This Blood Orange Margarita is a celebration of one of our favorite citrus fruits: fresh blood oranges! We’re taking our homemade Margarita Recipe (seriously, this is a must try if you crave those classic marg flavors!) and adding the juice of blood oranges, both for taste and that beautiful color!
Blood oranges have a dark red flesh and taste slightly less acidic than a navel orange. While citrus season in the States typically lasts from December to April, if you can find blood oranges locally, you can enjoy this margarita recipe year round! Which means we know exactly what we’re drinking on Cinco de Mayo… you joining?!
Love this drink? Be sure to check out our Pineapple Margarita recipe as well as our Blackberry Basil Margarita!
What You’ll Need To Make Blood Orange Margaritas At Home
The ingredients for a Blood Orange Margarita are the same as with our classic margarita recipe — tequila, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and agave nectar for sweetness — except we’re adding fresh blood orange juice!
Our preference is always for Cointreau over Triple Sec, but both are orange liqueurs and can be used interchangeably in cocktail recipes.
Tequila Blanco vs Tequila Reposado
This is clearly a matter of preference, but we always make margs with Casamigos Tequila Blanco (also sometimes referred to as silver tequila). It’s our favorite tequila because of it’s light, fruity taste.
Tequila reposado, by contrast, ages for longer periods of time in stainless steel or oak barrels. As a result, it has a darker brown hue and more distinguishable taste. Many times, tequila respado will be more expensive. In addition to being used in cocktails, it is often sipped on.
We’ve found the clean, smooth taste of Casamigos Tequila Blanco makes for a perfect, easy to drink margarita every single time!
How To Make A Blood Orange Margarita
Run a lime wedge or blood orange wedge along the rims of two glasses, then dip upside down into a small plate or shallow bowl filled with Kosher salt. We like to place a large ice cube in each glass, but crushed ice is great too or you can skip this altogether.
Fill a cocktail shaker (or mason jar) with ice, then add tequila blanco, fresh lime and blood orange juice, and a bit of agave (less than 1 ounce!) or simple syrup to sweeten. Secure the lid on top, shake well to aerate, then strain and pour into prepared glasses.
Serve with lime or blood orange slices (round wheels) or wedges for garnish!
What’s The Best Tequila For Margaritas
- Casamigos (750ml at $35.99) – hands down, this is the only tequila I use on a regular basis. It’s smooth, herbaceous, and made with 100% agave. Highly, highly recommend.
- Casa Noble Crystal (750ml at $34.99) – this tequila packs a little more punch than the Casamigos. If you’re looking for a bit more character (think slightly smoky or peppery tones), this may be the one for you.
- Herradura Blanco Tequila (750ml at $38.49) – this well known tequila is often the liquid of choice for classic margs, and for good reason — it’s not Patron (overhyped), but similarly will not overwhelm the other flavors of your cocktail.
While you can certainly use a less expensive tequila, we’ve found that we feel better the next day if we use a higher quality… ya know what I’m saying?
Can I Use Grand Marnier Instead of Cointreau?
You can, but the flavor will be different. Cointreau is a clear, orange-flavored liqueur with a smooth taste. Grand Marnier is both more expensive and has a stronger flavor.
While Cointreau is a type of Triple Sec, Grand Marnier is a combination of Triple Sec and Cognac.
Cinco de Mayo Menu Ideas
- Sheet Pan Fajitas
- Tacos De Carnitas
- Cilantro Lime Shrimp
- Mexican Cobb Salad
- Grilled Fish Tacos
- Green Chicken Chili Soup
And you better believe we’ll be snacking on chips, guacamole, and queso all night long!
Not only is the flavor of this cocktail recipe amazing, but it’s striking color will make it the life of the party! Cheers!
If you make this Blood Orange Margarita recipe at home, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
Love blood oranges? Be sure to try our Blood Orange Paper Plane!
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More cocktail recipes to try!
5-Ingredient Blood Orange Margarita
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 oz tequila blanco we recommend Casamigos
- 2 oz fresh blood orange juice
- 2 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz Cointreau
- ¾ oz agave nectar
- Kosher salt for the rim of the glass
- Blood orange and limes for garnish, either wheels or wedges
Instructions
- Make the blood orange marg. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then add 4 oz tequila, 2 oz blood orange juice, 2 oz lime juice, 1 oz Cointreau, and ¾ oz agave. Secure lid, then shake for 10-12 seconds to aerate the drink.
- Prepare the glass, then serve. Run a lime wedge along the rim of a glass, then dip upside down into a shallow bowl of Kosher salt. Place ice in glass (optional). Strain into glasses and serve with blood orange wedges or wheels.
Notes
- Don’t have agave nectar? You can use simple syrup instead! To make simple syrup, combine equal parts water and sugar in a small saucepan, then heat without bringing to a boil until the sugar has melted. We recommend using 1 cup of each, then storing leftover simple syrup in a squeeze bottle or airtight container. When sealed and stored in a refrigerator, simple syrup will keep for weeks.
Nutrition
Photography by: Pate of The G&M Kitchen
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