February 22 is just around the corner, which means that National Margarita Day is fast approaching! It’s the day when the margarita, one of America’s favorite drinks, gets to be celebrated in the way it deserves.
Whether you like the classic three-ingredient Margarita or you want it infused with bold and exciting new flavors; on the rocks or frozen; with salt, sugar or any other spice on the rim.
Whether you’re still in the middle of winter, or you smell spring coming; whether you enjoy it by itself or with a nice dish (Tex-Mex, of course!) or whether you go to a bar, restaurant, cantina or stay in the comfort of your home.
We are helping you celebrate National Margarita Day with a whole slew of classic and new recipes for frozen margaritas to enjoy. Try them all, and the next time your friends come over, wow them with a pitcher full of margarita goodness.
The History of the Margarita
It seems that a lot of people want to take credit for mixing tequila, lime juice, and Triple Sec for the first time and giving it a woman’s name. But probably the most popular version of the margarita’s origin story is that a restaurateur named Carlos “Danny” Herrera mixed the first margarita at Rancho La Gloria, in Tijuana, in 1938.
One of the customers at Rancho La Gloria was Marjorie King, a young and beautiful actress who was, unfortunately, allergic to many kinds of hard alcohol except tequila.
So, just for her, he put the magic three ingredients together in a salt-rimmed glass, served it with a wedge of lime, and the rest, as they say, is history. Why “margarita” and not “Marjorie,” then? Of course, the name had to be Hispanicized because they were in Mexico after all.
A few years later, the company that imported Jose Cuervo to the US for the first time launched an ad with the tagline, “Margarita: It’s more than a girl’s name,” and the drink’s popularity began to spread in earnest.
And the frozen margarita?
In 1971 a restaurateur in Dallas named Mariano Martinez converted his soft-serve ice cream machine into a frozen margarita maker, thus launching one of the most popular varieties of margarita to this day.
Best Recipes for Frozen Margaritas
The Classic
4 and 1/2 ounces tequila (Jose Cuervo Gold is perfect for all these recipes)
1 and 1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
1 and 1/2 ounce triple sec
2 ounces lime juice
1 and 1/2 cups ice (add more to get thicker liquid)
Blend all the ingredients above. Take a lime wedge and rub it around the rim of a margarita glass. Place some sea salt on a plate and rub the rim of the glass with the salt. Enjoy!
Strawberry Margarita
4 and 1/2 ounces tequila
1 and 1/2 ounces lime juice
3 ounces strawberry daiquiri mix
1 splash strawberry liqueur
3 ounces frozen strawberries
1 and 1/2 cups ice (add more to get thicker liquid)
Blend all the ingredients above. A strawberry margarita usually gets a sugared rim, and so dip the rim of a margarita glass in some water, pour some coarse sugar on a plate, then rub the rim of the glass in the sugar. Garnish with fresh strawberries.
Key West Margarita
4 and 1/2 ounces of tequila
3 ounces piña colada mix
3 ounces melon liqueur
1 1/2 ounces lime juice
1 1/2 ounces orange juice
3 splashes grenadine
1 and 1/2 cups ice (add more to get thicker liquid)
Blend all the ingredients above. Take a lime wedge and rub it around the rim of a margarita glass. Place some sea salt on a plate and rub the rim of the glass in the salt.
Spicy Margarita
3 ounces tequila
1 and 1/2 ounces jalapeño tequila
1 and 1/2 ounces citrus liqueur
1 pinch chipotle chili powder
3 ounces lime juice
1 splash simple syrup
1 and 1/2 cups ice (add more to get thicker liquid)
Blend all the ingredients above. This drink is best served in small glasses, garnished with limes and jalapeños. For an added kick, exchange the salt or sugar rim and use cayenne pepper salt instead.
To make your jalapeño-infused tequila, add half a sliced jalapeño to one cup of tequila. Let sit for one day, remove the jalapeño, and voila!
Avocado Margarita
3 ounces tequila
1 1/2 ounces agave syrup
3/4 medium avocado
1 1/2 ounces lime juice
3 ounces pineapple juice
1 and 1/2 cups ice (add more to get thicker liquid)
Blend all the ingredients above. Dip the rim of a margarita glass in some water, pour some coarse sugar on a plate, then rub the rim of the glass in the sugar.
Strawberry Sriracha Margarita
4 ounces tequila
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
Splash orange liqueur
1 1/2 cups frozen strawberries
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
1 and 1/2 cups ice (add more to get thicker liquid)
Blend all the ingredients above. Dip the rim of a margarita glass in some water, pour some coarse sugar on a plate, then rub the rim of the glass in the sugar. Garnish with fresh strawberries.