This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
A Mezcal Margarita is made with Mezcal, Cointreau, fresh lime juice, and sugar. This next level cocktail is perfect for margarita enthusiasts who are looking to up their game.
Instead of traditional silver tequila, this classic margarita recipe with a twist is made with Mezcal, which has a savory, smoky flavor. A little bit of sugar adds sweetness and combined with the lime juice and Cointreau, you’ve got a smoky tequila limeade that is sure to become one of your favorite cocktails.
If your party is in need of a signature drink, look no further! Pair Mezcal Margaritas with some chips and Guacamole, Salsa, and a Mexican Shrimp Cocktail!
Pin this recipe for later!Mezcal Margarita Ingredients
- Limes – Lime juice for the cocktail and lime wedges for garnishing the glass.
- Coarse salt – You can find this salt in the liquor aisle. It’s used for coating the rim of the glass.
- Mezcal – If you don’t have Mezcal or aren’t sure you’ll like it, you can use a silver tequila instead.
- Cointreau – A bitter orange liqueur, often used to slightly sweeten margaritas. Use Grand Marnier as a substitute.
- Granulated sugar – A sweet flavor to balance the smoky and savory taste of the Mezcal.
- Ice – You definitely want to serve this chilled; ice is only added to the shaker otherwise it will water down your drink.
What is Mezcal?
Mezcal is a cousin of tequila, with hints of savory and smoky flavor that give it complex flavor, richness, and depth. Both are derived from the blue agave plant and made in the Oaxaca region of Mexico, but tequila is derived from only one type while Mezcal can be made from 11 different agave plants.
A margarita made with Mezcal is much stronger than a traditional margarita so you’ll often see it paired with tequila in a cocktail. It gets its smoky flavor from agave that is actually cooked in pits in the ground.
How To Make a Mezcal Margarita
See the recipe card below for full, detailed instructions
Salt your glass. Pour some coarse salt on a shallow plate. Wet the rim of a margarita or cocktail glass with a lime wedge, then dip it in the salt. This step is optional, but really adds an authentic feel to your margarita.
Mix the drink. Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add lime juice, Mezcal, Cointreau, and granulated sugar and shake well. Pour in the salted rim glass.
Expert Tips
- Make it spicy: Add a few slices of jalapeno to the cocktail shaker when mixing the drink. The heat adds a nice kick that compliments the smoky flavor.
- Shaken, not poured, with ice: Add ice to the shaker to chill your drink, but pour straight. Ice in the glass will just water down your drink.
- Blended margarita: You can blend this up with ice in a blender.
- Serve a crowd: Increase the amounts in the recipe to fill a pitcher and serve a crowd.
More Margarita Recipes
Mezcal Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 Limes divided
- 1 tablespoon Coarse salt rimming
- 3 ounces Mezcal
- 2 ounces Cointreau
- 1 teaspoon Granulated sugar
- Ice
Instructions
- Salt your glass by wetting the rim with a lime wedge, and then place it upside down in a shallow plate that has been sprinkled with salt. This step is optional.
- Fill a shaker cup with some ice and add in an ounce of lime juice, tequila, Cointreau, granulated sugar and shake well for about a minute.
- Pour drink into the salted glass, with or without (recommended) ice. Garnish the glas with a wedge of slice of lime.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer Kristin Maxwell of “Yellow Bliss Road” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. For accurate calorie counts and other nutritional values, we recommend running the ingredients through your preferred online nutritional calculator. Calories and other nutritional values can vary depending on which brands were used.
