Fresh Margarita Recipe (with Cointreau)

Refreshing, citrusy, and perfectly balanced—this Fresh Margarita Recipe with Cointreau is the ultimate cocktail! Made with real lime juice, smooth tequila, and a splash of orange liqueur, it’s simple, delicious, and restaurant-quality. Shake one up in minutes! 

This isn’t your overly sweet, pre-made mix kind of margarita. Oh, no. This is the real deal—fresh, simple, and perfectly balanced. Whether you’re hosting a summer barbecue, kicking back on a Friday night, or sitting by the pool, this Fresh Lime Margarita with Cointreau is about to become your new go-to.

Did you know that February 22 is National Margarita Day? This doesn’t make much sense to me because margaritas are perfect any time of year! Regardless, I think that this is one day that shouldn’t go uncelebrated. I have the perfect Fresh Margarita Recipe that is just what you need to do it!

Why this is the BEST Margarita ever?

Hands down, the margarita ingredients make this the best margarita.

Fresh ingredients are a must. No bottled lime juice or artificial syrups that can give margaritas a chemical taste you can get from some store-bought mixes. Just real, bright flavors.

We’ve created a simple margarita often called a skinny margarita. It has a perfect balance of tart lime, smooth tequila, and just the right amount of orange liqueur.

It’s so easy to make. Grab a shaker, combine the ingredients, and pour into a prepared glass. In about 7 minutes, you’re sipping the perfect margarita.

John and I have done a lot of research on this recipe. It is better than any others we’ve tried. Once you make a fresh Lime Margarita, you’ll never settle for any other. Word of warning though, these babies are potent! Save them for when you don’t have to drive.

Ingredients

Our recommendations are personal preferences. We aren’t affiliates of any of the recommended ingredients.

Look for 100% agave on the bottle. This means that your tequila is pure, without any added sugars or fillers that can lead to a rougher taste (and a worse hangover). Cost doesn’t mean quality. You can find a good tequila that doesn’t break the bank. This is a good reference for tequila.

Note that silver and blanco are the same thing. Our recommendationa are Patrón Silver which is clean, crisp, and slightly citrusy with a smooth finish. It blends beautifully with fresh lime and Cointreau, making for a well-balanced margarita. Don Julio Blanco is incredibly smooth with light citrus and vanilla notes. A less expensive option that doesn’t taste cheap would be Espolòn Blanco. Full disclosure, we often use Costco’s Kirkland Brand Tequila. It’s perfect for this lime margarita recipe.

The Patrón Citronage is tequila with an orange flavor. It isn’t as high in alcohol.

Cointreau (pronounced kwan-troh) is a premium French orange liqueur made from sweet and bitter orange peels. It’s more refined than the more commonly used triple-sec. It smooths out the tart lime and bold tequila with a hint of natural sweetness.

If you don’t have Cointreau, you can use Grand Marnier. It is richer and has a cognac base. You can also use a basic triple sec. This option is usually sweeter but less smooth. But if you want a truly next-level margarita, Cointreau is 100% worth it!

Fresh Margarita with Variations

All of the ingredients are listed on the recipe, but I wanted to share a couple of important notes here.

Salt can enhance and balance the flavors of your margarita. Dip the rim of your glass in lime juice and then salt. We don’t generally salt the entire rim so every sip doesn’t start with salt. If you like a spicy margarita you can rim your glass with tajin or chili powder.

You can skip the Citronage by increasing the tequila to 2 ounces and the Cointreau to 1 ounce. Grand Marnier can be substituted for the Cointreau 1:1.

Agave tastes better than simple syrup and blends well with our tequila cocktail. The Cointreau adds some sweetness, so you can eliminate the agave if you prefer a less sweet margarita. If you like a sweeter margarita, add a little bit at a time until you get your preferred sweet flavor.

We use ice in our shaker when blending the ingredients. You can then pour it into your prepared glass to keep it chilled or strain it out. If you were to pour the margarita over ice without chilling it in the shaker, it would quickly become diluted. By shaking the ingredients with the ice, the margarita will chill and not dilute as quickly.

If you like a boozy flavor top it with a float of cognac, brandy, or an anejo tequila.

Get fancy and garnish with a lime wheel.

For a whole new experience, shake the ingredients with a sprig of fresh lime or basil.

We don’t recommend store-bought mixes. If you think that margaritas leave you feeling ill, the mix is often to blame.

FAQ’s

Can Margaritas with Cointreau be made ahead of time?

Yes, you can mix up these margaritas ahead of time and refrigerate them. Don’t shake them over ice until you’re ready to serve them.

Can this Fresh Margarita Recipe be blended (frozen margarita)?

Yes, you can blend this margarita. Add all of the ingredients with 1 cup of ice cubes in a blender and mix until smooth. Pour into the prepared glass and serve immediately.

Can you add fruit?

Yes, make strawberry margaritas or our favorite mango margaritas using pureed fruit.

The Perfect Pairing

This fresh margarita recipe goes perfectly with any south-of-the-border dish. Enjoy it with Chicken Taco Salads, Birria Tacos, or Blackened Shrimp for dinner. Mexican Meatballs or Edamame make the best appetizers. Of course, a la carte with friends is always a favorite.

I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.

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This Fresh Margarita recipe was first released on February 22, 2016. It has been updated to improve our readers’ experience. We added simple details and new images. No changes were made to the actual recipe.