Margarita Pitcher Recipe Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

Margarita Pitcher Recipe Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (1)

By: Becky Hardin

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This Margarita Pitcher Recipe is perfect for serving a crowd, made with simple and fresh ingredients, and utterly delicious. There has never been a more perfect margarita! We have written the recipe to serve one or as many as 24.

Margarita Pitcher Recipe Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2)

Table of Contents

What’s in a Perfect Margarita?

We love this margarita because it tastes fresh, isn’t too sweet, and is made with simple ingredients. It is super smooth, so watch out! It works great as a single serving, or as an entire pitcher. You’re going to love this!

  • Cointreau: This orange liqueur is a staple in margaritas. I prefer Cointreau over triple sec, but either will work.
  • Lime Juice: Freshly-squeezed lime juice is the key to a delicious margarita. Don’t use bottled lime juice; it just won’t taste the same!
  • Tequila: Choose a good-quality Reposado tequila for the smoothest, best-tasting margaritas.
  • Agave Syrup: Agave nectar is a great all-natural sweetener. Use more or less depending on your tastes.
  • Ice: Chills down individual servings and keeps them cool all day long.

Pro Tip: Batch these margaritas early in the day, but shake up individual drinks just before serving for the best taste!

Variations on a Pitcher of Margaritas

These pitcher margaritas are so versatile. With just a few simple changes, you can customize these for any crowd!

  • Mezcal Margaritas: Swap the Reposado tequila for your favorite brand of Mezcal for smoky margaritas.
  • Spicy Margaritas: Muddle a few jalapeño slices in the bottom of each glass before pouring in the margarita, or add some chili powder to the salt rim.
  • Skinny Margaritas: Follow my skinny margarita recipe!
  • Virgin Margaritas: Swap the tequila for sparkling water and the Cointreau for orange juice. Batch these mocktails without the sparkling water (it’ll cause your shaker to leak), then top them off with sparkling water just before serving.
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What is the 321 margarita rule?

An easy way to remember how to mix a classic margarita is to memorize the ratio 3-2-1:three parts tequila, two parts triple sec, and one part lime juice. We changed up the ratios a bit in this recipe, and I think it’s even better this way, but you be the judge!

How many people does this Margarita Pitcher Recipe serve?

We have written the recipe below for just one serving and also for 24 servings in a large pitcher. You decide if it’s worth sharing with friends. This is one I might just keep all to myself.

What is the best tequila?

When making margaritas, I always opt for one that isn’t the most expensive and isn’t the cheapest. You want a quality tequila that is smooth and well made, but there’s no reason to break the bank when you’re not sipping it straight. For these Pitcher Margaritas, we recommend using a Reposado Tequila which is typically smoother than a Blanco or Anejo Tequila. Once we made that change in this recipe, it made all the difference.

Are Triple Sec and Cointreau the same thing?

Cointreau is a brand of Triple Sec, so technically yes. Cointreau is a trusted brand from France and their Orange Liqueur is delicious! I find some Triple Sec has a bitter or fake taste, but not Cointreau.

What’s the secret to a perfect margarita?

The secret to a perfect margarita is to shake up each margarita before serving. You can batch this co*cktail in a large pitcher, but add 2-4 servings to a shaker filled with ice and shake up the co*cktails just before serving. I promise, it makes all the difference!

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How to Store

Store leftover pitcher margaritas tightly covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours. Shake individual drinks over ice in a co*cktail shaker just before serving.

Serving Suggestions

A pitcher of margaritas is the best easy co*cktail for your Cinco de Mayo celebration. Serve them up with Baked Chicken Tacos, White Queso, Mexican Street Corn Dip, Chicken Nachos, or Homemade Tortilla Chips and Salsa.

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Recipe

Margarita Pitcher Recipe

4.58 from 762 votes

Author: Becky Hardin

Prep: 5 minutes minutes

Cook: 0 minutes minutes

Total: 5 minutes minutes

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Serves1 drink

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This recipe resulted in the quest to find the Perfect Margarita Pitcher Recipe. The hunt for the ultimate Cinco de Mayo drinks and snacks begins early…usually on May 6th of the previous year.

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Ingredients

For Individual (One, 4.5-ounce) Serving

  • 1 ounce Cointreau
  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2 ounces Reposado Tequila 100% pure de Agave Tequila
  • ounce Agave syrup (2 teaspoons) I use Tres Agaves, Agave Nectar – organic
  • 1 cup ice

For 13 (4-ounce) Servings

  • cups Cointreau
  • cups freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 3 cups Reposado Tequila
  • ½ cup Agave syrup
  • 12 cups Ice

For 18 (4-ounce) Servings

  • cups Cointreau
  • cups freshly squeezed lime juice
  • cups Reposado Tequila
  • ¾ cup Agave syrup
  • 1 bag ice

For 24 (4 ounce) Servings:

  • 3 cups Cointreau
  • 3 cups freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 6 cups Reposado Tequila
  • 1 cup Agave syrup
  • 1 bag ice

Instructions

If making for a crowd (13, 18, or 24 servings)

  • In 2-quart pitcher, combine all ingredients, except the ice. Keep the margarita mixture refrigerated until ready to serve.

  • When ready to serve, rim the glasses with salt (if desired) and fill each with ice.

  • Fill a co*cktail shaker ¾ of the way with ice. Add enough prepared margarita mixture to the top of the ice. Cover tightly and shake vigorously 10-15 seconds. Pour into prepared glasses and serve immediately. Drain excess water from the shaker. Repeat for the additional servings, adding more ice as needed.

  • Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.

For Individual Servings

  • See above if salting the rim of the glass.

  • Fill the shaker about halfway with ice and add all other ingredients. Shake vigorously 10-15 seconds.

    1 ounce Cointreau, 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice, 2 ounces Reposado Tequila, ⅓ ounce Agave syrup, 1 cup ice

  • Immediately pour into the prepared glass and garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.

Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!

Becky’s tips

  • We like to keep our tequila in the freezer to create the coldest margarita recipe possible with the least amount of ice. I don’t want to water this deliciousness down!
  • If you want an even fresher taste, you can add a splash of freshly squeezed orange juice!
  • These Margaritas are not very sweet. If you would like them sweeter, just add more agave syrup to taste.
  • If you want salted glass rims: Cover the bottom of a small plate with margarita salt. Rub the rims of the glasses with a lime wedge, dip the rims in the margarita salt, and set the glasses upright to dry a tad before filling with ice.
  • NOTE: It’s important to shake the margaritas before serving. Add 2-4 servings to a shaker with ice right before serving and repeat for each serving. Makes all the difference. Your guests will thank you!
  • These margaritas are best made within 8 hours of serving.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1drink Calories: 255kcal (13%) Carbohydrates: 19g (6%) Protein: 0.2g Fat: 0.1g Saturated Fat: 0.03g Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.04g Monounsaturated Fat: 0.01g Sodium: 16mg (1%) Potassium: 43mg (1%) Fiber: 0.1g Sugar: 16g (18%) Vitamin A: 14IU Vitamin C: 10mg (12%) Calcium: 11mg (1%) Iron: 0.1mg (1%)

Did You Make This?I want to see! Be sure to upload an image below & tag @thecookierookie on social media!

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Margarita Pitcher Recipe Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (10)

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More Margarita Recipes We Love

  • Orange Margaritas
  • Spicy Blackberry Margaritas
  • Azul Margaritas
  • Beer Margaritas
  • Watermelon Margaritas
  • Strawberry Basil Margaritas
  • See all of our Margarita Recipes!

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Margarita Pitcher Recipe Recipe - The Cookie Rookie® (2024)

FAQs

How many margaritas are in a pitcher? ›

He adds agave syrup to the holy trinity of tequila, lime juice and Cointreau for a dash of sweetness and scales up the ratios into a large batch that fits snugly into a 52-ounce pitcher. This recipe serves 12 people, but you can tweak the portions as needed and employ a larger pitcher to accommodate more drinks.

What is a good ratio of tequila to margarita mix? ›

An easy way to remember how to mix a classic margarita is to memorize the ratio 3-2-1: three parts tequila, two parts good triple sec (like Luxardo Triplum, Cointreau, or Combier), and one part lime juice. Serve it on the rocks with salt, as pictured, or serve it up in a chilled glass.

Do you need triple sec for margaritas? ›

To balance the co*cktail's acidity, triple sec is absolutely necessary for traditional Margaritas, according to Bailon. “Without triple sec, we fall into a different co*cktail category, which is the sour,” she explains.

How much alcohol goes into a pitcher? ›

When it came to drinks, many were keen to know if the famous co*cktail pitchers were really good value for money. Responding, the Reddit user broke down the costs, explaining: “Pitcher contains 4 shots of alcohol, a glass contains 2 shots.

How many cups does a pitcher hold? ›

There are 16 cups in one gallon.

What is the best formula for margaritas? ›

For A Single Margarita:

1 1/2 ounces silver tequila. 1 ounce orange liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier or Triple Sec) 3/4 ounce freshly-squeezed lime juice. optional sweetener: agave nectar or simple syrup, to taste.

What to add to margarita mix to make it better? ›

Adding fruit like mango can add a lot more flavor to your margaritas. While a classic margarita with lime is certainly tasty, adding other fruits can kick your drinks up a notch. Simply blend diced mango chunks along with the rest of your margarita ingredients, then pour into a glass of ice.

What is the best sweetener for margaritas? ›

Agave: If you would like to sweeten your margarita, I recommend adding agave syrup (or simple syrup, or any other sweetener you prefer) to taste.

What is the secret ingredient in Margaritas? ›

The secret to the perfect margarita, we discovered, is to skip Cointreau/orange liqueur altogether and replace it with freshly squeezed orange juice. The difference is remarkable.

Is Grand Marnier or triple sec better for a margarita? ›

Can they replace Triple Sec? Both Grand Marnier and Cointreau are excellent replacements for Triple Sec when making a Margarita. In fact, both of these are significantly more expensive and are considered to be better than inexpensive Triple Sec both in quality and taste.

What can I use instead of orange liqueur in Margaritas? ›

Our Top 9 Best Cointreau Alternatives
  • Grand Marnier. Grand Marnier is our top substitute for Cointreau. ...
  • Triple Sec. Triple sec is a clear, orange-flavored liqueur commonly used as a substitution for Cointreau in co*cktails and baking. ...
  • Curaçao. ...
  • Aperol. ...
  • Campari. ...
  • Combier Liqueur d'Orange. ...
  • Luxardo Triplum. ...
  • Bols Dry Orange.
Mar 8, 2023

How many drinks is a pitcher? ›

It holds 60 ounces, which can fill three pint glasses, five 12-ounce glasses or six 10-ounce glasses.

How many drinks in a 32 oz pitcher? ›

Fill this beverage pitcher with beer, water, soda pop or any other beverage you need to serve to your guests. It holds 32 ounces, which can fill two pint glasses, three 10-ounce glasses or four 8-ounce glasses.

How many margaritas are in a gallon? ›

Mix ingredients together in a large insulated container. When ready to serve, pour mixture into an 8-ounce glass filled with ice. Salted rim is optional. Makes around 20 margaritas per gallon.

How many margaritas is a standard drink? ›

One Martini is about 2 standard drinks. One Margarita is about 1.5 standard drinks.

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