This frozen strawberry margarita recipe is quick and easy to blend up at home! No added sugar or sweeteners – just strawberries, ice, tequila, orange liqueur, and fresh lime juice. Next time try a watermelon or strawberry basil margarita.
This is hands down the frozen cocktail I’ve made the most in my life – so much so, that I always have a container of it in the freezer so that I’m ready for margarita time all the time! Once you make these, you’ll never go back to bottled margarita mix.
There is nothing like a frozen cocktail on a hot summer day! Actually, there’s nothing like a fruity, frozen drink on a hot summer day that was prepared by someone else entirely while you lie next to a pool and barely move a muscle.
But since this frozen strawberry margarita only needs a few ingredients and a few minutes of your time, I think we can make an exception.
What are the ingredients for a frozen strawberry margarita?
For my recipe (which is a longtime favorite that I rarely stray from), you’ll need:
- A lime wedge and margarita salt and/or sugar – These are for rimming your glasses with a salt rim, sugar rim, or both! Sometimes I like a combination of both.
- Frozen strawberries – You can either buy a bag of frozen strawberries from the store, or you can de-stem fresh strawberries and freeze them in a single layer in the freezer in preparation for this recipe.
- Ice cubes – The ice is necessary to get that slushy texture we want.
- Tequila – Whatever kind of tequila you like best is what works best! I would recommend any quality blanco, reposado, or añejo tequilas.
- Cointreau (or another orange liqueur) – If you don’t have any Cointreau, you can substitute any of the following: Triple Sec, Grand Marnier, Orange Curacao. You could even substitute orange juice if you wanted to, but it won’t provide as much concentrated flavor.
- Fresh lime juice – Please don’t use the bottle kind that’s in the shape of a lime. Juice a fresh lime – it’s totally worth the little bit of extra effort.
Prep your garnish and your glasses
Slice each strawberry and lime wedge at an angle so that they will sit nicely on the edge of your glasses.
Pour margarita salt or sugar (or both) onto a small plate, then rub a lime wedge over the rim of your serving glasses to moisten the edges. Now dip the edges of the glasses into the salt and/or sugar.
How to make frozen strawberry margaritas
Step 1: In a blender, combine frozen strawberries, ice, tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice.
Step 2: Start blending on the “crush” or “medium” setting and adjust as you see fit until everything is combined, smooth, and to your desired consistency.
Step 3: Evenly distribute between your prepared serving glasses.
Garnish, serve immediately and enjoy!
Helpful tips for making frozen margaritas
- Get all your ingredients as cold as possible. Stick the tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and serving glasses in the fridge!
- Prep your glasses. It doesn’t matter if you use traditional margarita glasses or just a random pint glass – rub the rim with a lime wedge and then dip it in margarita salt or sugar (or both!). The lime juice helps it all stick to the edges!
- Use cubed ice, not crushed – crushed ice is quicker to melt.
- Use your blender’s crush ice setting first, then adjust for a smooth blend.
What can I use instead of Cointreau?
If you don’t have any Cointreau, you can substitute any of the following:
- Triple Sec
- Grand Marnier
- Orange Curacao
You could even substitute orange juice if you wanted to, but it won’t provide as much concentrated flavor.
What is the difference between a margarita and a frozen margarita?
This might seem like a silly question, but it’s really not!
- A traditional margarita is prepared by shaking the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and is served on the rocks (aka: in a glass with ice cubes).
- A frozen margarita is prepared by combining the ingredients and ice cubes in a blender to create an icy, frosty concoction.
What is the difference between a strawberry margarita and a strawberry daiquiri?
A strawberry margarita uses tequila, while a strawberry daiquiri uses rum (and my personal preference is white rum).
Just swap those two and omit the orange liqueur if you want to turn this into a daiquiri. Easy peasy!
Can I make frozen margaritas ahead of time?
Absolutely! Once you’ve made the mix, put it in a freezer-safe container and stick it in the freezer until you’re ready for it.
The alcohol will prevent it from completely freezing, and you can just stick it in the blender again and pulse for a few seconds to freshen it up before serving.
I’m not going to lie to you – it’s been many years since I’ve been to a Chili’s, so I don’t remember the flavor of theirs enough to compare it to my recipe. That said, this one is delicious so I don’t think you can wrong – even if it doesn’t taste just like the Chili’s margarita ;)
It doesn’t need the added sweetness! As long as your strawberries have a good flavor, that’s all you’ll need. However, if your sweet tooth demands more sweetness, you can add a little simple syrup to the blender.
A traditional margarita is prepared by shaking the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and is served on the rocks (aka: in a glass with ice cubes). A frozen margarita is prepared by combining the ingredients and ice cubes in a blender to create an icy, frosty concoction.
If you don’t have any Cointreau, you can substitute any of the following: Triple Sec, Grand Marnier, Orange Curacao. You could even substitute orange juice if you wanted to, but it won’t provide as much concentrated flavor.
After you’ve made this recipe, please consider coming back to share your experience with others by leaving a comment below with a star rating!
Description
Equipment
Ingredients
- Lime slice
- Margarita salt and/or sugar
- 1.5 cups strawberries, hulled and frozen
- 1.5 cups ice cubes
- 3 ounces tequila
- 2 ounces Cointreau, or other orange liqueur
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- Strawberries and lime slices, garnish
Instructions
- Rub a lime wedge over the rim of your serving glasses to moisten the edges, then dip in the margarita salt and/or sugar (I love to use a mix of the two!). Set aside.Lime sliceMargarita salt and/or sugar
- In a blender, combine frozen strawberries, ice, tequila, Cointreau, and lime juice. Start blending on the “crush” or "medium" setting and adjust as you see fit until everything is combined, smooth and to your desired consistency.1.5 cups strawberries1.5 cups ice cubes3 ounces tequila2 ounces Cointreau1 ounce fresh lime juice
- Evenly distribute between your two prepared glasses and garnish with fresh strawberries and/or lime wedges. Serve immediately and enjoy!Strawberries and lime slices
Video
Notes
Nutrition Facts
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.
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