Often served at Mexican restaurants, Blood Orange Margarita is a tasty combo of citrus juice, tequila and orange liqueur. This variation uses the fresh juice of blood oranges for a refreshing and fruity taste.
Sure, you could go to the grocery store and pick up one of those pre-made mixes, but this recipe is so much better! Using real blood oranges, orange liqueur and fresh lime juice, you’ll get an authentic taste that simply can’t be replicated with store-bought mixes or syrups.
Another benefit of making your marg from scratch? You get to customize everything! You can make it as sweet or as tart as you like. Want more citrus flavor? Dial-up the OJ. Like a stronger drink? Go ahead and top up the tequila. All it takes is 5 minutes to create this tantalizing cocktail, so why not treat yourself?
What is a Margarita?
Besides being an island in the Caribbean Sea, the margarita is an iconic cocktail made using tequila and citrus juice. A classic margarita contains lime juice, but other variations can be made using other citrus juices such as grapefruit or blood oranges.
What Orange Liqueur is Best for Margaritas?
Among mixologists, Cointreau is widely regarded as the best orange liqueur on the market. This popular brand hails from France and is available in most liquor or grocery stores. Other brands of orange liqueur include Grand Mariner and Patrón.
What Does a Blood Orange Margarita Taste Like?
Blood oranges tend to be sweeter than regular oranges and that definitely comes out in this drink. These bold fruits are also known to have the slightest hint of berry flavors. Overall, this margarita is fruity and sweet, balanced by the sour tang of limes.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Tequila: Tequila is an essential ingredient for your margarita! For this recipe, you’ll need silver tequila. Any one will do, so go ahead and choose your favorite. Popular brands include Patrón and Don Julio.
- Blood Oranges: These colorful citrus fruits are the star of the show! As the name suggests, blood oranges have red flesh, which makes for an impressive cocktail. These seasonal fruits are most widely available between December and April.
- Fresh Lime Juice: Fresh lime juice will always give you the best tasting cocktails, but you can use store-bought lime juice if you prefer.
- Cointreau: Cointreau is an orange liqueur that adds depth and flavor to your margarita. If you like, you can use other brands such as Grand Mariner.
- Sweetener: This cocktail tends to be on the sour side, so you’ll need a sweetener to balance it out. You can use simple syrup or agave nectar. You can even make your own simple syrup by dissolving sugar in room temperature water.
- Ice: This refreshing drink tastes better when it’s chilled. Be sure to add a few cubes of ice to your cocktail shaker.
- Salt: Garnish your drink with blood orange wedges for an impressive presentation. And what’s a margarita without salt on the rim?
How to Make Blood Orange Margarita
1. Rub a piece of orange slice around the rim of the serving glass.
2. Immediately dip the rim into a salt bowl or plate at about a 45-degree angle and set it aside.
3. Squeeze some blood orange juice and pour it into a cocktail mixer.
4. Squeeze some lime juice and pour it into a cocktail mixer as well.
5. Into the same mixer, add the silver tequila and ice, and shake for 20 seconds.
6. Pour the mix out into the salt-rimmed glass you had set aside. Garnish with blood orange slices and enjoy.
Tips & Tricks
Make your BEST blood orange margarita by following these simple tips.
- For a perfectly salted rim, rub a blood orange in the rim of the glass before dipping in salt. This helps the salt to stick to the glass. You’ll want to do this before shaking your cocktail.
- Before pouring your drink into the glass give it a taste test. You can adjust the sweetness until it’s to your liking. Bottoms up!
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Blood Orange Margarita Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 oz silver tequila (also known as blanco tequila)
- 2 oz freshly squeezed blood orange juice
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (from 1 lime)
- 1 oz Cointreau
- 1 teaspoon sweetener (or to taste, you can use simple syrup, sugar, or agave nectar)
- ice cubes
- salt and blood orange wedges for rimming the class
Instructions
Salt the rim
- Add salt to a small bowl or plate.
- Rub a piece of orange slice around the rim of the serving glass.
- Immediately dip the rim into salt at about a 45-degree angle. Set aside.
Make the margarita mix
- In a cocktail shaker, add ice, tequila, blood orange juice, lime juice, Cointreau and syrup.
- Shake for about 20 seconds.
- Give it a taste and add more syrup or other ingredients if needed.
Serve
- Pour the mixture into the rimmed glass.
- Garnish with blood orange slices. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Dip the rim into the salt immediately after rubbing the orange slice around the rim, so that the salt can stick to the glass.
- You can customize the level of sweetness of your drink. Start with less amount of syrup and slowly add more. Taste and adjust for the perfect flavor.
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