of tequila.

How to make a Margarita

The best part about making a margarita at home is that you don't need fancy equipment; if you have a shaker, great. If not, use a glass jar; that works too! Get ready to:

1. Prep the glass
   If salt is your thing, you'll want to rim your glass before making the Marg.
2. Measure & Shake
   Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and simple syrup (if you're using it). Shake it until your heart is content or until the sides are fully frosted, which means the cocktail is cold.
3. Serve
   I like to pour the ice from the shaker into my glass and then top it with a little fresh ice to the top. Add a wedge of lime for garnish. Now you're ready to sip away.

How to Salt a Rim 

To salt the rim of your glass, place some of the salt on a saucer, small plate, or Margarita salt rimmer. Rub a lime wedge along the rim of the glass, flip the glass over, and give it a few turns to coat.

There's no judgment if you don't enjoy salt on the rim of your glass. But if you do, use kosher or sea salt because ionized salt has a much stronger taste.

Tequila to Triple Sec Ratio for Margaritas

All good margaritas have tequila and triple sec. The ratio depends on whether you're using triple sec or Cointreau, which is smoother and better tasting than the less expensive version, triple sec.

I follow the 1:1 triple sec to tequila ratio, mostly because I only use Cointreau. The less expensive triple sec might require increasing the amount of simple syrup to keep its flavor at bay.

Do you add Simple Syrup to a Margarita

Most margarita recipes use a little simple syrup, anywhere between ½ ounce to 1 ounce in the recipe. With high-quality tequila and good ratios of ingredients, you don't need a lot of it -or any at all!

It's also easy to make by combining sugar and water, and it keeps in the fridge for months. Slash the calories with this Skinny Margarita.

The reason many bars use a lot of simple syrup or a mix to make their margaritas is that they use well-liquor (the cheapest, off-brand) to make a margarita, so their sweetness is needed to mask the lower-quality alcohol.

When to Serve a Classic Margarita 

There's never a bad time to shake up a classic margarita-brunch? Perfect. Happy hour? Obviously. Tuesday at 4:57? Say less.

Serving a crowd? Go big with this Pitcher Margarita recipe. Already two margs in? Keep the party going with a margarita with a mix.

Variations

If classic margaritas are your jam, you'll want to try a strawberry margarita on the rocks, an orange margarita, and a blueberry lime margarita.