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The Best Blood Orange Margarita Recipe

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Why is this the best blood orange margarita recipe? Because it's simple, it's refined-sugar free, it's written for a single serving and easy to scale for a crowd, it's gorgeous, and it has a smooth yet bold flavor.

Blood orange margarita in a salt-rimmed glass topped with wedges and slices of blood orange and lime on a white marble tray

If a blood orange margarita is on the menu, I can't turn it down. I'm incapable. But that means I'm also missing out on other potentially delicious drinks!

The obvious solution to the problem was to concoct my own homemade blood orange margarita cocktail recipe so that I am free to order other cocktails when I'm out and about.

Key Ingredients

You'll notice I don't call for any simple syrup. I find that it's perfect without it, but if you prefer your drinks on the sweeter side, add a tiny bit to the cocktail shaker.

  • Blood orange juice – I can usually find fresh blood oranges in the produce section of the local grocery store, but if you can't you may be able to find bottled blood orange juice in the fridge section of the same area. When it's not citrus season, a bright red bottle of Natalie's Orchid Island Juice Company Blood Orange Juice is pretty reliable.
  • Tequila – I personally enjoy the flavor of tequila blanco (aka: silver tequila) in mine, but you can use whatever tequila you enjoy.
  • Cointreau – If you can't get your hands on Cointreau, you could use triple sec in a pinch. Technically, Cointreau is a type of triple sec – but with a significantly higher alcohol content and better quality. You could also use Grand Marnier.
  • Lime juice – Freshly squeezed lime juice, please! I don't recommend using the bottled lime juice.
  • Orange bitters – These are optional, but I like the subtle spice and enhanced orange flavor it provides.
  • Salt and sugar – You could do a salt rim or a sugar rim, but I actually recommend combining them! Try margarita salt (or coarse kosher salt) and turbinado sugar.

How to Make a Blood Orange Margarita

Salting a rocks glass rim on a white marble tray next to sliced fruit and blood orange juice

Step 1: On a small plate or shallow bowl, combine salt and sugar. Run a lime wedge along the rim of your serving glass, then gently dip the rim in the salt and sugar mixture to coat. Fill the glass with ice cubes.

Blood orange juice being poured into a cocktail shaker on a white marble tray next to a salted rimmed rocks glass

Step 2: Add about 1 cup ice cubes to a cocktail shaker, then add 2 ounces of blood orange juice.

Tequila being poured into a cocktail shaker on a white marble tray next to a salted rimmed rocks glass

Step 3: Now add 1 1/2 ounces of tequila.

Cointreau being poured into a cocktail shaker on a white marble tray next to a salted rimmed rocks glass

Step 4: Next, add 1/2 ounce of Cointreau.

Lime juice being poured into a cocktail shaker on a white marble tray next to a salted rimmed rocks glass

Step 5: Finally, add 1/2 ounce of lime juice and dash of orange bitters.

A cocktail shaker being shaken above a white marble tray next to a salted rimmed rocks glass

Step 6: Add the top to the cocktail shaker and shake for 10-15 seconds, until the shaker has gotten cold and frosty on the outside.

Blood orange margarita being strained out of a cocktail shaker into a salt-rimmed glass a white marble tray next to a salted rimmed rocks glass

Step 7: Strain into prepared glass.

Blood orange margarita in a salt-rimmed glass topped with wedges and slices of blood orange and lime on a white marble tray

Step 8: Garnish with a blood orange slice, blood orange wedge, and/or lime wedge.

Blood orange margarita in a salt-rimmed glass topped with wedges and slices of blood orange and lime on a white marble tray

Substitutions & Variations

  • Spicy Blood Orange Margarita: Add a sliced jalapeño pepper to the shaker (removing the seeds for less heat) and 1/2 ounce agave syrup, and rim the glass with some Tajin chili lime seasoning
  • Smoky Blood Orange Margarita: Use a mezcal tequila and add a 1/2 ounce agave syrup to the shaker
  • Sparkling Blood Orange Margarita: Make the margarita as listed in the recipe card, and then top off the glass with soda water
  • Zero Proof Blood Orange Margarita: For a non-alcoholic blood orange margarita, swap the tequila for Jalisco 55 or Amoretti Premium Tequila Syrup, and swap the Cointreau for orange juice. You can also try this unique recipe for a blood orange mockarita.

How to Make Blood Orange Margaritas for a Crowd

Thankfully, scaling this recipe to make enough for multiple people at a party is easy. Just multiply the base by however many servings you need, and strain it all into a large pitcher to serve from. You can add ice to the pitcher as well, but we aware that it could water it down a bit.

To make 4 servings:

  • 8 ounces blood orange juice
  • 6 ounces tequila
  • 2 ounces Cointreau
  • 2 ounces lime juice
  • 4 dashes orange bitters

FAQs

How much sugar is in a Blood Orange margarita?

In my recipe, there are roughly 10 grams of sugar in a blood orange margarita. About 5 grams from the blood orange juice and the rest from the orange liqueur.

Is Cointreau or triple sec better for margaritas?

I personally prefer Cointreau in my margaritas. If you can't get your hands on Cointreau, you could use triple sec in a pinch. Technically, Cointreau is a type of triple sec – but with a significantly higher alcohol content and better quality.

Are margaritas better with sugar or salt?

I would normally say salt, but in the case of a blood orange margarita, I like the combination of sugar and salt!

Do you shake or stir a margarita?

You want to shake a margarita. Rule of thumb: If a cocktail includes juice, you want it to be shaken.

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Blood Orange Margarita Recipe

5 from 1 vote
Why is this the best blood orange margarita recipe? Because it's simple, it's refined-sugar free, it's written for a single serving and easy to scale for a crowd, it's gorgeous, and it has a smooth yet bold flavor. An awesome summer cocktail!
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 drink

Ingredients
 

  • lime wedge, for moistening the rim of the glass, and garnish
  • Margarita salt, or kosher salt
  • Turbinado sugar, or brown sugar
  • Ice cubes
  • 2 ounces blood orange juice
  • 1 ½ ounces tequila
  • ½ ounce Cointreau
  • ½ ounce lime juice, freshly squeezed
  • dash orange bitters

Instructions

  • On a small plate or shallow bowl, combine salt and sugar. Run a lime wedge along the rim of your serving glass, then gently dip the rim in the salt and sugar mixture to coat. Fill the glass with ice cubes.
    lime wedge
    Turbinado sugar
    Margarita salt
  • Add about 1 cup of ice cubes to a cocktail shaker, then add blood orange juice, tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and orange bitters.
    2 ounces blood orange juice
    1 1/2 ounces tequila
    1/2 ounce Cointreau
    1/2 ounce lime juice
    Ice cubes
    dash orange bitters
  • Add the top to the cocktail shaker and shake for 10-15 seconds, until the shaker has gotten cold and frosty on the outside.
  • Strain into prepared glass. Garnish with a blood orange slice, blood orange wedge, and/or lime wedge. Serve and enjoy responsibly!

Video

Notes

  • Spicy Blood Orange Margarita: Add a sliced jalapeño pepper to the shaker (removing the seeds for less heat) and 1/2 ounce agave syrup, and rim the glass with some Tajin chili lime seasoning
  • Smoky Blood Orange Margarita: Use a mezcal tequila and add a 1/2 ounce agave syrup to the shaker
  • Sparkling Blood Orange Margarita: Make the margarita as listed in the recipe card, and then top off the glass with soda water
  • Zero Proof Blood Orange Margarita: For a non-alcoholic blood orange margarita, swap the tequila for Jalisco 55 or Amoretti Premium Tequila Syrup, and swap the Cointreau for orange juice. You can also try this unique recipe for a blood orange mockarita.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 1drink | Calories: 171kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 0.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.03g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.03g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 135mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 120IU | Vitamin C: 33mg | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.2mg

Nutrition Disclaimer

The provided nutrition information is generated by an automatic API and does not take variations across specific brands into account. This information is provided as a general guideline and should not be treated as official calculations. Learn more here.

Recipe created by Leslie Kiszka

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