This Easy Lemonade Margarita Cocktail is a lemony refreshing spin on the classic Margarita.  Make a big batch for your next get together, invite everyone over and let the good times roll! 

Margaritas are hands down one of my favorite cocktails. I easily drank a lot of them back in the day.. A lot lol. Most of them were not good. ok, ok  all of them sucked!. They were harsh and syrupy. The goal was to drink, not savor and they did their job well lol.  I’m proud to say that I have adulted.. A little 😉 and prefer my margaritas made with real ingredients and with good quality tequila.

Ask anyone around and they will tell you that I do not buy juice, ever. The only exception is lemonade and I prefer to make my own. So it makes complete sense to meld the two things I love. One day I was sipping on Teremana Tequila and bought lemonade. I told myself “I can make this better” And just like that my Easy Lemonade Margarita Cocktail was born 🙂

two glasses of a margarita cocktail, bowl with chips and a bottle of teremana tequila in the background

Mise en Place for Easy Lemonade Margarita Cocktail

Equipment:

  • Cutting board and sharp knife
  • Veggie peeler, optional 
  • Sauce pot 
  • 2 cup Mason jar with lid 
  • Fine mesh strainer
  • Measuring cups  
  • Measuring spoons
  • Small dishes for rimming glasses

Ingredients:

  • Lemons- fresh lemon juice is key!
  • Sugar
  • Water
  • Tequila 
  • Ice 
  • Salt or Sugar for the rim.
a bottle of teremana tequila, a measuring cup with water, a bowl with sugar and peeled lemons on top
a bottle of teremana tequila, lemons in a bowl and a 2 cup mason jar with lemon simple syrup

Lets make Lemonade Margarita Cocktails!

First things first, affix your cutting board to a flat surface. A damp paper towel placed underneath does the trick nicely. Gather all the mise en place. Things go a lot smoother when you’re organized 😉

Prep your ingredients:

Remove the peel off the lemons, careful not to get too much of the pith ( the white stuff on the back of the peel) and set them aside. Cut and juice the lemons into a measuring cup. Go back to the peels and take off as much of the pith as possible. The pith is bitter, margaritas shouldn’t be bitter. Check this quick tutorial on how to de- pith citrus from the Kitchn.  Tip- if you don’t want to bother with the pith then alternatively you can boil the lemon peels a few times. Changing the water each time. 3 or 4 times should do the trick.

Make the simple syrup:

Simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water, brought up to a boil until the sugar dissolves. We’re going to add the lemon peels to this basic recipe. Place the pot on the stove, add the water, sugar and peels. Bring up to a boil, lower to simmer. Turn off when the sugar has dissolved. Let the lemon peels steep for 30 minutes. Strain and transfer to a mason jar. Let it cool before using. Tip- the longer the syrup simmers the thicker it’ll get, but it’s not necessary for this recipe though.

Time to drink!

Blanco (white) Tequila is the preferred liquor for this easy lemonade margarita. The flavor blends seamlessly in this cocktail. My preference is Teramana tequila. I don’t know how the Rock does it, but this is the smoothest tequila I’ve had and bonus, no hangover whatsoever! Anyway so yea.. Prepare your glasses by wetting the rim with tequila (use a small dish) dipping them in salt or sugar, extra points for grating some lemon zest into the salt or sugar. (My friend put me on to the sugar rim.. Omg its divine!) Next, fill them with ice. Mix the simple syrup with the tequila, pour into glasses and enjoy!

This stuff is ridiculously good so make a big batch…its easy to double or triple;-)

two glasses of a margarita cocktail, bowl with chips and a bottle of teremana tequila in the background

Prep Tips:

  • The simple syrup can be made up to 2 weeks ahead. 
  • Lemons could be juiced 2 weeks ahead 
  • Freeze peels until ready for use

Not in the mood for tequila?? The same ingredients are used in my lemonade.

two glasses of a margarita cocktai, bowl with chips and a bottle of tequila in the background

Lemonade Margarita

Yield: 1 drink
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

This Easy Lemonade Margarita Cocktail is a refreshing spin on the classic Margarita. If you like lemons this cocktail is for you!

Ingredients

Lemon Simple Syrup

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • peels from 3 lemons, pith removed

Margarita Salt

  • lemon zest
  • salt 

Margarita

  • 2 ounces Teremana Blanco Tequila or your fave white tequila
  • 2 ounces fresh lemon juice
  • 1 ounce lemon simple syrup
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. Combine the ingredients for the lemon simple syrup in a small pot and place over medium heat. Simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. Turn off heat and set simple syrup aside to cool. This can be made days ahead.
  2. Pour some salt onto a plate and add the zest of 1 lemon. combine well.
  3. Moisten the rim of one cocktail glass with lemon and dip it in the lemon salt and add ice to the glass
  4. Pour the Margarita ingredients into a shaker with ice, shake then strain into your cocktail glass
  5. Enjoy!

Notes

lemon simple syrup can be made ahead and stored in the fridge for up to 1 month if stored in a sterile jar with a lid

© Angie
Cuisine: cocktail / Category: Siriusly Thirsty

post updated 01/27/22