Use This Simple Ratio For A Perfectly Balanced Margarita Every Time

There's a reason the classic margarita is the best-selling cocktail, according to data from NielsenIQ – it's because it's the best cocktail. Did you think it was anything more complicated than that? It delivers on all fronts: With a harmony of tart lime acidity, brightly sweet orange liqueur, and the subtly boozy heat of tequila, it's well-rounded, refreshing, and pairs with just about every dish. But the one catch here that many of us sadly know all too well is that while the margarita's recipe seems oh so simple, there's a bit of an art to nailing the ratio of the ingredients to actually achieve that beautiful balance. Raise your hand if you've ever had a sickly sweet margarita with no acidity to back it up, or practically no booze. Now, raise your hand if you've ever had a margarita so strong it derailed your plans for the rest of the evening. Now you've got no hands left to hold a margarita that's actually good!

Get your hands back into cocktail-mixing position and breathe. We've got the answer: There's an easy-peasy ratio that acts like a cheat sheet to the perfect marg every. Single. Time. Similar to the go-to ratio for a flawless Aperol spritz, it's a 3-2-1 situation. It's three parts tequila, two parts orange liqueur, and one part lime juice. Note that this isn't the original, classic marg proportion, but it's a genius cheat sheet so you don't even have to refer to recipes to never have a bad margarita again.

The beauty of a locked-in ratio is twofold. First, it's engineered with the intensity and purpose of each element in mind. A little lime juice goes a long way — it's boldly tart and acidic with a touch of tropical island-esque sweetness. Good orange liqueur, or triple sec, like Cointreau delivers the sweetness of liqueur with the brightness of zesty orange; it's less of a punch than lime juice but should still be kept in check so as not to make your marg too sweet. And you want three parts tequila to stand up to the orange and lime, and ideally let its subtly sweet notes of fruit, florals, and vanilla shine through.

Second, a ratio means that you can play around with your margarita variations and try anything as long as you refer back to it. Want to make the ultimate spicy margarita? Simply muddle jalapeños or habaneros into your classic margarita, or split the two parts of triple sec equally between the liqueur and hot honey. How about an aromatic elderflower margarita? Use three parts tequila, two parts St. Germain elderflower liqueur, and one part lime. Swap or add in other fruit flavors with pureed strawberries, mangos, or watermelons, keeping them in that middle two-part sweet spot. There are so many ways to elevate your margarita, and as long as you start with 3-2-1, the results will always be worth a toast.