Name: Classic Margarita With Fresh Lime Juice
Cook time: 5 minutes
Total time: 5 minutes
Yield: Makes 1 drink
Ingredients: 2 oz. tequila made from 100 percent agave, preferably reposado or blanco; 1 oz. Cointreau; 1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice; Salt for garnish

Three margarita cocktails in glasses with salted rims.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Judy Haubert

Seeking the best margarita recipe for relaxing poolside? Planning a tacos-and-margs party and not sure of the best ratio? We adore this classic cocktail for its refreshing, strong, and tart personality—and its absolute ease of assembly. The secret to a great margarita? Good spirits—and fresh lime juice. No shelf-stable margarita mix, please! When stocking up your bar, look for tequila bottles labeled 100% agave. Using blanco tequila will impart a crisp, peppery vibe to your drink, while opting for a reposado will create a smoother cocktail with a warm finish. In addition to the best tequila you can muster, you’ll also need orange liqueur. Choose a good triple sec, such as Cointreau, for vibrancy and sweetness that’s not too cloying. Or, if you liked the idea of those warmer flavors, swap it out for Grand Marnier, a cognac-based spirit. Finally, fresh lime juice is essential for a drink that tastes refreshing and in balance.

A salt rim counters some of the bitterness in the liqueur and lime. Just rub a juicy halved lime around the rim of your glass and dip it into a dish of coarse sea salt, then flip over and fill with ice cubes. If you choose to skip the rim, just add a pinch of kosher salt to your cocktail shaker. Shake up your perfect margarita and pour it into the glass. We love a rocks glass for this drink, but a stemmed margarita glass works too if that’s your thing.

Read the margarita’s origin story here →

Variations

The margarita canon is full of creative adaptation. We love this slushy cocktail recipe that gives the frozen margarita a bittersweet twist, and this spicy version with grapefruit and habanero (jalapeño works, too) is nice for days when you want a little extra pep. For more tequila cocktails, head this way →

Recipe information

Total Time
5 minutes
Yield
Makes 1 drink

Ingredients

2 oz. tequila made from 100 percent agave, preferably reposado or blanco

1 oz. Cointreau

1 oz. freshly squeezed lime juice

Salt for garnish

Preparation

Combine tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice in cocktail shaker filled with ice. Moisten rim of stemmed glass or rocks glass with lime juice or water. Holding glass upside down, dip rim into salt. If serving in a rocks glass, fill with ice. Shake and strain drink into prepared glass.

Editor's note: This recipe was originally published in April 2007.