19 Margarita Recipes for Any Season

Spicy frozen mango, an olive brine-spiked mezcal version, a holiday-ready sparkling one, and more margarita variations for whatever you’re craving.Photographs by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr. Prop Styling by Christine Keely, Food Styling by Taneka MorrisA great margarita is hard to beat: tequila, fresh lime juice, orange liqueur, and salt in sweet-tart harmony. But the classic margarita recipe is also an excellent starting point for experimentation. Small tweaks—swapping triple sec for agave syrup, say, or tequila for mezcal—can create a whole new drink. Perhaps even more compelling is the margarita's ability to veer into maximalism. Blend yours with frozen mango, muddle in fresh blackberries, or infuse the tequila with chiles.Below you’ll find 19 of our best margarita recipes, including frozen margaritas, spicy margaritas, fruit-forward riffs, and a few less traditional variations. There’s a salted watermelon margarita for summer, a blood orange version for winter, and an avocado margarita that blends up remarkably creamy. Whether you like yours on the rocks, straight up, or frozen, there’s a margarita here for you.Photographs by Elliott Jerome Brown Jr. Prop Styling by Christine Keely, Food Styling by Taneka MorrisMagical Midnight MargaritaCoconut water and muddled blackberries give this Practical Magic–inspired margarita refreshing sweetness and its spellbinding purple color. Serve it on the rocks—or freeze the mixture for a slushy variation (pictured up top).Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Judy ManciniMargarita, No Triple SecThink you need triple sec for a perfect margarita? Not so fast. This three-ingredient cocktail skips orange liqueur in favor of simple syrup, letting good tequila and sunny citrus really shine.Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Maggie Ruggiero, Prop Styling by Linden ElstranSpicy Mango MargaritaBlend chunks of frozen fruit with tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau for a frozen mango margarita with a silky, smoothie-like texture that takes us straight to the beach—or at least happy hour.Photo by Travis Rainey, Food Styling by Liberty Fennell, Prop Styling by Gerri WilliamsBeergaritaThis large-format cocktail marries beer’s effervescence with citrusy, tequila-spiked punch. Think of it like a lime-stuffed Corona bottle for a crowd.Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Michelle GattonFrozen RosalitaThink of this as a bittersweet riff on a classic frozen margarita: Amaro Montenegro stands in for orange liqueur, adding botanical complexity to the tequila-and-lime base. Better yet, the mixture can be prepped ahead and frozen until party time.Spicy Grapefruit MargaritaThis paloma-adjacent margarita swaps lime for grapefruit juice and infuses the tequila with fresh chile for a sunset-colored cocktail with plenty of punch. Use half a chile for moderate heat, more if you like things really spicy—or skip the infusion entirely.Photo by Chelsie CraigWinter Spiced MargaritaSwap orange liqueur for a combination of fresh blood orange juice and agave syrup, then rim the glass with a salty-sweet cinnamon-chile rim for a warming margarita that evokes a wintry punch.Mora PicosaReposado tequila brings mellow oak and rich agave notes to this spicy blackberry margarita, while chile de árbol supplies the heat. Fresh berries keep the drink juicy and bright.Photo by Paul H. ChristianSpicy Celery MargaritaSerrano brings grassy chile heat to this vegetal margarita variation, while celery juice (buy it from a juice shop or check out our favorite juicer) gives it a cooling finish.Scotch Bonnet and Grapefruit MargaritaThe fruity, nearly sweet, yet scorching heat of Scotch bonnet chile is an ideal addition to citrusy drinks. Use just a slice or two in your margarita—even a sliver can pack a punch.Sparkly Ginger MargaritaThis spritzy margarita takes its flavor cues from the ginger-lime duo that makes a Moscow mule such a firm favorite. Club soda brings the bubbles, while the kicky rim is made from ground ginger, sugar, and a pinch of salt.Hannah Lee Leidy is a food writer and editor based in the Carolinas. She is currently the digital content editor for Our State magazine, a position she came into following her time at The Local Palate. Her contributions have appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, Bon Appétit, Epicurious, Culture, and Eater. She’s worked in both ... Read More