As we begin to gain daylight and finally welcome the start of summer (and its partner day drinking), we’re ushered into the season by Cinco de Mayo. To mark the annual rise of margaritas, we’ve put together some of our favorite margarita recipes. Some of them follow the traditional margarita structure, others leave a bit more room for customization or exploration if margaritas aren’t one of your go-to cocktails. It’s important to note that Cinco de Mayo is not Mexico’s Independence Day, which is celebrated on September 16th. Cinco de Mayo is the anniversary of the Mexican Army’s victory over the French Empire and is typically more widely celebrated in the United States than Mexico, where the day is marked by ceremonial celebrations by way of reenactments and military parades.

 

1. The Margarita

The Classic Margarita is a quick and easy cocktail to build: it’s comprised of tequila, triple sec liqueur, lime juice, and agave. Since the ingredients are so basic, it’s easy enough to substitute simple syrup if you don’t have any agave, or lemon juice if you’re out of lime juice. If you’re a fan of mezcal you can also make a smokier margarita, a mezcalita. The garnish for a margarita can be a simple lime wedge or, if you’re swapping ingredients, could include a cucumber slice or dehydrated citrus wheels as well.

2. Jalapeño-Pineapple Margarita

If you’re looking for some heat in your margarita, it’s easy enough to punch it up by using some jalapeño pineapple-infused tequila. The heat can be upped even more by adding a chili salt rim otherwise you can start with gradual heat by using a little less of the infused tequila. If you don’t have infused tequila on hand, you can always use muddled jalapeños.

3. Creamy Coconut Pineapple Margarita

The Creamy Coconut Pineapple Margarita is the ideal creamy, indulgent margarita if you wanted a margarita that brings a tropical feel similar to a piña colada. We use pineapple-infused tequila, using the same recipe for our jalapeño pineapple-infused tequila without the jalapeño, but regular tequila is perfect as well.

4. Spicy Coconut Margarita

The Spicy Coconut Margarita is the perfect mix of the spicy margarita and the creamy coconut margarita. Brought to our attention by Spirited Marilita, it’s another way to enjoy the tropical feel of a coconut margarita but with the added dimension of a little heat. And just like with the jalapeño margarita, you can control the heat by using more or fewer jalapeños.

5. Cero Miedo

An original cocktail by Girl & Tonic, this is her spin on a sweet and smokey margarita. She adds jalapeño basil simple and club soda to balance out the tequila and mezcal in her cocktail.

6. Blueberry Mint Margarita

The Blueberry Mint Margarita is a bright cocktail that’s the perfect afternoon pick-me-up. The blueberries bring a juicy sweetness to the margarita while the mint brings a light, refreshing flavor to the cocktail without being overpowering.

7. Blood Orange Margarita

Our Blood Orange Margarita has a tart, piquant taste– the blood orange juice adding notes of sweet orange and tangy grapefruit to the margarita. With margaritas being a great summer cocktail and blood oranges being a winter fruit, it’s truly an ideal margarita for year-round sipping.

8. Paloma

If margaritas really aren’t for you, the Paloma is another option for a refreshing citrus tequila cocktail. If you don’t have grapefruit soda on hand, grapefruit juice or grapefruit simple and club soda can easily be used in place. For the garnish, you can add a salted rim with the traditional grapefruit slice or a toasted rosemary sprig for a smokier flavor.

9. Lovechilds No. 2: Amaretto Sour meets Margarita

By swapping the bourbon for tequila, Rami’s cocktail elevates this margarita from its classic counterpart with the addition of the amaretto and its sweet almond complexity. Instead of eggwhites, Rami swaps in aquafaba– a chickpea brine that brings the same amount of foam and complexity to cocktails as its counterpart.

10. Smokey Negroni

While adding the Smokey Negroni to a list of margaritas is a pretty big leap, it’s an easy drink to stir up if you have company that doesn’t enjoy margaritas and prefers a more biting, earthy cocktail like the Negroni. By substituting the tequila or mezcal for the gin, you have a new take on a classic cocktail without having to go looking for your gin after a few margaritas.