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  4. The 9 Best Margarita Recipes, According to Southern Living

The 9 Best Margarita Recipes, According to Southern Living

Southern Living May 2021 Cover
By Southern Living Editors Updated April 01, 2022
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Grapefruit Margarita by Tiffanie Barriere
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn

A margarita is a fun, fruity cocktail that you can enjoy year-round, but on a hot summer day, a margarita just hits the spot. It's a great drink to whip up in a big batch for entertaining or scale down to make a single glass. Whether you start with a bottle of margarita mix or opt for hand-squeezed lime juice, this refreshing cocktail is guaranteed to satisfy.

A classic margarita mixes tequila, lime juice, and orange liqueur (typically triple sec or Cointreau). Poured into a glass rimmed with salt and garnished with a wedge of lime, this fun cocktail is the ultimate happy hour treat. Once you've learned the secrets to making the perfect margarita, it's time to get creative. There are countless ways you can customize your margarita—we've rounded up a few of our favorite margarita best recipes and favorite flavor combinations for inspiration.

From classic fruit flavors like peach and strawberry to unexpected pairings like watermelon-mint and the "Mojitarita," we can't possibly choose one favorite cocktail from this list. That's why we are officially calling all nine drinks the best margarita recipes of all time—because, yes, they're all that good. 

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Frozen Margarita

Frozen Margarita
Credit: Antonis Achilleos

Recipe: Frozen Margarita

A frozen margarita is made by blending all the traditional ingredients with ice. Our recipe also adds a can of frozen limeade concentrate to amplify the citrus flavor.

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Mojitarita

Mojitarita
Credit: Katie Jacobs

Recipe: Mojitarita

Combine two classic cocktails—mojitos and margaritas—in one epic tropical beverage: the Mojitarita. It takes the tequila from the margarita and the mint from the mojito to create a festive party favorite.

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Mint Margarita

Mint Margaritas
Credit: Greg DuPree; Food Styling: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

Recipe: Mint Margarita

Craving a refreshing drink? This margarita recipe is for you, with a seasonal touch of fresh mint or basil garnish that does just the trick. 

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Grapefruit Margarita

Grapefruit Margarita by Tiffanie Barriere
Credit: Antonis Achilleos; Food Styling: Ruth Blackburn

Recipe: Grapefruit Margarita

A grapefruit margarita is one of our all-time favorites. Thanks to the surprising pairing of sour lime, bitter grapefruit, and sweet elderflower liqueur, your tastebuds will surely be wowed too. 

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Peach Margarita

Peach Margaritas
Credit: Jennifer Causey; Food Styling: Loren Wood; Prop Styling: Christine Keely

Recipe: Peach Margarita

For a sweet take on a classic margarita, mix fresh peaches, triple sec, and agave or honey into your blender. Then, prepare your glass for the best part of this recipe: the chili-lime seasoning on the rim. 

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Watermelon Margarita

Watermelon Margaritas On The Rocks
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Watermelon Margarita

If you can't resist a slice of juicy watermelon, then this drink is for you. Watermelon simple syrup and watermelon juice help load this margarita with fruity flavor. It's sure to become your next signature cocktail.

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Strawberry Margarita Spritzers

Strawberry Margarita Spritzers
Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Amy Burke

Recipe: Strawberry Margarita Spritzers

Throw all the ingredients in the blender and go—that's how easy it is to mix up these Strawberry Margarita Spritzers. And before you grab that strawberry huller, our recipe calls for frozen (but thawed) whole strawberries. No chopping, hulling, or stemming necessary.

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Lucy Buffett's Highbrow Margarita

Margarita with Salted Rim
Credit: Piotr Krzeslak/Getty Images

Recipe: Lucy Buffett's Highbrow Margarita

In her signature Highbrow Margarita, Lucy Buffett swaps orange liqueur for lime liqueur to double down on citrus flavor. She also adds soda water to give a bit of fizz.

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Watermelon-Mint Margaritas

Watermelon-Mint Margaritas
Credit: Southern Living

Recipe: Watermelon-Mint Margaritas

Want to make this an alcohol-free sipper? Skip the tequila and opt for ½ cup of orange juice or apple juice instead.

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    1 of 9 Frozen Margarita
    2 of 9 Mojitarita
    3 of 9 Mint Margarita
    4 of 9 Grapefruit Margarita
    5 of 9 Peach Margarita
    6 of 9 Watermelon Margarita
    7 of 9 Strawberry Margarita Spritzers
    8 of 9 Lucy Buffett's Highbrow Margarita
    9 of 9 Watermelon-Mint Margaritas

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