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A refreshing Fresh Classic Margarita with a salted rim and a lime wheel garnish sits on a marble coaster. Halved limes, a plate with salt, and a cocktail shaker complete the scene on a white countertop.

Fresh Classic Margaritas - Mocktail or Cocktail (refined sugar-free)

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  • Author: Elaine Gordon
  • Total Time: 5 minutes
  • Yield: 3 1x
  • Diet: Vegan

Description

These fresh sparkling margaritas are bright, citrusy, lightly sweet, and so refreshing. They are made with freshly squeezed lime juice, a splash of orange juice instead of orange liqueur, a touch of maple syrup or Bee Free Honey, and a bubbly finish from sparkling mineral water.

The result is a lighter, fresher margarita that is perfectly tart, not too sweet, and so good over a glass full of crushed ice.

Ingredients

Units Scale

For the margaritas

  • 4 ounces freshly squeezed lime juice, about 8 limes
  • 2 ounces freshly squeezed orange juice, about 1 Valencia orange
  • optional: 6 ounces tequila blanco (100% agave - such as 1800 silver tequila)
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup or Bee Free Honey, plus more to taste
  • Pinch of fine salt

For serving

  • Coarse salt, for the rim
  • Lime zest, for mixing with the salt
  • Crushed ice
  • 2, 12 ounce cans of sparkling water, for topping each glass (I love Lemon Spindrift)
  • Lime rounds or lime wedges, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Add the freshly squeezed lime juice, freshly squeezed orange juice, tequila if using, maple syrup or Bee Free Honey and a pinch of salt to a cocktail shaker. The orange juice is used in place of orange liqueur, which is often used in classic margarita recipes. It adds natural sweetness and fresh citrus flavor.
  2. Fill the shaker with ice cubes and shake well until chilled. Taste and adjust the sweetness as needed. For a sweeter margarita, add more maple syrup or Bee Free Honey, 1 teaspoon at a time, then shake again briefly to combine.
  3. To prepare the salted rim, add coarse salt and lime zest to a small plate that is slightly wider than the top of your margarita glasses. Run a lime wedge around the rim of each glass to lightly moisten it. For a more styled look, run the lime wedge along just one side of the glass to create a waterfall effect.
  4. For a lime-sugar-salt rim, combine the zest of 1 lime, 2 tablespoons coarse salt, and 2 tablespoons maple sugar. Pulse in a mini food processor or small blender until combined, then use this mixture in place of the regular lime salt rim.
  5. Dip the moistened rim, or the moistened side of the glass, into the lime salt or lime-sugar-salt mixture and gently roll to coat.
  6. Fill each glass all the way to the top with crushed ice.
  7. Pour the margarita mixture evenly into three glasses, filling each glass about two-thirds full if you plan to top with sparkling mineral water. I love Topo Chico or Lemon Spindrift here because they add the perfect bubbly finish.
  8. Top each glass with sparkling mineral water until full. Garnish with lime rounds or lime wedges and enjoy immediately.
  9. If you do not want to top the margaritas with sparkling water, skip the sparkling water and fill two glasses all the way up with the margarita mixture instead. This will make 2 stronger margaritas rather than 3 lighter sparkling margaritas.

Equipment

  • Prep Time: 5
  • Category: Beverage
  • Cuisine: Mexican

Find it online: https://www.eatingbyelaine.com/fresh-classic-margaritas-naturally-sweetened/