Skip to content

Are you 18 or over?

We only sell to adults. We’ll remember your answer for 30 days on this device.

Cocktails at Home

How to Make the Perfect Margarita at Home

The margarita is one of the most popular tequila cocktails in the world, and you can make one as good as a bar’s at home. Here’s our simple recipe, the tequila to use, and easy ways to flavour it.

A classic margarita with a half-salted rim and lime, next to a cocktail shaker

Tequila, orange liqueur and lime. Get the balance right and you’ve got a bar-quality cocktail in a couple of minutes, made exactly how you like it.

  • 3 Main Ingredients
  • 5 Minutes
  • Serves 1
  • About 3 UK Units
Find the Perfect Tequila for Your Margaritas

Why Make It at Home?

Once you know how, you’ll never look at a bar menu the same way.

Save Money

A 70cl bottle of tequila makes 14 margaritas, so each one costs a fraction of a bar price.

Make It Your Way

Pick your tequila, then make it sharper, sweeter, fruitier or spicier until it’s exactly how you like it.

Become Everyone’s Favourite Host

Make it your own way and you’ll be the one friends and family ask for when they come round.

The Recipe

The Classic Margarita

Easy as 2 : 1 : 1

Ingredients

  • 50mlBlanco tequila
  • 25mlCointreau For a premium margarita, or use another triple sec
  • 25mlLime juice
  • 5–10mlAgave syrup Optional, for extra sweetness if needed
  • PlentyIce
  • To finishFlaky salt and a lime wedge for the rim, plus a lime wheel Optional

No measure? Use a shot glass. A UK single measure is 25ml, so it’s 2 of tequila, 1 of Cointreau and 1 of lime.

What You’ll Need

  • Cocktail shaker or a clean jam jar with a tight lid
  • Jigger or shot glass, to measure
  • Strainer or the one built into your shaker
  • Citrus squeezer
  • Rocks glass or coupe

How to Make It

Five steps. The only one that really matters is the shake.

  1. Prepare Your Glass

    Run a lime wedge around the outside of half the rim, then roll it in flaky salt. Salting half means you can choose salt or no salt with each sip. Fill the glass with fresh ice.

    Lime wedge and flaky salt on the rim of a rocks glass

  2. Measure

    Pour the tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and agave syrup (if you’re using it) into your shaker.

    Gold jigger pouring tequila into a cocktail shaker, with limes and orange liqueur

  3. Shake

    Fill the shaker with ice, seal it and shake hard for 10 to 15 seconds, until the outside feels really cold.

    Hands shaking a frosted cocktail shaker

  4. Strain

    Strain into your glass over the fresh ice. Prefer it straight up? Strain into a chilled coupe with no ice.

    Margarita being strained from a shaker into a glass of ice

  5. Garnish and Serve

    Finish with a lime wheel and serve straight away, while it’s ice cold.

    Finished margarita with a half-salted rim and lime wheel

Everything You Need

Pick a tequila, add Cointreau and lime, and you’re ready to go.

1. Choose Your Tequila

Blanco or reposado? Blanco gives you the classic fresh, zesty margarita. Reposado has been rested in oak, so it makes a rounder, smoother one. Both work, so go with what you enjoy.

See All Tequila for Margaritas →

2. Then Add

Lime

Lime Juice

Squeeze your own or use a good-quality lime juice. Never lime cordial.

Optional

Agave Syrup

A little rounds off the sharpness of the lime. Add it to taste.

Flavour It Your Way

Swap the agave syrup for a flavoured syrup or fruit purée, so your margarita doesn’t end up too sweet.

Mango, passion fruit, strawberry, peach, hibiscus and spicy jalapeño margaritas

Mango Margarita

Swap the agave syrup for 25ml mango purée.

Shop Re’al Mango Purée →

Passion Fruit Margarita

Swap the agave syrup for 25ml passion fruit purée.

Shop Re’al Passion Fruit Purée →

Strawberry Margarita

Swap the agave syrup for 25ml strawberry purée.

Shop Re’al Strawberry Purée →

Peach Margarita

Swap the agave syrup for 25ml peach purée.

Shop Re’al Peach Purée →

Hibiscus Margarita

Swap the agave syrup for 10ml hibiscus syrup for a floral, fruity twist and a deep pink colour.

Shop Monin Hibiscus Syrup →

Spicy Margarita

Muddle two slices of fresh jalapeño in the shaker before you add everything else. Leave the seeds in if you like it hot.

Shop All Syrups & Mixers

Tips for a Better Margarita

  • Shake harder than you think. It chills, dilutes and gives the drink a lighter texture.
  • Use plenty of ice in the shaker and the glass. More ice keeps it colder, so it melts slower and your drink stays less watery.
  • Taste and adjust. Too sharp? Add a little agave syrup. Too sweet? A dash more lime.
  • Chill your glass in the freezer for 10 minutes if you’re serving it straight up.

Making Margaritas for a Group

For 6 people, mix in a jug:

  • Blanco tequila300ml
  • Cointreau150ml
  • Lime juice150ml
  • Agave syrup (optional)30–60ml

Keep the jug in the fridge. When everyone arrives, shake each serve with ice and strain over fresh ice. No time to shake? Stir the jug with plenty of ice and pour straight away.

Margarita Questions

What’s the best tequila for a margarita?

A blanco tequila gives you the classic fresh, zesty margarita. If you want more agave flavour, look for “100% agave” on the label. Our picks are above, or see all our tequila for margaritas.

Can I use triple sec instead of Cointreau?

Yes. Cointreau is a type of triple sec, which is an orange liqueur, so any good triple sec will work. Cointreau is our pick for its clean, bright orange flavour.

Do I need a cocktail shaker?

No. A clean jam jar with a tight lid works fine. Just hold the lid on while you shake.

How do I make a frozen margarita?

Blend the classic recipe with a cup of ice until smooth. Add a little extra agave syrup, as the cold makes it taste less sweet.

How strong is a margarita?

Made with the classic recipe (50ml of 40% tequila and 25ml of Cointreau, which is also 40%), a margarita has about 3 UK units of alcohol. Enjoy them responsibly.

Visit Us in Brixton Village

Learn to Make It With Us

Join a tequila masterclass at our Brixton shop. Taste tequila side by side, then get behind the bar and make your own cocktails.

Book a Tequila Masterclass Shop Margarita Tequila