Journal · Trending · By Amira
19 Margarita Recipes for Any Season
Bon Appétit just dropped a 19-recipe margarita roundup spanning every season — proof that America's most-ordered cocktail deserves a permanent spot in your repertoire.
By AmiraFounder & Editor-in-Chief · 2026-09-11 · 3 min read
✓ From the Cuisinety kitchenWhy margaritas are everywhere right now
Bon Appétit just published a roundup of 19 margarita recipes spanning every season — and the timing says a lot. The margarita is the most-ordered cocktail in America, yet it's also the one drink that never gets filed under 'summer only.' The new roundup leans into exactly that: frozen mango, jalapeño-hot, mezcal-smoky, blood orange, even a slush-style version — proof there's a margarita for October and March just as much as July.
When a major food site invests in year-round margaritas, it's a signal home cooks are ready to level up their cocktail game at home instead of waiting for the bar. You don't need a home bar setup to join in; you need one decent bottle and a technique that never fails.
The home margarita formula that never misses
A great margarita is three ingredients and zero skill tricks. The ratio that works for nearly every version of the 19: 2 parts blanco tequila, 1 part fresh lime juice, and 3/4 part agave syrup. Shake everything hard with ice for about 12 seconds — shaking, not stirring, is non-negotiable; it chills and aerates the drink the way a margarita needs.
The classic home mistakes are bottled sour mix and old bottled lime juice. The first makes the drink candy-sweet; the second turns it bitter. Fresh lime, a decent blanco tequila (no need for expensive añejo here), and less sweetener than you think transform everything. For the rim, rub a lime wedge around the glass and dip only half in coarse salt — a fully salted rim hides the drink's balance.
Make it part of your week
Because the base is light and batching-friendly, margaritas can be a weekly ritual rather than a special-occasion cocktail. Mix the base a day ahead and keep it in the fridge — it genuinely improves as the flavors marry. Then spin the season: watermelon in summer, blood orange in winter, pear or apple in fall, strawberry in spring.
Want heat? Muddle two jalapeño slices into the shaker. Want a weeknight version without the alcohol? Skip the tequila, keep the lime and agave, top with sparkling water over a salt-rimmed glass. Pair with something light — the watermelon-mint cooler, mango lassi, and orange-carrot-ginger juice in our recipe library follow the same refreshing logic. That's the real point: a drink worth making well, all year round.
Cook along
These recipes pair with this article — make them tonight: