The Classic Margarita Recipe and More: Your Official Guide to Margaritas

While margarita-making is the obvious choice for celebrating Cinco de Mayo or National Margarita Day, this quintessential Mexican drink is too good to have only a couple times per year. We say you should be able to enjoy a margarita on any day that ends in “y”. If you agree, then keep reading because we have some killer recipes for you to try out. But first, some quick facts and history.

A Word About Tequila

One of the reasons margaritas are so good is that this cocktail is built on simplicity, good ingredients, and balance. To authentically enjoy a margarita, one must appreciate tequila–a distilled spirit made from the blue agave plant in the Mexican city of and near Tequila (yes, it’s a place).

There are 200 types of agaves found in Mexico, and they are classified much like fine wines. Tequila that is labeled 100% Agave can only be bottled in Mexico. It refers to being made from the blue agave plant and does not have added sugars. Mixto refers to tequila that is made with blue agave plus non-agave sugars such as sugar cane. These are usually simply labeled Tequila.

A Brief History of the Margarita

One story goes that in 1938, Carlos "Danny" Herrera (at his restaurant Rancho La Gloria, located between Tijuana and Rosarito) created the drink for customer and former Ziegfeld dancer, Marjorie King, who was allergic to many spirits, but not to tequila. Another tale says in 1948 a wealthy Dallas socialite by the name of Margarita Sames claimed to have whipped up the drink for friends at her Acapulco vacation. Armed with a bit of brief history and tequila knowledge, go out and confidently mix and relish in your own margaritas all year round. To whoever concocted it first, we say, gracias! 

Choosing Your Ingredients

Deciding which type of tequila to use for your margarita can be a bit overwhelming since there are several options: blanco, joven, reposado, añejo, and extra añejo. All are special in their own way but when it comes to margaritas, there are a couple clear winners in our book; blanco and reposado.

Blanco is tequila in its purest form. With notes of citrus and pepper, blanco tequila is made for mixing, making it the perfect go to for your mixing pleasure. Since it’s only aged for 2 months or less, it’s versatile to pair with many flavors as well. Reposado provides a bit more flavor because it is aged in oak barrels for 2 months to one year. Unlike the transparent “color” of a blanco tequila, reposado has a slight shade of color that comes from the aging process. It’s still great for mixing and arguably a better choice for margaritas with the smokier taste. 

For the orange liqueur, Caballero is incredible. Other good options include Cointreau and Grand Marnier.

Now that you know what you need to get started with creating a margarita, here are a few delicious margarita recipes you can start with!

Haskell’s Magnificent Classic Margarita

Before diving into anything too fancy, give our signature recipe a try, we call it Haskell’s Magnificent Classic Margarita. Clever, we know. But something so good and so classic doesn’t need a frilly name to pack a punch.

Ingredients:

• 2 to 2.5 oz. reposado tequila (we used Don Julio Reposado Tequila)
• 1 oz. Orange Liqueur
• 1 to 1½  oz. Lime juice
• ½  Orange

How to make a classic margarita:

1. Pour Kosher salt on a plate.
2. Rim cocktail glass with lime juice and dip rim into salt. Flip the glass back over, set aside.
3. Fill cocktail shaker with ice, tequila, orange liqueur, lime, and juice from orange. Shake thoroughly.
4. Pour mixture into the salt-rimmed glass and add lime wedge or wheel to garnish.

Speaking of packing a punch, these next two recipes below do just that! Add some spice to your life with one of these concoctions.

Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita

Ingredients:

• ½ cup fresh lime juice
• ½ cup blanco tequila (try Vizon Blanco Tequila)
• ¼ cup orange liqueur
• ¼ cup simple syrup
• 4 thin slices cucumber
• 1 jalapeño, halved lengthwise
• Ice for serving
• Salt for glass rims

How to make 4-6 Cucumber Jalapeño Margaritas:

1. Mix together the lime juice, tequila, orange liqueur, simple syrup, cucumber, and jalapeños in a large pitcher.
2. Chill for at least 1 hour. The longer the margarita sits, the more the cucumber and jalapeño flavors infuse into the drink.
3. When you’re ready to serve, pour salt on a plate. Wet rims of glasses with a lime wedge and dip the glass rim into salt.
4. Pour mixture into glasses over ice, and enjoy!

Spicy Sriracha Margarita

Ingredients:

• 2 cups strawberries, hulled and chopped
• ½ cup reposado tequila (give Codigo Reposado Tequila a shot)
• ¼ cup Cointreau (or other orange liquor)
• 1 tbsp. agave nectar
• ½ tsp. Sriracha sauce
• 2 cups ice
• Sugar for glass rims
• Lime for garnish

How to make 2-4 Spicy Sriracha Margaritas:

1. Add all ingredients to a blender, and blend until smooth.
2. Pour sugar on a plate. Wet rims of glasses with lime wedge, and dip glass rims in sugar.
3. Pour mixture into each glass over ice.

Feeling thirsty and ready to mix something of your own? Check out our selection of tequila at any of our Haskell’s locations, or buy them online to pick-up in-store or get delivered right to your door. Salud, amigos!