Prickly Pear Margaritas aren’t just vibrant and gorgeous – they’re deliciously refreshing, too! This summery pink cocktail is made with ingredients like tequila, lime juice, and prickly pear syrup. Perfect for girl’s nights, pool parties, and beach trips, these sweet and sour margaritas never disappoint!

A vibrant pink margarita is in a salt rimmed glass.


Prickly Pear Margaritas

Picture this – you’re hosting a ladies night at your house. All of your girlfriends are chatting in the living room when you walk in and surprise them with a tray full of these gorgeous prickly pear margaritas. Trust me, gasps of delight are sure to ensue! These margaritas are one of my favorite cocktails to make, simply because of how pretty they turn out every time. The pink color is always so vibrant, and I love garnishing the glasses with a coarse salt rim, lime wedges, and pineapple leaves for an extra tropical look!

They’re a smooth cocktail that’s a real pleasure to drink, so don’t be surprised when you’re asked to make another batch! Just be careful, as this smooth drink is made with a good amount of tequila and cointreau. You know those drinks that just sneak up on you seemingly out of nowhere? That’s yet another reason I love making these margaritas for parties. Sure, they’re pretty and delicious, but they’re strong, too. With that being said, the other ingredients ensure that the margarita doesn’t taste as strong as it actually is.

So let’s get in to what makes these margaritas so tasty, shall we? To start, the prickly pear syrup is the star of the show and definitely one of my favorite flavors at play here. It’s sweet, but not so sweet that it has a real sugary taste. Rather, the sweetness of the syrup is well balanced with the tangy, fruity flavor of the prickly pear. The lime juice further enhances the tangy notes of the prickly pear syrup, while the cointreau adds another note of fruity citrus to the cocktail. All of these fruity, sweet, tangy and slightly sour flavors mix SO well with the tequila!

Ice cubes and lime slices are placed around a glass of pink margarita.

How to Make a Prickly Pear Margarita

This is a quick and easy margarita recipe, which is yet another reason I love making these during parties! I love that I can whip up a batch of these bad boys in no time, so I don’t have to miss out on all the fun.

  1. Shake it up! Add the tequila, cointreau, lime juice and prickly pear syrup in a cocktail shaker. Shake well to combine.
  2. Rim it. Pour the salt onto a small plate or bowl. Rim the edge a margarita glass with a slice of lime to moisten and dip into salt.
  3. Enjoy! Pour the margarita into glass over ice. Garnish with a lime slice and pineapple leaves.
A glass filled with margarita is ready to be enjoyed on a white surface.

How to Make Prickly Pear Syrup

I personally like to just grab mine from the store to save some time, but making your own syrup is always a delicious way to impress. To make prickly pear syrup, simply boil a pot of water and add about 3 pounds of prickly pears to the pot.

Then, lower the heat and add a lid to the pot, allowing the pears to seep for about half an hour. Once they’re tender, mash them with a potato masher or wooden spoon before straining the seeds out of the mix. Bring the juice (with none of the seeds!) to a simmer and toss some sugar in there – I find that two cups of sugar is sweet enough for me, but you can add more as desired.

Add the juice of one lemon to the mix, stirring to combine. Keep in mind that you can add more or less sugar and lemon juice as you see fit!

Three margaritas are placed next to each other with lime slices and pineapple leaves.

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A vibrant pink margarita is in a salt rimmed glass.

Get the Recipe: Prickly Pear Margarita

Fruity, tangy perfection! Prickly Pear Margarita is a refreshing cocktail that's fun for a tropical party or happy hour. Simple to make in minutes.
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Ingredients

  • 3 ounces tequila blanco
  • 1/2- ounce Cointreau
  • 1 1/2 ounces lime juice
  • 2 ounces prickly pear syrup
  • Course Salt, for rimming the glass
  • Lime slices and Pineapple Leaves for garnish

Equipment

  • cocktail shaker

Instructions 

  • Add the tequila, Cointreau, lime juice and prickly pear syrup in a cocktail shaker.
  • Shake well to combine.
  • Pour the salt onto a small plate or bowl.
  • Rim the edge a margarita glass with a slice of lime to moisten and dip into salt.
  • Pour the margarita into glass over ice.
  • Garnish with a lime slice and pineapple leaves.

Notes

Prickly Pear Margaritas are best served after shaking. 
Prickly Pear Syrup can be made up to 3 weeks in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Calories: 102kcal, Carbohydrates: 12g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1mg, Potassium: 13mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 5IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 1mg, Iron: 1mg