How To Make A Strawberry Margarita

Strawberries are the only berries that work for a Margarita. Actually, that’s a lie. You can use just about any berry - but we especially like the mild, distinctive flavor of strawberry. We also like the color of a well-made Strawberry Margarita, and we suspect you will too. The trick is: strawberry syrup. And if you suspect this syrup will be difficult to make or that you might have to use your stove despite the fact that it’s 90 degrees outside, think again.

How It Tastes: Tart, Summery, Like It Should Come With An Umbrella

Drink If You: Are looking for something fun and colorful or have an excess of strawberries

The Strawberry Margarita

You’ll Need:

• Ice

• Rocks glass

• 2 ounces tequila

• .75 ounce lime juice

• .75 ounce strawberry syrup

• Salt

Step One: Salt

We’re making a Margarita here, so go ahead and rim your glass with salt. If you don’t know how to do that, the easiest way is to rub a lime wedge around the rim of your glass, then dip the rim in a saucer filled with salt.

Step Two: Lime Juice

Now you’re ready to make the actual cocktail - and just like every Mike Will Made It song begins with the words “Mike Will made it,” every Margarita begins with lime juice. It’s the fabric that holds this drink together, and don’t even think about using bottled lime juice. Juice a lime - and add .75 ounce of that juice to your cocktail shaker.

Step Three: Strawberry Syrup

Strawberries are delicious, and they should grow on every bush. Unfortunately, strawberries don’t impart much flavor when you just throw them in a cocktail. The solution is strawberry syrup - and if you’ve enjoyed one of our Strawberry Basil Daiquiris, congratulations, you already know how to make this.

Grab a bowl, add 1 cup of sugar, then slice up 1 cup of strawberries, and add those as well. Smash each strawberry with a fork until it breaks down, and stir together with the sugar. Next, boil your 1 cup of water, and pour it into your strawberry/sugar mixture. Stir everything, then let it sit for 30 minutes. Once you’ve done that, strain the mixture, and pour .75 ounces of this bright red strawberry syrup into your shaker.

Step Four: Tequila

Finally, add two ounces of tequila. We like blanco tequila (as opposed to añejo or reposado) for this, because its clean, mild flavor lets the strawberry syrup have its own much-deserved moment in the spotlight.

Step Five: Shake

Next, you need to add five or six ice cubes to your shaker, and shake vigorously for about 15 seconds. Why do you need to do this? Because otherwise, your drink will be warm and disgusting. Strain your Strawberry Margarita into your pre-salted rocks glass (filled to the rim with ice), garnish with some slices of fresh strawberry, and take a few moments to really soak in the majesty of the ruby red cocktail you’ve just created from a few everyday ingredients.