Texas Margarita
A Texas margarita adds fresh orange juice to the classic tequila and lime! Here’s my 5-minute recipe, plus a pitcher version for a crowd.
Here’s a fun spin on the margarita that might convince you to make the cocktail this way every time: the Texas Margarita! Adding orange juice to the classic marg makes it Texas-style, for reasons that aren’t abundantly clear.
One sip of this drink and I was sold! The sweetness of the orange juice perfectly balances the tangy lime and perfumed citrus of the Triple Sec. In fact, it almost convinced me to ditch my classic margarita and make it this way every time. This one’s a winner!
What’s a Texas Margarita?
The Texas Margarita is a margarita made with orange juice to complement the lime. It doesn’t have a defined history, or even an origin story. It’s possible that it came from people combining limeade, frozen orange juice and tequila as a sort of throw-together pitcher cocktail mix.
What’s the difference between Texas margarita and house margarita? Both drinks have tequila, time, and orange liqueur. A Texas margarita also has orange juice, so it tastes sweeter and less acidic. The drinks are both the same strength because they have the same amount of tequila.
Ingredient Notes
The classic margarita is one of the most popular cocktails of all time, invented in the 1930s in Mexico. The classic definition includes three ingredients: tequila, lime and Triple Sec. The Texas Margarita includes orange juice, but not so much as you would in an orange margarita. The ingredients you’ll need are:
- Tequila blanco. For most margaritas I like tequila reposado for its oak and vanilla notes. This is a straightforward drink, so the best tequila for a Texas margarita is the clean flavor of blanco.
- Triple Sec: My usual go-to is Cointreau, I like Triple Sec here; see below for more.
- Fresh lime juice. Always use fresh lime juice; bottled juice can’t compete.
- Orange juice: Freshly squeezed is ideal, but you can use bottled.
- Kosher or sea salt for the rim, or my margarita salt blend.
While this may have evolved from a low-brow, pitcher style drink, our take on the Texas Margarita is crisp, clear and sophisticated. It’s full of bright flavor and perfectly balanced between the tang of citrus and the bite of the tequila.
Triple Sec vs. Cointreau
Cointreau is a type of Triple Sec (a family of dry orange liqueurs). Triple Sec is both the name of a category and also refers to an inexpensive, lower-quality orange liqueur.
The best orange liqueur for a Texas margarita in my opinion is Triple Sec. My standard orange liqueur for a margarita is Cointreau, which adds warm spices and nuanced flavor of vanilla and oak.
But with a Texas margarita, a more straightforward flavor like Triple Sec works! Look for a quality brand: we like Drillaud.
Fresh Squeezed vs. Bottled Citrus
You can use any type of orange juice in this Texas Margarita. Typically I say, Fresh is best! Fresh squeezed citrus juice always tastes better than bottled. This is especially true for lemon and lime juices: always use fresh squeezed lime juice in a margarita!
But when it comes to orange juice, you can find some decent bottled juice. Just opt for the highest quality orange juice you can find, and make sure there are no added sweeteners!
Make a Texas Margarita Pitcher
Texas calls for big everything, right? So why not make a Texas Margarita pitcher? The pitcher works well when you’re entertaining so you don’t have to mix up individual drinks. At 5 minutes per drink, it can take quite a while! Here’s how to make an 8-serving pitcher! Mix together:
- 1 ½ cups tequila
- 1 ½ cups Triple Sec
- 1 cup lime juice
- 1 cup orange juice
Stir it together, and you’ve got one very tasty Texas Margarita pitcher! Just try not to drink it too fast. These go down easy! You’ll notice we served it in a stemmed cocktail glass, though we typically use a low ball glass for margarita recipes. It’s a fun alternative option: you can serve it in any style of glass you like (including the standard margarita glass).
Tex-Mex Foods to Pair
Why not pair this Texas Margarita with a Tex Mex meal? Many foods you might think are Mexican are actually Tex Mex in origin. Here are a few of our favorites:
- Texas caviar: Munch on some Texas Caviar (aka Cowboy Caviar), a tasty colorful bean dip
- Fajitas: Drink it while munching on Classic Shrimp Fajitas or Epic Vegetarian Fajitas
- Taco salad: Try it with crunchy Ultimate Taco Salad (or Vegan Taco Salad)
- Nachos: What’s more fun than Texas Margaritas and big pan of Sheet Pan Nachos?
When to serve a Texas margarita
The Texas margarita is always a hit! It works as a:
- Summer drink
- Cinco de Mayo drink
- Happy hour drink
- Dinner party drink
- Late night drinks drink
- Guys or girls night drink
- Cocktail hour drink
Frequently Asked Questions
A classic guideline: 3 parts tequila, 2 parts orange liqueur, 1 part lime juice. This recipe is more like 3:3:2:2, with orange juice matching the lime.
No, the tequila pour is the same. The orange juice makes it taste smoother, which can make it seem less strong.
You can, but you’ll lose the depth in flavor. Increase the orange juice slightly and add a little agave to compensate.
No, most mixes already include orange flavoring and sweetener. But skip the mix entirely here!
Texas Margarita
Pin RecipeAdd orange juice to the classic cocktail to make a Texas Margarita! This citrusy sweet spin is even better than the original.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
- Category: Drink
- Method: Shaken
- Cuisine: Mexican
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ ounces* tequila blanco
- 1 ½ ounces Triple Sec (or Cointreau)
- 1 ounce lime juice
- 1 ounce orange juice
- Kosher salt or sea salt, for the rim
- Ice, for serving (try clear ice)
Instructions
- Cut a notch in a lime wedge, then run the lime around the rim of a glass. Dip the edge of the rim into a plate of salt (or for a festive look, use Margarita Salt).
- Single drink: Place the tequila, Triple Sec, lime juice, and orange juice in a cocktail shaker and fill it with ice. Shake until cold. Strain the margarita into the glass with the salted rim. Fill the glass with ice and serve.
- Pitcher (8 servings): Place 1 ½ cups tequila, 1 ½ cups Triple Sec, 1 cup lime juice, and 1 cup orange juice in a pitcher. Add 3 handfuls ice and stir until cold.
Notes
*To convert to tablespoons, 1 ounce = 2 tablespoons
More Margarita Recipes to Try
from A Couple Cooks
https://ift.tt/YB8ukW4
Sonja Overhiser
July 14, 2026 at 11:35AM
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