Skinny Margarita
The Skinny Margarita proves you can have a cocktail without it being a total calorie bomb. Made with tequila, lime and orange juice, a splash of orange liqueur, and lightly sweetened, it’s a refreshing partner for chips and salsa or a taco dinner!
I love a good cocktail (ahem: Bees Knees Cocktail, Rosé Sangria), but dang do those calories really add up. A lot of that comes from simple syrup and mixers, so if you can trim things down a little bit there, you can enjoy a drink without that nagging voice in the back of your head reminding you that you just drank the caloric equivalent of a Big Mac.
Enter: the skinny margarita. It’s refreshing, citrusy, and everything you love about a good margarita, but it leans more tart than sweet—and it packs in fewer calories. If I want to mix up a margarita to enjoy with a weeknight dinner (Carne Asada Tacos, perhaps?), this is my go-to.
You also don’t have to have a fully stocked bar to make it. Tequila and Cointreau or triple sec are the only alcohol you need, and if you don’t have a cocktail shaker, you can totally use a jar—we don’t need to be all fancy up in here.
Ingredients for a Skinny Margarita
Here’s a rundown of the ingredients you’ll need; the amounts and quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Premium Tequila – Look for one made with 100% agave.
- Limes – You’ll need some for the lime juice and a wedge for rimming the glass.
- Orange Juice – Fresh, never refrigerated from the grocery store. There is a big difference in flavor!
- Sweetener – Light agave, honey syrup, or simple syrup. Don’t use straight honey, as it doesn’t mix well; it needs to be made into a syrup first.
- Orange Liqueur – Cointreau or triple sec; I prefer Cointreau.
How to Make a Skinny Margarita
It’s margarita time! The best time! The full instructions are below, but here’s a quick summary.
- Salt the rim. Run the lime wedge along the rim, then dip it into a dish of salt.
- Combine. Pour the tequila, juices, and liqueur into a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Don’t forget to smile as you do it, like they do on TV!
- Serve. Strain the margarita into the prepared glass, garnish, and serve.
Skinny Margarita Variations
Here are a few ways to switch up your skinny margarita, without making it non-skinny.
- Spice up the rim. Add tajín seasoning to the salt for a little extra kick.
- Spice up the whole dang thing. Add a few slices of jalapeño to the cocktail shaker.
- Use grapefruit juice. Substitute the orange juice for freshly squeezed grapefruit juice for a tangier margarita.
- Try another juice. Swap orange juice for watermelon juice, mango nectar, or another juice you like for a sweeter (and slightly higher calorie) skinny margarita.
What to Serve With Skinny Margaritas
The short answer is: ALL THE TEX-MEX FOOD. The longer answer is:
- The Best Birria Tacos Recipe
- Beef Enchiladas
- Easy Pineapple Salsa
- Chicken Fajitas
- Mexican Street Corn Salad (Esquites Recipe)
- Grilled Shrimp Tacos
- Queso Fundido with Chorizo Recipe // Video
More Margarita Recipes
- Blackberry Margarita
- Cadillac Margarita
- Spicy Jalapeño Margarita
- Cranberry Margarita
- Apple Cider Margarita
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Get the Recipe: Skinny Margarita Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ounces premium tequila
- 1 ½ ounces fresh lime juice, about 1 ½ small limes
- 1 ounce fresh orange juice
- ½ teaspoon light agave, honey syrup or simple syrup
- Splash cointreau or triple sec
- 1 lime wedge
Equipment
- cocktail shaker
Instructions
- If salting the rim, run the lime wedge around the rim of your glass. Pour a small amount of course salt into a small dish and dip the rim of the glass in the salt at a angle rolling it to coat the rim.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Add the tequila, lime juice, orange juice syrup and orange liquor.
- Shake vigorously for 30 seconds and strain the margarita into your glass.
- Garnish and serve.