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I think we’ve all seen cocktails that get out of hand with creativity, and we’ve probably all encountered when a margarita gets a bit too crazy.
I’m thinking about margaritas made with wonky ingredients like bubblegum, fish sauce, or chocolate. I think the worst I ever saw was a dill-passionfruit flavored “margarita” where the tequila was swapped out for vodka.
Vodka! Can you imagine?!
If you’re going to riff on a classic, then the recipe should be kept simple so that the qualities that made original so spectacular still shine, but the drink can be experienced in a new way.
Take, for example, this blueberry margarita. It has all the traditional ingredients (tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice) but also the addition of blueberries and just the barest whisper of mint. The result is still distinctly a margarita, but with a bold new color and fruity flavor that compliments the tequila and lime.
- Curious about tequila? Take a look at our comprehensive Tequila Guide!
It’s a novel cocktail to keep in mind for any impromptu hangouts you happen to host this summer—and a surefire hit with the margarita lovers in your life.
Try one of these variations!
- Frozen Blueberry Margaritas: Feel free to use frozen blueberries in place of fresh, just be sure to thaw them first. Or don’t! Put them in frozen with four cups of ice and the mint and blend away for blueberry slushy margaritas.
- Blackberry Margaritas: Blackberries make for a wonderful substitution in this recipe, or use a bit of both.
More summer cocktails
Blueberry Pitcher Margaritas Recipe
Buy tequila whose label indicates it has been aged for at least two months and is "100% de agave."
Ingredients
- 4 cups tequila blanco (also called plato or silver tequila)
- 2 cups orange liqueur such as Triple Sec or Cointreau
- 1 cup lime juice
- 3 cups blueberries
- A few sprigs of mint
- Agave nectar or simple syrup, to sweeten if needed
- Ice
- Kosher or flake salt (not iodized salt) for rimming the glass (optional)
- Extra blueberries and lime wedges for garnish (optional)
Special equipment:
Method
1 Infuse the tequila: Place the tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, and blueberries in a blender and pulse 8 to 10 times. Allow the ingredients to infuse for at least 30 minutes.
2 Muddle the mixture: Pour the mixture into a bowl, add the mint, and muddle together (i.e., bruise up the mint) with a muddler, dowel, or a wooden spoon. Allow to infuse for about five minutes.
3 Strain the solids: Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a pitcher filled with ice. Press the solids with the back of a spoon to get all of the liquid out.
4 Taste and sweeten if needed: Give the margaritas a taste and stir in agave nectar or simple syrup to sweeten, if needed.
5 Rim the glass: If you like margaritas with salt on the glass, then take a small plate or bowl and fill it with the salt. Next, take a glass (a cocktail or coupe glass will do, but a canning jar is just as easy) and rub the rim of it with a wedge of lime. Dip the glass into the salt and give it a turn or two.
6 Serve the margaritas: Pour the margaritas into the prepared glasses. Garnish with lime wedges or blueberries skewered on a cocktail spear or toothpick.
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Garrett McCord is a professional writer and recipe developer whose work has appeared in many print and online publications such as Gourmet Live, Saveur, Huffington Post, Smithsonian, and NPR. Past clients also include numerous food companies, wineries, and distilleries. Garrett writes about cocktails on his website, Coupe de Grace.
Blueberry Pitcher Margaritas
Blueberries! My favorite summer food. It was just me and the wife, so I cut the recipe in half. i remember thinking it was really tasty, then i got tired, then there was all this light and noise, and the police!
Did these margaritas make you hallucinate, Mark? This sounds a little gnarly. Maybe make 1/4 the recipe next time. ;)
Wow these were great! I tried 3.5 cups of tequila at the suggestion of another review, and honestly could have used even less. These are strong but delicious!
xxxxxyyyyy
Wow!! Elise great margarita recipe! Made a pitcher for friends to watch the Warriors game. Used 3.5 cups of tequila which was plenty of alcohol. We were feeling pretty good and it wasn’t just the game! Wondering if it would work with strawberries?
xxxxxyyyyy
Hi Rivka, I’m so glad you like it! It’s Garrett’s recipe so I don’t take any credit for it. But I had a lot of fun making it with him!
Rivka, you absolutely could! We’ve also used pitted cherries!
oh gosh cherries would be fabulous
A special note after hearing back from a reader who made the recipe. They saved the crushed blueberries after draining them and added them to blueberry muffins along with the zest they saved from the limes used for the lime juice in this recipe. A novel solution for reducing food waste and making another great meal!
How far in advance can this be made?
I’d say a few hours. When exposed to oxygen for a prolonged time citrus juice will start to turn bitter, so don’t do it the day ahead.
Thank you so much for the reply! I ended up making it yesterday, and it was a huge hit!