By: Becky Hardin
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I absolutely love to create delicious co*cktail recipes. This Margarita Recipe is one that I developed with the help of my Mom years ago, and we both agree it’s the best anyone has ever tried. I love serving it at family functions and for groups of friends. It’s made with simple and fresh ingredients, and utterly delicious. What I really love is that it’s scalable. I’ve made it for 2 people and as many as 24. The recipe card will explain how to make it for a few or a lot.
Table of Contents
What’s in a Perfect Margarita?
I love this margarita because it tastes fresh, isn’t too sweet, and is made with simple ingredients. It is super smooth, so watch out! It works great as a single serving, or as an entire pitcher. You’re going to love this!
- Cointreau: This orange liqueur is a staple in margaritas. I prefer Cointreau over triple sec, but either will work.
- Lime Juice: Freshly-squeezed lime juice is the key to a delicious margarita. Don’t use bottled lime juice; it just won’t taste the same!
- Tequila: Choose a good-quality Reposado tequila (I find this is absolutely the key!) for the smoothest, best-tasting margaritas.
- Agave Syrup: Agave nectar is a great all-natural sweetener. Use more or less depending on your tastes.
- Ice: Chills down individual servings and keeps them cool all day long.
Pro Tip: Batch these margaritas early in the day, but shake up individual drinks just before serving for the best taste!
Variations
These pitcher margaritas are so versatile. With just a few simple changes, you can customize these for any crowd! Here are some versions that I’ve whipped up in a pinch.
- Mezcal Margaritas: Swap the Reposado tequila for your favorite brand of Mezcal for smoky margaritas.
- Spicy Margaritas: Muddle a few jalapeño slices in the bottom of each glass before pouring in the margarita, or add some chili powder to the salt rim.
- Skinny Margaritas: Follow my skinny margarita recipe!
- Virgin Margaritas: Swap the tequila for sparkling water and the Cointreau for orange juice. Batch these mocktails without the sparkling water (it’ll cause your shaker to leak), then top them off with sparkling water just before serving.
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What is the 321 margarita rule?
An easy way to remember how to mix a classic margarita is to memorize the ratio 3-2-1:three parts tequila, two parts triple sec, and one part lime juice. We changed up the ratios a bit in this recipe, and I think it’s even better this way, but you be the judge!
How many people does this Margarita Pitcher Recipe serve?
We have written the recipe below for just one serving and also for 24 servings in a large pitcher. You decide if it’s worth sharing with friends. This is one I might just keep all to myself.
What is the best tequila?
When making margaritas, I always opt for one that isn’t the most expensive and isn’t the cheapest. You want a quality tequila that is smooth and well made, but there’s no reason to break the bank when you’re not sipping it straight. For these Pitcher Margaritas, we recommend using a Reposado Tequila which is typically smoother than a Blanco or Anejo Tequila. Once we made that change in this recipe, it made all the difference.
Are Triple Sec and Cointreau the same thing?
Cointreau is a brand of Triple Sec, so technically yes. Cointreau is a trusted brand from France and their Orange Liqueur is delicious! I find some Triple Sec has a bitter or fake taste, but not Cointreau.
What’s the secret to a perfect margarita?
The secret to a perfect margarita is to shake up each margarita before serving. You can batch this co*cktail in a large pitcher, but add 2-4 servings to a shaker filled with ice and shake up the co*cktails just before serving. I promise, it makes all the difference!
How to Store
I store leftover pitcher margaritas tightly covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours. Shake individual drinks over ice in a co*cktail shaker just before serving. In the recipe card you can find a link to my favorite shakers!
Serving Suggestions
I think that a pitcher of margaritas is the best easy co*cktail for your Cinco de Mayo celebration. Serve them up with Baked Chicken Tacos, White Queso, Mexican Street Corn Dip, Chicken Nachos, or Homemade Tortilla Chips and Salsa.
Recipe
Margarita Pitcher Recipe
4.60 from 758 votes
Author: Becky Hardin
Prep: 5 minutes minutes
Cook: 0 minutes minutes
Total: 5 minutes minutes
Serves1 drink
Print Rate
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This recipe resulted in the quest to find the Perfect Margarita Pitcher Recipe. The hunt for the ultimate Cinco de Mayo drinks and snacks begins early…usually on May 6th of the previous year.
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Ingredients
For Individual (One, 4.5-ounce) Serving
- 1 ounce Cointreau
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 ounces Reposado Tequila 100% pure de Agave Tequila
- ⅓ ounce Agave syrup (2 teaspoons) I use Tres Agaves, Agave Nectar – organic
- 1 cup ice
For 13 (4-ounce) Servings
- 1½ cups Cointreau
- 1½ cups freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 cups Reposado Tequila
- ½ cup Agave syrup
- 12 cups Ice
For 18 (4-ounce) Servings
- 2¼ cups Cointreau
- 2¼ cups freshly squeezed lime juice
- 4½ cups Reposado Tequila
- ¾ cup Agave syrup
- 1 bag ice
For 24 (4 ounce) Servings:
- 3 cups Cointreau
- 3 cups freshly squeezed lime juice
- 6 cups Reposado Tequila
- 1 cup Agave syrup
- 1 bag ice
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
If making for a crowd (13, 18, or 24 servings)
In 2-quart pitcher, combine all ingredients, except the ice. Keep the margarita mixture refrigerated until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, rim the glasses with salt (if desired) and fill each with ice.
Fill a co*cktail shaker ¾ of the way with ice. Add enough prepared margarita mixture to the top of the ice. Cover tightly and shake vigorously 10-15 seconds. Pour into prepared glasses and serve immediately. Drain excess water from the shaker. Repeat for the additional servings, adding more ice as needed.
Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.
For Individual Servings
See above if salting the rim of the glass.
Fill the shaker about halfway with ice and add all other ingredients. Shake vigorously 10-15 seconds.
1 ounce Cointreau, 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice, 2 ounces Reposado Tequila, ⅓ ounce Agave syrup, 1 cup ice
Immediately pour into the prepared glass and garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- We like to keep our tequila in the freezer to create the coldest margarita recipe possible with the least amount of ice. I don’t want to water this deliciousness down!
- If you want an even fresher taste, you can add a splash of freshly squeezed orange juice!
- These Margaritas are not very sweet. If you would like them sweeter, just add more agave syrup to taste.
- If you want salted glass rims: Cover the bottom of a small plate with margarita salt. Rub the rims of the glasses with a lime wedge, dip the rims in the margarita salt, and set the glasses upright to dry a tad before filling with ice.
- NOTE: It’s important to shake the margaritas before serving. Add 2-4 servings to a shaker with ice right before serving and repeat for each serving. Makes all the difference. Your guests will thank you!
- These margaritas are best made within 8 hours of serving.
Nutrition Information
Serving: 1drink Calories: 255kcal (13%) Carbohydrates: 19g (6%) Protein: 0.2g Fat: 0.1g Saturated Fat: 0.03g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g Sodium: 16mg (1%) Potassium: 43mg (1%) Fiber: 0.1g Sugar: 16g (18%) Vitamin A: 14IU Vitamin C: 10mg (12%) Calcium: 11mg (1%) Iron: 0.1mg (1%)
Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!
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More Margarita Recipes We Love
- Orange Margaritas
- Spicy Blackberry Margaritas
- Azul Margaritas
- Beer Margaritas
- Watermelon Margaritas
- Strawberry Basil Margaritas
- See all of our Margarita Recipes!
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