I don’t know about you, but when the weather starts warming up, I just constantly crave margaritas. They remind me of good weather, fun times with friends, and they remind me of Mexico City. I think I had at least one (but probably 3 or 4) margs every day that I was there. It’s such a fun and easy drink that just makes you feel relaxed and happy.
blood orange
Although you can’t go wrong with a classic marg, it’s a drink that you can really have fun with by incorporating other fruity and citrusy flavors. Here, I’ve restyled the traditional marg to incorporate sweet and tangy blood orange that not only tastes delicious but also produces a bright red color that’s so gorgeous.
I’ve always been fascinated and entranced by the beauty of blood oranges. On the outside they kind of look like a regular orange with maybe the slightest of red tints, but when you cut them open, you have a deep red center that squeezes out ruby red juice.
the makings of a marg
I still have a lot to learn about making cocktails. Kind of like baking, it’s just something I’ve never been great at and it doesn’t come as naturally to me as cooking does. I always seem to get the proportions wrong, and unless it’s just a few ingredients, I get overwhelmed. Luckily, margs are one of the simplest of cocktails, only requiring a few ingredients, a shaker, and lots of ice!
In a classic marg, I would typically use the foolproof combination of tequila, cointreau, and freshly squeezed lime juice. The fresh juice is an absolute must. While you may enjoy the sickeningly sweet margs they’ll serve you in a giant glass at chain Mexican restaurants, please believe me when I say there’s nothing better than the real deal.
Limes are super small, so if you’re planning to make a few margs or a big batch, you’re going to need a lot of them. Luckily, you can usually just get a bag of them at the store. And then get to squeezing!
Like I mentioned, this recipe takes the basic makings of a marg, but incorporates blood orange juice for some extra flavor, sweetness, and fun. See the full recipe below, plus notes on how to make this a big batch or how to make it a mocktail (non-alcoholic version). I hope you love this drink!
Hot tip: Cinco de Mayo is tomorrow, so if you’re feeling in a celebratory mood, I highly recommend inviting some friends over, making this cocktail, and dancing the night away.
⟶ the recipe
blood orange maragaritas
ingredients
1 blood orange, sliced
Salt for rim
Ice
3 ounces tequila
1 ounce cointreau
3 ounces blood orange juice
3 ounces lime juice
Prep time
5 minutes
Cook time
5 minutes
Total time
10 minutes
Makes 2 margaritas
instructions
Use a blood orange slice to wet the rims of two cocktail glasses. Place a spoonful of salt onto a wooden cutting board, and spin each glass upside-down in the salt to fully coat each rim.
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice. Place tequila, cointreau, and juices in the shaker, and shake for about 30 seconds until fully chilled. Strain margarita evenly into the two glasses.
Garnish with a slice of blood orange.
⟶ Make this big batch
- Triple this recipe, and instead of the cocktail shaker, place all ingredients in a large pitcher filled about ¾ of the way with ice. Give it a few stirs before serving
⟶ Make it a mocktail
- Swap the tequila for club soda, and replace the cointreau with either simple syrup or agave nectar
⟶ other modifications
- I prefer cointreau, but you can also use triple sec in this recipe to add that orange liqueur flavor
- To make this less alcoholic, substitute simple syrup for the cointreau (this will also make it sweeter)
