Margarita cocktail

Margarita recipe twists

Spicy margarita

Margaritas pair beautifully with spicy flavours so try adding a dash of hot sauce to the recipe above (there’s a blood orange variety of Cointreau that works well). Make a chilli salt for the glass rim by mixing together ½ tsp of mild chilli powder, 1 tsp of sea salt flakes and the zest of ½ a lime.

Mezcal margarita

Smoky mezcal makes for a sultry, potent margarita – just swap out the tequila for mezcal in the classic recipe above.

Dirty margarita

Create a hybrid between a dirty martini and a margarita by adding a dash of pickling brine to the classic recipe. Pickled chilli brine works well, as does the brine from a jar of preserved lemons.

Watermelon margarita

Add a super-summery twist to your margarita by putting 50ml of tequila, 75ml of watermelon juice (we blitzed a handful of the fruit in a food processor for this), 1 tbsp of Cointreau or sugar syrup, and 25ml of lime juice in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well and strain into a margarita or coupe glass.

Passion fruit margarita

Tropical passion fruit adds a tangy character to this drink. Cut a passion fruit in half and scoop out the flesh. Put in a cocktail shaker along with 50ml of tequila, 30ml of Cointreau or sugar syrup, and 15ml of lime juice. Add some ice, shake well and strain into a margarita or coupe glass.

Pineapple mezcal margarita

Highlight the smoky notes of mezcal by complimenting it against the sweet and citrus notes of lime and pineapple juice. The spiciness of the tajin rim provides a counterpoint that amplifies mezcal’s distinctive allure.