Orange Margarita Recipe With Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice

An Orange Margarita follows a similar recipe to the classic Margarita with tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, and the crucial addition of fresh orange juice. The presence of extra citrus gives the cocktail a tart, juicy burst of flavor. You can try making an Orange Margarita with different orange liqueurs and garnishes to adjust the sweet-to-sour ratio.

When making an Orange Margarita, use the best quality ingredients. An Orange Margarita features tequila, lime, orange juice, and orange liqueur:

1. 1. Tequila: There’s no way around it: great cocktails need a foundation of quality liquor. Tequila, made from the agave plant, has a distinct, somewhat herbaceous flavor that goes well with a sweet, fruity liqueur and the acidic citrus kick of lime. To make an Orange Margarita, choose a good silver tequila (tequila blanco).
2. 2. Lime: Skip the Margarita mix. Freshly squeezed lime juice is the key to making the best Margarita. Keep extra limes on hand for garnish.
3. 3. Orange juice: Fresh-squeezed orange juice is best. In-season navel oranges are a delightfully sweet choice. Unlike limes, you can usually find fresh orange juice on the shelf year-round.
4. 4. Orange liqueur: An orange liqueur like Cointreau provides sweetness to balance the lime juice. If you don’t have Cointreau, try using Grand Marnier (an orange-flavored Cognac) or agave syrup.

Consider these variations and substitutions to add extra flavor to your Orange Margarita:

1. 1. Skip the sugar. Orange juice is sweet, so you might not need the usual inclusion of simple syrup or agave nectar.
2. 2. Make it fizzy. If you want a lighter, refreshing drink, top off your Orange Margarita with seltzer or sparkling water. These fizzy beverages will cut the intensity of the flavor and dilute the alcohol content.
3. 3. Experiment with orange varieties. An advantage of using fresh-squeezed juice is the ability to experiment with a range of orange varieties. You’ll find that there are subtle differences from type to type; Cara Cara oranges, for instance, have a pinkish color to the juice. A Blood Orange Margarita is a bright orange-red cocktail.