There is never not an appropriate time for a margarita. It’s the ideal drink for a balmy summer afternoon. And in the dead of winter it momentarily transports you to somewhere warm and sandy. This margarita recipe isn’t traditional, but it’s how we like to drink ours—and we’ve had a lot! Just four simple ingredients make for the perfect amalgamation of tart, sweet, salty and boozy.
Here’s what you’ll need:
Tequila
Blanco or Reposado is really a personal preference. I like the more woody, smokey taste of Reposado
Fresh lime juice
The most important part—it’s gotta be fresh! This is not the place for Rose’s or anything out of a bottle. Just juice from a just halved lime.
Simple syrup
You want to make a thick and concentrated simple syrup—2 parts sugar to 1 part water. Since we’re not using a traditional liqueur in this recipe, this will be what gives your margarita its sweetness and body.
Big pinch of flaky salt like Maldon
Since not everyone has a cocktail jigger lying around, we like to go free-form with this recipe. So long as you stick with these loose proportions, you can’t mess it up. Think of this like a general guideline that you can tweak to your liking. Want it a little more tart? Up the lime juice. Like a sweet margarita? Add a bit more simple syrup.
Here’s the ratio we find to be just perfect: 1 part simple syrup, to 2.5 parts tequila, to 3 parts lime juice.
Put all of your ingredients in a cocktail shaker along with a big pinch of flaky salt and shake it with ice until your tin is super cold and frosty on the outside—about 30 seconds of vigorous shaking. Strain into a glass filled with ice. Instead of having salt all over the rim of the glass and a big wedge of lime, we like to season the actual cocktail with salt and lime. Getting a mouthful of salt is just….unpleasant. Skip the salt and lime wedge and float a few thin lime wheels on top. Perfection.