Tangerine Margarita

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 12/2/21
Tangerine Margarita - Easy Tequila Cocktail Recipe

ML Harris / Photographer's Choice RF / Getty Images

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

The tangerine margarita celebrates the fresh taste of this often overlooked citrus fruit. It's a wonderful tequila cocktail that's easy to shake up. Plus, tangerines are generally sweeter than oranges, so if the orange margarita is a little too tart for your taste, this recipe is a great alternative.

To make this drink, you'll simply add fresh tangerine juice to the standard margarita mix of tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice. It's a small addition that gives the drink a brilliant boost of sweet citrus. Tangerines are typically in season from November through May, giving you plenty of time to enjoy a few margaritas when the fruit is at its best.

Ingredients

  • Coarse salt, for the rim, optional

  • 2 ounces tequila

  • 1 ounce orange liqueur

  • 1/2 ounce lime juice

  • 1/2 ounce tangerine juice

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. If desired, rim a cocktail glass with salt: Use a piece of lime or a small amount of orange liqueur in a dish to wet the rim then roll it in a shallow dish of salt.

  3. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice cubes, pour the tequila, orange liqueur, and juices.

  4. Shake well.

  5. Strain into the prepared glass.

  6. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • The tangerine margarita is best when the glass is chilled. Do this before salting the rim. If you have all the ingredients ready, it should keep a nice frost while you mix up the drink.
  • As with any margarita, choose a good tequila that you enjoy drinking on its own. Generally, a mid-range to top-shelf blanco tequila is a great fit for this drink.
  • For the orange liqueur, triple sec or orange curaçao are good choices. Just be sure that the quality matches that of your tequila. Some of the least expensive options are very syrupy and artificially flavored, which will bring down the drink.
  • Freshly squeezed citrus juice will produce the best-tasting margarita. Limes and tangerines typically yield about 1 1/2 ounces of juice per fruit, so one of each will be enough for at least a couple of cocktails.

Recipe Variations

  • The typical margarita options work well with this version. If you prefer, serve it on the rocks by straining it over fresh ice in your glass.
  • This mix can also be placed in a blender with 1 cup of ice for a quick frozen cocktail. It's good to toss some fresh tangerine pieces in as well. Be sure to remove the peel.

How Strong Is a Tangerine Margarita?

Most shaken margaritas are relatively strong cocktails and the tangerine margarita is no exception. When made with 80-proof tequila and 60-proof orange liqueur, this recipe shakes up to about 24 percent ABV (48 proof). That's just over half the strength of a straight shot of tequila.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
227 Calories
0g Fat
10g Carbs
0g Protein
×
Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 227
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 1mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 10g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 8mg 40%
Calcium 5mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 47mg 1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)