This quick and easy Blood Orange Margarita recipe is one you need to make right now! It's just 4 ingredients plus a spiced sugar rim. Freshly squeezed blood orange juice gives this drink a gorgeous color and it can be made in under 5 minutes! YUM!
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With no special skills needed, this Blood Orange Margarita comes together fast. You can make one in just a few minutes and if you're making them for a crowd, you can batch them to keep your serving stress-free.
Why I love this recipe
Isn't she a beauty? This Margarita with Blood Orange Juice is a show-stopper. It doesn't take any more work than a regular margarita but drop jaws with that color!
If you are a fan of tequila cocktails, you'll love this twist on the margarita. The blood orange gives it a bright flavor, that isn't quite as tangy as the classic recipe.
It's a great cocktail to serve for Cinco de Mayo or any other drinking occasion all summer long. And, I mean, do you really need an excuse to have a delicious margarita??
Ingredients
The ingredients for a Blood Orange Margarita are pretty straightforward. Tequila, Triple Sec and lime are commonly found in this type of drink.
The Blood Oranges bring a citrus note, plus a little bit of sweetness that is quite lovely and delicious to drink.
I prefer a blanco tequila since they are not aged in oak barrels. I much prefer that flavor to something that is aged. But you could probably substitute a reposado with not too much change in flavor.
You can substitute any orange or citrus liqueur in place of the Triple Sec.
And if you can't find Blood Oranges, or they aren't in season, you can substitute just about any other type of orange or tangerine. The results will still be delicious!
Directions
Step 1: Prep your glass
Start by preparing your glass for the beautiful Blood Orange Margarita. I'm not a huge fan of a rim that covers the whole glass (unless it's a pretty rose petal rimmer) so I usually just do a portion.
Use a wedge of fresh lime and rub it on the cocktail glass where you want the rim to be. Next dip the wet part of the glass into your rimmer (in this case I used a spiced sugar blend) in a shallow plate.
You can also use traditional margarita salt. I've even used Maldon sea salt with great results. Tajin would also be delightful.
Set aside the glass until ready to serve.
I used short whiskey glasses because I love the shape. But the next glasses I buy are going to be these stemless margarita glasses.
Step 2: Build the drink
To a cocktail shaker add tequila.
Add the Triple Sec.
Add the fresh-squeezed blood orange juice.
I prefer the Oxo Citrus Squeezer for making cocktails. It feels way more heavy-duty than some I've used in the past and it always gets out tons of juice for me.
Add the fresh lime juice.
Step 3: Shake
Add ice to the shaker then shake well.
Step 4: Serve
Strain the margarita with blood orange juice over fresh ice in your prepared cocktail glass or margarita glass. Garnish with a slice of fresh blood orange and you're ready to enjoy a delightful margarita.
Tips and Tricks
- If you aren't a huge fan of tequila, start with 1 ounce and add more if needed. (I'm a 1 ½ ounce gal myself. 2 if I'm feeling extra.)
- I didn't use any extra sweeteners in this recipe because I'm not a fan of sweet drinks and the orange liqueur has enough for me. If you need to add some, use agave nectar or simple syrup.
- You don't need to rim the cocktail glass if you don't want to, and you can swap up what you use (salt, or sugar, or Tajin) based on your flavor preferences.
- You can leave out the orange liqueur if you don't have it but I think it adds to the orange flavor since blood oranges are on the subtle side for flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
In my opinion, the best one is whatever you have. In most recipes, the orange liqueur is a supporting character and the flavor differences won't be too pronounced. Cointreau is a good all-around flavor but it is a bit pricey. A store-brand Triple Sec is just fine in my opinion!
Blanco tequila is my favorite type of tequila to use in a margarita. It's unaged (or slightly aged in steel barrels instead of oak. It's clear and has a straight-forward flavor that I love.
In a mixed drink, the brand matters less than if you are drinking a tequila and soda. But there are three brands that I really like. DeLeon, Santo and Casamigos all have a great blanco tequila that is flavorful and easy to drink. They also mix well with other cocktail ingredients.
*Updated: All of those brands are celebrity owned and while I enjoy them, I've learned more about tequila and appreciate traditionally made tequilas. Try El Tesoro, Cazadores or Herradura.
If you don't have orange liqueur but think the drink needs a little something more, you can use a bit of orange juice concentrate, some orange zest or even orange marmalade. You are looking for something orange flavored but that isn't overly sweet. You want the bitterness to come through.
A few more easy recipes you might enjoy!
- Blood Orange Martini Recipe with Cointreau
- Blood Orange Ginger Beer Cocktail Recipe (Blood Orange Moscow Mule)
- Blood Orange Spritzer Recipe with Sauvignon Blanc
- Gin Float Cocktail Recipe with Blood Orange Sorbet
- Margarita Sangria Pitcher Cocktail Recipe with Citrus
- Flavored Margarita Recipe
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Blood Orange Margarita
Ingredients
Instructions
- On a small plate, add a small portion of spiced sugar or salt. Use a wedge of fresh lime and rub it on the rim of your cocktail glass where you want the rimmer to stick. Dip the wet edge of the glass into the sugar on the plate. Set aside until cocktail is ready.
- To a cocktail shaker add tequila, Triple Sec, blood orange juice and lime juice.
- Add ice and shake well.
- Strain into the prepared cocktail glass over fresh ice.
- Garnish with a slice of blood orange if desired.
Notes
- If you aren't a huge fan of tequila you can use 1 ounce instead.
- I didn't use any extra sweeteners in this recipe because I'm not a fan of sweet drinks and the orange liqueur has enough for me. If you need to add some, use agave nectar or simple syrup.
- If you don't have orange liqueur, you can use a small amount of orange juice concentrate, orange zest, or orange marmalade. Because blood oranges have a subtle flavor, you will want to give it a boost with something orange-y.
- I prefer to make this with blanco tequila. Three brands that I like are DeLeon, Santo and Casamigos.
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