Classic Frozen Margarita Cocktail Recipe

While the origins of the margarita itself are disputed, we're confident we know exactly where and when the first frozen margarita machine was created: Dallas, Texas, in 1971. That machine is now housed in the Smithsonian's collection, as befits a great American icon. You don't need a special machine to make these frozen margaritas, though, as a simple blender will do the trick. Recipe developer Ting Dalton of Cook Simply says margaritas are her ultimate favorite cocktail, explaining,"I love how the sharpness of the lime marries so well with the distinct flavor of the tequila, and blend[ing it] this way with ice makes it so refreshing."

Dalton, however, has changed up the standard frozen margarita recipe with a secret ingredient: agave syrup, used in place of the simple syrup some recipes call for. As she explains, "its high fructose intensity adds a welcome sweetness to the cocktail, but not too sweet that it takes away from the liquor and the lime." She adds that agave is sweeter than simple syrup, dissolves easily in cocktails, and is even vegan. She does say, however, that if this ingredient is not available, you can use simple syrup, although you may need to up the amount. Alternatively, she tells us, "if you like a tart and stronger flavored drink, remove the sugar altogether."

Speaking of rimming the glasses, that's the first step in making these drinks. Dalton says that for a frozen margarita, "you can use any type of tall highball glass or margarita glass, as long as the rim is wide [enough] to salt the edges." Once you've selected the glassware, run a lime wedge around the rims of both glasses, then dip them in the salt.

While this recipe is for a classic lime margarita, Dalton says it's easy to change the drink to a flavored variation instead. As she advises, "just add your favorite fruit to the mix before blending," suggesting strawberries, raspberries, watermelon, or mango as fruits that might work well.

Yet another way you can tweak the basic frozen margarita recipe a bit is to add some seasonings to the salt used to rim the glass. Dalton suggests you could use "chili powder for an extra kick, or paprika."