This Cherry Margarita skips the cherry liqueur and lets real tart cherry juice do the talking! It’s puckery, bright, and a little sweet, with a Tajin sugar rim that gives every sip a spicy-sweet pop. Ready in just 5 minutes with no syrup to simmer or cherries to pit!
Meet my new favorite summer cocktail! 🍒
I used to make these with cherry liqueur, and honestly it was never worth the money or the shelf space. Real tart cherry juice gives you brighter, truer cherry flavor for a fraction of the cost. If you like a margarita that leans tart instead of syrupy sweet, this is your drink!
Most cherry margarita recipes stop at a plain salt rim, and I think that’s a wasted opportunity. Tajin is chili, lime, and salt all in one, so mixing it with sugar means you get sweet, sour, salty, and a tiny kick of heat every time you take a drink.
It looks and tastes like something at a nice restaurant, that stunning ruby red in the glass. And it comes together in about the time it takes to fill the shaker with ice.
— ♥︎ Jess —
Key Ingredients
- Silver Tequila – Blanco is clean and lets the cherry sit right up front. Reposado works if you like a rounder, oakier drink, but it does mute the fruit. Skip anejo and mezcal here, they will overpower the cherry completely.
- Tart Cherry Juice – Check the label for tart cherry juice and water, nothing else. Look for it in glass bottles in the juice aisle rather than the cocktail mixer aisle. Unsweetened black cherry juice is the best swap.
- Fresh Lime Juice – You need 1 1/2 ounces, which is one good juicy lime or two smaller ones. Bottled lime juice has a dull, slightly bitter edge that shows up immediately in a drink this simple.
- Orange Liqueur – Triple Sec, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier all work, use whichever you have on hand. If you are out, a half ounce of fresh orange juice plus a teaspoon of agave will cover it, but it will be less boozy.
- Agave or Honey – A splash of simple syrup also works! Tart cherry juice brands vary a lot in sweetness, so taste before you decide.
- Tajin and Sugar Rim – Doing a 50/50 mixture of Tajin and sugar for the rim gives you that sweet-salty-spicy bite that really makes this drink. Don’t skip it!
How to Make Tart Cherry Margaritas
Visit the recipe card below for the ingredient amounts and full directions.
Step 1: Rim the Glasses
Run a lime wedge halfway around the rim of each glass, then press just that wet section into the Tajin-sugar mix. Fill both glasses with ice and set them aside.
Step 2: Shake
Add the tequila, tart cherry juice, lime juice, and triple sec to a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice. Seal the lid down hard and shake for a full 15 seconds.
Step 3: Taste and Serve
Taste and see if you’d like to add any agave for sweetness, giving it one more quick shake if you added any. Then strain it into the prepared glasses, garnish with a lime and cherry, and serve it right away!
Jessica’s Tips
- Roll the limes before you cut them. Press down and roll them under your palm on the counter for a few seconds. You will get noticeably more juice out of each one.
- Shake a full 15 seconds. You are chilling and diluting at the same time and both matter. The outside of the shaker should go frosty and almost too cold to hold.
- Always strain over fresh ice. Do not dump the shaker ice into the glass. That ice is already half broken down and it will water your drink down within a few minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Run the lime wedge firmly against the rim, then dip it into the mix while it is still juicy. Keep the plate wide and flat for even coverage. For an extra-strong hold, moisten the rim with a little honey or agave first, which helps if you are prepping for a party.
Yes. Drop the tequila and triple sec and replace them with a splash of orange soda water or club soda plus a little extra lime. You keep the gorgeous color, the tart cherry, and the Tajín rim, just without the alcohol.
Multiply every ingredient by the number of guests and stir together in a pitcher, holding the ice until serving. Rim each glass fresh and pour over ice when everyone is ready. Make it up to 24 hours ahead and keep it cold.
Tart cherry juice and citrus can settle if the drink sits. That is normal. Just give it a quick stir or shake before serving and it comes right back together.
Tart Cherry Margarita
Ingredients
- 3 oz silver tequila
- 2 oz tart cherry juice
- 1.5 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz triple sec, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier
- 1 teaspoon agave syrup or honey, optional
- lime wheels and cherries, optional for garnish
- ice
Tajin-Sugar Rim
- 1 lime wedge
- 1 tablespoon Tajin
- 1 tablespoon sugar
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Instructions
- To rim the glasses, combine Tajin and sugar in a shallow plate big enough for the rim of each glass. Rub a lime wedge halfway around the rims of each glass, and dip the wet part of the glass into the Tajin-sugar mix.
- Fill the glasses with ice and set aside.
- In a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, combine tequila, cherry juice, lime juice, and triple sec. Make sure the lid is tightly sealed, and shake vigorously for 15 seconds. Taste with a straw/spoon to see if you like to sweeten it. If yes, add the agave and give it a quick shake once more.
- Strain into the prepared glasses. Serve immediately, garnished with a lime wheel and a skewered cherry.
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Notes
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