How To Make the Perfect Lemon Margarita

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This lemon margarita recipe is super easy to make using only 4 simple ingredients. It’s a nice twist on a classic margarita and is perfect for summer sipping.

Many different margaritas are sweet, refreshing options that you’ll enjoy sipping on all summer long. But one citrusy option you should consider trying out is the lemon margarita.

Also check out more great cocktail recipes our favorite brunch recipes, the best-mixed drinkstequila cocktails, and cheap drinks to make at home!

lemon margarita recipe

It’s different from our lemonade margarita, which is also so refreshing and good. This recipe is more of a traditional margarita but with lemon juice instead of lime.

lemon juice, cointreau, tequila

How to Make a Lemon Margarita

Ingredients

Before you begin, make sure that you have the right ingredients.

cocktail shaker

Directions

Salt the Rim – First, salt the rim of each glass. See how to salt the rim of a glass below.

Shake – Add the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake for 20 seconds.

Strain – Simply strain the mixture into your prepared cocktail glass over ice or “on the rocks”.

Garnish – Add a teaspoon of lemon zest over the top. Then add a lemon wedge or a fresh spring of rosemary to garnish.

Lemon Margarita Variations

If you want to switch this cocktail up a bit, here are some different ways to do that!

  • Skinny – Swap the simple syrup for agave or leave the sweater out of the cocktail.
  • More Lemon – Add a dash of lemon liqueur to give the cocktail even more of a lemon flavor.
  • Extra Boozy – Add a little mezcal or an extra shot of tequila.
  • Frozen – Add some ice and the ingredients into a blender and blend it up. We always add a extra 1/2 ounce of simple syrup to our blended cocktails.
salted rim on a glass

How to Make a Salt Rim?

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.

What to Serve With a Lemon Margarita on the Rocks

Margaritas go with a wide variety of different foods. Create your own Spanish food night, and serve your lemon margaritas with delicious queso blanco nachos, quesadillas, and other delicious treats.

lemon margarita recipe

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Use Lime Instead of Lemon?

The answer is yes! If you prefer lime over lemon in your margarita, that’s absolutely an option for you. There are other substitutions you can make as well, depending on your particular tastes. Look at many of the margarita recipes out there to decide what’s right for you.

What Makes a Margarita a Margarita?

A margarita is a margarita because it uses tequila as its base liquor. Margaritas get their name from the Spanish women’s name, Margarita.

There are many different stories about where margaritas may have been invented, but one of the most popular stories is that the drink originated in Tijuana in the 1930s.

What Alcohol Is In a Margarita?

Tequila should almost always be the main alcohol in a margarita. On occasion, however, it is switched out with mezcal.

A margarita could also contain Triple Sec, Cointreau, different types of orange or fruity liqueurs, and other forms of alcohol. 

Why Do You Put Triple Sec in Margaritas?

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 with other replacement options.

lemon margarita recipe

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lemon margarita recipe

Lemon Margarita Recipe

This lemon margarita recipe is super easy to make using only 4 simple ingredients. It's a nice twist on a classic margarita and is perfect for summer sipping.
5 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Cocktail
Cuisine: Mexican
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 0 minutes
0 minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes
Servings: 1 Cocktail
Calories: 263kcal
Author: Eden

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.
  • Simply 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

Shake for 20 seconds or more with ice in a cocktail shaker to create a super cold, mixed margarita. 
Add a dash of limoncello for an extra lemon flavor. 
Add more or less simple syrup depending on how sweet you like the cocktail to be. 

Nutrition

Calories: 263kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 11mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 2IU | Vitamin C: 12mg | Calcium: 5mg | Iron: 1mg
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2 thoughts on “How To Make the Perfect Lemon Margarita”

  1. 5 stars
    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!

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