Margaritas are one of the most popular cocktails for a reason: THEY ARE REALLY FREAKING GOOD!  There are plenty of fantastic mixes on the market, but everything is better when made fresh.  As it happens, this cocktail is really easy to make.  Here is my foolproof recipe.

6 oz tequila

4 oz freshly squeezed lime juice (bottled lime juice works well, too, if you’re short on time or don’t feel like making a mess or both), plus a little extra on the side for garnishing the glass

2 oz Simple Syrup

2 tsp orange liqueur  (such as Cointreau or Triple Sec)

Margarita salt or flaked sea salt, for garnish

1. Prior to mixing the cocktail, dip the rims your serving glasses (margarita glasses and rocks glasses are my favorites) in a little lime juice poured into a shallow bowl, then dip them into the salt.  The earlier you do this, the better, as it gives the salt a chance to adhere to the rim of the glass as the lime juice dries.  Set aside.

2. Add the tequila, lime juice, simple syrup, and orange liqueur to a large cocktail shaker or mason jar.

3. Add ice to the shaker up to the liquid line, place the lid on the vessel, and shake it vigorously for 10 seconds.  Strain the mixture into your glass of choice.  If you are serving this in rocks glasses, I like to serve it over ice (preferably a single giant cube or sphere of ice).  Serve immediately.

Makes 2 drinks

🍹 This recipe is easily doubled, tripled, quadrupled (you get the idea) for a crowd and made in advance.  Instead of shaking it with ice in a shaker, combine the ingredients in a pitcher and store it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.  Stir it vigorously before pouring into prepared glasses over ice.

🍹🍹 If you prefer your margaritas frozen, put some ice in the blender, add the ingredients, and blast it as you would a smoothy.

🍹🍹🍹 Smokey Variation: Use 4 oz of tequila and 2 oz of Mezcal (tequila’s smokey sister).

🍹🍹🍹🍹 Spicy Variation: Muddle a few sliced jalapeño peppers in the bottom of the shaker prior to adding the ingredients, then prepare as instructed.  Add a few slices of fresh jalapeño to each glass as garnish.

🍹🍹🍹🍹 Smokey-Spicy Variation: Combine the last two variations; garnish with fresh jalapeño slices.