These chewy margarita cookies are soft, salty and sweet, with zesty lime and orange flavors and a hint of tequila!
Extremely popular opinion: Margaritas are wonderful. I love margaritas.
Wait, let me be more specific: I love freshly made margaritas with fresh juices and fresh fruit zest. If it’s out of a bottle of margarita mix or a frozen can, you need to see yourself out and take your pitcher of sad-ritas with you. I’m sorry, but you GOTSTA GO.
I got a craving for margaritas one day (okay fine, most days), but I also wanted something sweet. And it was also 11AM on a Wednesday.
Cookies became my dessert goal, and to combine my margarita craving with sweets I thought I’d give cookies spiked with tequila a try. Can you imagine if I was craving a bloody mary at the time? [shudder]
Someone has recently told me she wanted to see more “boozy” dessert recipes on the blog. Well, ask and you shall receive, my dear.
You may be tempted to think of these as lime cookies, but do not be deceived. They have a subtle but distinct lime flavor, for sure, but they’re also accompanied by a subtle orange flavor (thanks to the Triple Sec) and a hint of tequila. If you top your cookies with my favorite garnish, you end up with a flavor palate very much reminiscent of a classic margarita: additional freshly grated lime zest, and a combo of margarita salt and coarse sparkling sugar.
To die for. I’m telling you.
I also made a batch where I gave them a quick coating of tequila as soon as they came out of the oven, and while the flavor was pretty freaking great, the texture of the tops of the cookies left a little to be desired.
You could also add grated orange peel into the batter and/or as a garnish on top, if you were feeling like you need a little extra fruit in your life.
I’m writing this post and seriously regretting that there aren’t any margarita cookies left in the house. Not even a different kind of cookie. Not a single one. And my mouth is kind of watering a little, and I don’t know what to do about it.
It’s sort of stressing me out, and I’m rummaging through the pantry like there’s gold hidden somewhere.
My husband brought these to work and one of the guys said this was the best cookie he’d ever had. That’s a ringing endorsement if I ever heard one.
Even one of his coworkers that doesn’t normally drink was all over there. Mind you, that doesn’t mean you should trick your non-alcohol drinking friends into eating these. Nor should you give these to your kids. I mean, it might be kind of funny to tell them in 15 years that their first taste of tequila was in a cookie when they were 6… but that’s probably illegal and stuff so don’t do it, mmk? Mmk.
This recipe makes about 24 cookies, and while you may very much feel the desire to double the recipe, you probably shouldn’t. It’s going to give your mixer a hard time with that much dough, so if you want to make 48 cookies just make it in two batches and everything will be a-okay.
Want more tequila in your life?
- Watermelon Margaritas
- Frozen Mango Margarita by Whitney Bond
- Tequila Sunrise Cocktail
- How to Make Pineapple Infused Tequila by Hunger Thirst Play
- Strawberry Basil Margarita
- Honey Mango Strawberry Margarita by Taste and See
Want more boozy desserts in your life?
- Mango Tequila Sorbet by Foodal
- Whiskey Stuffed Car Bomb Cupcakes by Hunger Thirst Play
- The Best Jack and Coke Cupcakes
- Boozy Angel Food Cupcakes with Amaretto-Soaked Strawberries
- Tiramisu (for Two!)
- White Chocolate Champagne Truffles
- Bourbon Balls
- Red Wine Chocolate Cupcakes with Blackberry Buttercream Frosting
- Bourbon Butter Pecan Ice Cream
After you’ve made this recipe, please leave a comment below with a rating – and if you came from Pinterest, add a photo of what you make to the pin to share your experience!
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Chewy Margarita Cookies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 22 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
These chewy margarita cookies are soft, salty and sweet, with zesty lime and orange flavors and a hint of tequila!
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose four
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon tequila
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon Triple Sec (can substitute orange extract)
- Zest of 1 lime (about 2 teaspoons – can add more if desired)
- Additional lime zest for garnish (optional)
- Margarita salt, maldon flake salt, and/or coarse sparkling sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare two baking sheets with nonstick silicon mats (aff link) or parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Whisk to combine and set aside.
- In the large bowl of a stand mixer, add butter and sugar and beat on high speed until creamed together.
- Add egg, tequila, lime juice, Triple Sec and lime zest and beat until just combined.
- With the mixer running on low speed, add flour a little at a time until just combined and no streaks of flour remain.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (aff link) (about 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons), portion out balls of dough onto prepared cookie sheets with no more than 6 to each sheet. Roll them between the palms of your hands to form balls.
Optional before baking, but encouraged:- Add a little more fresh lime zest to the top
- Roll in coarse sparkling sugar
- Top with a sprinkle with coarse sparkling sugar
- Top with a sprinkle of margarita salt or maldon flake salt
- Top with a sprinkle of sugar and salt combined!
- Bake for 12 minutes. You want them to be set and crinkled, but not yet golden. Let cool on baking sheet for a couple minutes, then transfer to wire racks (aff link) to cool completely.
- Store in airtight containers. Enjoy!
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Bake
Keywords: chewy margarita cookies, boozy cookies, chewy sugar cookies, margarita sugar cookies, summer cookies, tequila cookies, lime cookies, cinco de mayo cookies
Let us know what you think!