A delicious lemon margarita recipe! With its tangy lemon flavors, smooth tequila base, and customizable options for batch-making or pre-mixing, this drink will become your new favorite.
This recipe is easy to make, using only four simple ingredients. It’s a nice twist on a classic margarita and is perfect to serve year-round.
I love a good margarita; it’s my perfect way to wind down after a long day. I have experimented with many variations, and this delicious cocktail is one of my favorites. Lucky for me, I have two lemon trees, Eureka and Meyer lemon trees. So when my lemon trees burst with hundreds of lemons, this is the perfect way to use them!
The Eureka lemon is the most common type in grocery stores. I like to call them “regular lemons” as they resemble the classic shape and color we all know. They have a bright yellow color and acidic flavor.
The Meyer lemon is a hybrid between a mandarin orange and a lemon, giving it a sweeter taste and rounder shape. I prefer my Meyer lemons because they are less acidic than Eureka lemons. They are perfect for making lemon margaritas because they add a subtler, sweeter flavor.
When my lemons are abundant, I also like to make lemon drop shots, bee’s knees, lemon mules or a smoky mule!
Check out more great cocktail recipes, my favorite brunch cocktail recipes, the best-mixed drinks, tequila cocktails, and cheap drinks to make at home!
Why You’ll Love This Drink
- It’s a refreshing twist on the traditional margarita, making it perfect for those who want to mix things up and try something new.
- This easy lemon margarita will become your new favorite cocktail with its sweet and tangy flavors.
- This simple margarita recipe requires just a few ingredients and minimal prep time. It is perfect for any occasion – from impromptu gatherings to lazy afternoons by the pool.
How to Make The Best Lemon Margarita
Ingredients
Before you begin, make sure that you have the right ingredients.
Tequila: Use a good tequila, preferably reposado or blanco tequila. The better the tequila, the better your margarita will taste!
Orange Liqueur: This type of orange-flavored liqueur adds sweetness and depth to the drink. I prefer to use Cointreau pr grand Marnier, but you can use any brand of triple sec.
Fresh Lemon Juice: Freshly squeezed lemon juice is essential for this recipe. It’s what gives the margarita its refreshing citrus flavor. I use Meyer lemon juice for my cocktail.
Simple Syrup: This is a mixture of sugar and water, which adds sweetness to balance out the tartness of the lemon juice. You can use agave syrup or make honey syrup instead of simple syrup.
Salt: For garnishing the rim of the glass. Optional but adds a nice touch!
Directions
Begin by preparing your margarita glasses. Rub a lemon wedge around the rim of each glass and dip it into salt. This will create an optional salt rim, which adds a nice touch to the drink.
In a cocktail shaker, combine 2 ounces of tequila, 1 ounce of triple sec, and 1 ounce of freshly squeezed lemon juice.
Add in ½ ounce of simple syrup or adjust to your desired level of sweetness.
Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds.
Strain the cocktail into your prepared glasses filled with fresh ice.
Add a teaspoon of lemon zest over the top. Then, add a lemon wedge or a fresh spring of rosemary to garnish.
Expert Tips
- Shake for at least 20 seconds to dilute and chill the drink properly.
- Roll the lemons on the counter to make sure they release enough juice.
- Feel free to adjust the amount of simple syrup based on your preference.
Lemon Margarita Variations
If you want to switch this cocktail up, here are some different ways to do that!
Skinny – Swap the simple syrup for agave, or leave the sweater out of the cocktail.
Jalapeño Lemon Margarita – Use jalapeno-infused tequila or add a slice to the cocktail.
Strawberry Lemon Margarita – Add fresh strawberries to the cocktail shaker for a fruity twist.
Frozen Lemon Margarita – Blend all the ingredients with ice for a frozen version of this drink.
Extra Boozy – Add a little mezcal or an extra shot of tequila.
Non-Alcoholic – For a non-alcoholic version, omit the tequila and triple sec and replace it with extra lemon juice or soda water.
How to Make a Salt Rim
A salted rim is iconic to a classic margarita, and it’s not particularly difficult to salt the rim of your cocktail glass. Spread out salt evenly on a dinner plate. Use a lemon, lime, or even water to coat the edge of your cocktail glass.
Then, rotate the outside of your glass against the plate. Be careful not to get any salt on the inside of your glass, which can change the taste of your drink. You can also do this with sugar to make a sugar rim.
Making Lemon Margaritas Ahead of Time
Preparing these lemon margaritas in advance is a breeze! Juice the lemons and store them in the refrigerator until you’re ready to mix. The simple syrup can also be made ahead of time.
Once both components are on hand, all that’s left is adding alcohol and giving it a good shake. So next time you have guests over, you can relax and enjoy their company instead of worrying about making individual cocktails.
Margarita Garnishes
Looking to elevate your lemon margarita? Here are a few delicious garnish options to try:
- Lemon slices
- Lemon wheels
- Lemon peels
- Meyer lemon zest
- Sugar-rimmed glasses for an extra touch of sweetness.
When to Serve
When to Serve a Lemon Margarita: It’s always a good time to serve a lemon margarita! Whether you’re hosting a summer barbecue or having a cozy night in with friends, here are some of my favorite occasions to whip up a batch of lemon margaritas:
- Summer BBQs
- Cinco de Mayo
- Taco Tuesday gatherings
- Pool parties
- Game nights with friends
- Brunch with a twist
- Girls’ night in
- Outdoor picnics or concerts
Of course, margaritas go great with Mexican food. Serve them with queso blanco nachos, quesadillas, a giant taco salad, or my Mexican fruit platter. They’ll also go well with any of these Mexican desserts!
Frequently Asked Questions
The answer is yes! If you prefer lime over lemon in your margarita, that’s an option. You can also make other substitutions, depending on your particular tastes. Look at many margarita recipes to decide what’s right for you.
A margarita is a margarita because it uses tequila as its base liquor. Margaritas get their name from the Spanish woman’s name, Margarita.
There are many different stories about where margaritas may have been invented. Still, one of the most popular stories is that the drink originated in Tijuana in the 1930s.
Tequila should almost always be the primary alcohol in a margarita. On occasion, however, it is switched out with mezcal.
A margarita could also contain Triple Sec, Cointreau, different orange or fruity liqueurs, and other forms of alcohol.
You put Triple Sec in margaritas because it adds more sweetness and helps bring out some of the complexity in the tequila and other ingredients. If you don’t have or don’t like Triple Sec, it can be replaced with simple syrup or other options.
Yes, you can use lemons instead of limes for margaritas. Using lemons in a margarita gives the classic cocktail a unique and refreshing twist.
Can you mix a big batch of lemon margaritas?
Absolutely! You can easily make a big batch of lemon margaritas by multiplying the ingredients in the recipe by the number of servings you want to make. Mix all ingredients in a large pitcher or punch bowl and stir well.
You can also pre-mix the ingredients and store them in the refrigerator until ready to serve, adding ice to individual glasses before pouring.
More Recipes You’ll Love
If you love this simple lemon margarita, then try any of these:
- Refreshing Strawberry Margarita Recipe
- Lemonade Margarita
- A Charming Way to Serve Mini Margaritas
- Yellow Grapefruit Margarita Recipe
- Frozen Margarita Popsicles
- Golden Margarita
- Frozen Mango Margarita
- Sparkling Margarita
Tell me what you think about this delicious lemon margarita on the rocks! Leave a review and comment below if you try this recipe.
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Lemon Margarita Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ounces tequila
- 1 ounce lemon juice, fresh
- 1 ounce orange liqueur, Cointreau
- 1/2 ounce simple syrup
- 1/2 tsp lemon zest
- salt , for the rim
Instructions
- First, salt the rim of each glass.
- Add the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake for 20 seconds.
- Strain the mixture into your prepared cocktail glass with a salted rim.
- Add a 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest over the top. Then add a lemon wedge or a fresh spring of rosemary to garnish.
Notes
Nutrition
This Lemon Margarita is amazing! I can’t wait to make it again and again!
This was so refreshing, the perfect drink for a hot and humid day!! I could not get enough! I am making a pitcher of this this weekend and can’t wait!