Try this Fresh Strawberry Margarita Cocktail on the rocks with fresh berries and juices. It’s the best…frozen will never measure up again!
The Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo often fall on the same weekend, which is tricky if you love both celebrations. This year I missed posting in time for either event, but a pitcher of Fresh Strawberry Margaritas saved the day at a neighbor’s taco celebration. Tacos and a bright, fresh strawberry margarita are a perfect match.
I’ve made countless margaritas over the years — if there’s a seasonal fruit, I’ll turn it into a margarita. Somehow a proper strawberry margarita didn’t make it to this site until now. Once I gathered all my margarita recipes, I realized this omission and set out to fix it. The result is a vibrant, flavorful cocktail that outshines frozen mixes every time.
In Denver, Cinco de Mayo is a big deal thanks to our large Hispanic community and excellent Mexican food. Yet I rarely find a restaurant margarita that truly impresses. Restaurants often cut corners to serve volume. At home you can make a margarita that actually tastes like one — fresh ingredients and good tequila make all the difference.
When I first tried margaritas out, cheap gold tequila and too much salt left me underwhelmed. Frozen strawberry margaritas helped disguise bad tequila, but they rarely delivered the brightness I wanted. The turning point came when I started making margaritas with fresh, ripe strawberries, blanco tequila, quality orange liqueur, and freshly squeezed citrus. The difference is night and day.
Fresh, spring-ripened strawberries give these margaritas their brilliant color and true strawberry flavor. I prefer serving them on the rocks — the texture and chill are just right — but if you want them frozen, add a few cups of ice to the blender and pulse to your desired consistency.
It was tempting to enjoy one while writing this, but I saved mine for Mother’s Day. Cocktails are more fun shared with friends and neighbors, and this margarita is a crowd-pleaser. Once you taste how fresh ingredients lift the drink, you’ll never want a pre-made mixer again.
Great margaritas start with good ingredients: decent blanco tequila, a real orange liqueur, fresh lime and lemon juices, and ripe strawberries. You don’t need fancy equipment — a simple hand press works fine for citrus when you’re making only a few cocktails.
Swap the strawberries for raspberries or blackberries, or combine fruits for seasonal twists. I like to rim glasses with a mix of sugar and salt for a balanced bite; coarser decorative sugars add a pleasant texture if you prefer a sweeter rim.
PIN IT! ‘Fresh Strawberry Margarita Cocktail’
Fresh Strawberry Margarita Cocktail
Barb
Ingredients
- 16 ounces fresh strawberries hulled
- 1 cup blanco or silver tequila
- ⅓ cup lemon juice freshly squeezed
- ⅓ cup lime juice freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup simple syrup
- ¼ cup honey
- ¼ cup orange liqueur
For Garnish
- Sugar/salt mixed in equal portions to rim the glasses
- Strawberry slices
- Lime wedges
Instructions
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Combine the strawberries, tequila, lime juice, lemon juice, simple syrup, honey, and orange liqueur in a blender. Pulse until completely smooth, then let the mixture sit a couple of minutes and skim any bubbles from the top. Taste and adjust with more tequila or sweetener if needed.
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Rub a lime wedge around each glass rim and dip the rim in an equal mix of kosher salt and sugar. Fill glasses with ice and pour the strawberry mixture over the ice.
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To serve frozen, add about 3 cups of ice to the blender and pulse until you reach the desired consistency.
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Garnish with fresh strawberry slices and lime wedges. Serve immediately.
Nutrition