Margarita Mix

Try this best margarita mix recipe: it’s got amazing homemade flavor with only 3 ingredients and no added sugar! Just add tequila.

Making margaritas for a crowd? Here’s a great solution: homemade margarita mix! It also works well for made to order margaritas at home, of course. You can have a drink on demand, no squeezing or shaking needed! The best part is that this mix is all natural with no added sugar. The drink tastes incredible: tangy and crisp, with just the right bite from the tequila. Alex and I love our classic margarita, and this is a quick way to make a lot of them at once! Take 5 minutes to make up this mix, and it will be your favorite new cocktail trick.

Why this is the best homemade margarita mix!

Making homemade margarita mix has lots of advantages over store bought mix. Here are a few reasons we think this is the best margarita mix recipe:

• It’s got no additives or added sugar. Most margarita mix from the store and even homemade recipes have lots of added sugar. This recipe doesn’t include sugar as an ingredient (see below), but comes out with the very best margarita flavor.
• It’s got a crisp lemon lime flavor. To mimic the lemon lime flavor of sour mix and purchased margarita mix, this recipe uses both lemon and lime. The lemon adds the perfect extra zing!
• It takes only 5 minutes to make! Some margarita mix recipes take longer because they’re heated to dissolve sugar. This one takes just a few minutes to mix together!

What’s in a margarita mix recipe?

Good question! The margarita is actually on the list of International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails. This means that there’s an “official” definition of the margarita: tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice. To get that vibe of a store bought margarita mix, we added lemon for even more zing. Here’s what’s in this margarita mix:

• Tequila
• Cointreau
• Lime juice
• Lemon juice

No added sugar: by definition!

You’ll notice there’s one element of many margarita recipes missing: sugar! Many bars, restaurants and of course store bought mixes add lots of simple syrup or added corn syrup. Why ruin this classic drink by making it syrupy sweet?

Added sugar isn’t even by definition included in this classic cocktail. And don’t worry: this margarita tastes perfectly tart and balanced with no need for added sweetener. To be fair, there is some sugar in the Cointreau: it provides just enough balance to the lemon and lime.

How to serve this margarita mix

There are a few ways you can serve this margarita mix! After you make it, here’s what we recommend:

• Make single drinks to order. Keep the mix in your fridge and make single drinks to order using this formula: 3.5 tablespoons mix + 3 tablespoons tequila.
• Make a pitcher! If you’re serving for a party, make a big margarita pitcher. Throw all of the mix into the pitcher and add 1 ½ cups tequila. Party on!

What’s Cointreau?

The very best margarita recipe uses Cointreau: it’s an orange liqueur. Triple Sec is often used in margaritas, but it’s our second choice: and a definite substitute option. Cointreau has a flavor that’s well balanced between bitter and sweet, whereas Triple Sec is more harsh. If you’re not sure whether you want to buy a bottle, there are lots of great cocktails that use it: like the sweet tart Lemon Drop Martini or the sophisticated Cosmopolitan.

Don’t forget the salt rim.

Of course, it’s not a margarita without the salt rim! Here are a few tips on getting the perfect salted rim:

• Use kosher salt or flaky sea salt. Never use table salt! A fun variation is our margarita salt.
• Use a lime to wet the rim. Cut a notch into a lime wedge and run that around the rim. It works like a charm!
• Try to get the salt on the outside of the rim only. If it’s on the inside, it will spill into the drink.

More margaritas!

There are so many ways to change up this tasty classic cocktail! Here are some ideas for how to make a margarita:

• Light: Skinny, Virgin, or Frozen
• Boozy: Mezcal Margarita or Cadillac Margarita
• Fruity: Mango, Peach, Watermelon, Blackberry, Strawberry
• Spicy: Jalapeno Margarita
• Unique: Italian Margarita or Beer Margarita
• Batch: Margarita Pitcher

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