Looking for a refreshing, delicious blue margarita drink recipe? This simple 3-ingredient blue curacao margarita will be your new favorite cocktail. Perfect for sipping poolside, a great Cinco de Mayo drink, blue margarita for July 4th or anytime you’re in the mood for an easy tropical libation.
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Are you looking to change it up with your standard margarita recipe? Give this delicious blue margarita a try. Made with blue curacao liqueur, which gives it that gorgeous tropical blue color, this margarita is a show-stopper!
Made either on-the-rocks or frozen, this blue curacao margarita will make the perfect summertime drink. Perfect for Cinco de Mayo parties, Fourth of July celebrations, pool parties, summer BBQ’s, bridal showers, or any occasion where you want to serve a show-stopping drink.
What do I need to make a blue margarita?
- Tequila – I use and like Cazadores Reposado (pictured below), but feel free to use the best quality tequila that your budget allows.
- Blue Curacao liqueur – Blue curacao is found in most liquor stores, near the other citrus liqueurs, like Triple-sec and Cointreau.
- Fresh lime juice – I recommend using fresh squeezed lime juice. Budget 1-2 limes per drink, which would be for both lime juice and lime wedges for garnish and salting rims.
- (Optional) Agave nectar – Agave nectar is a sweetener often used in margaritas and other cocktails. I personally don’t add it to my margaritas (I don’t enjoy the extra sweetness), but if you like a sweeter margarita, this is the preferred sweetener.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the bottom of the post for the recipe. Thanks!
FAQ’s about blue curacao margaritas and the ingredients
Blue curacao is a citrus flavored liqueur that is colored bright blue. This liqueur is made by infusing the peels of the Lahara citrus fruit in alcohol to give the liqueur a citrusy taste and aroma.
Blue curacao is sweet and orangy with a subtle bitter finish. It is similar to triple sec byt slightly sweeter and a touch more bitter. In a margarita it adds a hint of extra sweetness and orange complexity without overpowering the lime. The flavor difference from triple sec is subtle but the color difference is very dramatic.
Blue curacao can be stored at room temperature in a cool, dry place. Unopened, it will last indefinitely. Once it has been opened, the shelf life for blue curacao is up to one year for optimum flavor.
Blue curacao does not need to be refrigerated, even after opening. This citrus liqueur will keep well at room temperature in a cool, dry place.
If stored at room temperature, in a cool, dry place, blue curacao will last for 1-2 years after being opened. Beyond two years, the citrus flavor may begin to fade.
Depending on where you live, the best place to find blue curacao is at the liquor store. Look in the aisle near triple sec, Cointreau and other orange-flavored spirits. Most widely available brands are BOLS and DeKuyper.
Yes, you can use triple sec or Cointreau for the same flavor profile and add a few drops of blue food coloring to achieve the signature blue color. The flavor profile will be the same, only the color source changes.
How do I make a blue curacao margarita?
To make a blue margarita, begin by filling a cocktail shaker with ice. Add in the tequila, blue curacao liqueur and lime juice. Add a tight fitting lid, and shake vigorously to combine the liquids.
Pour the margarita into a glass filled with ice and with a salted rim. Enjoy right away while cold.
How do I make a frozen blue margarita?
Add the same 3 ingredients (tequila, blue curacao and lime juice) plus 1 – 1.5 cups of ice to a blender. Blend until smooth and slushy. Adjust ice for your preferred thickness. Pour into a salted glass and garnish with fresh lime slices, orange slices and/or a marashino cherry. Enjoy these right away while frozen.
How do I make a pitcher of blue margaritas for a crowd?
To make a pitcher of margaritas that would serve approximately 8 drinks, combine 1 cup of tequila, 1/2 cup of blue curacao, and 3/4 cup of fresh lime juice in a pitcher with ice. Stir and serve of ice in salted glasses. This can be made ahead by storing in the fridge for up to 24 hours in advance, just make sure to add the ice just before serving.
Ingredient Substitutions and Recommendations for this blue margarita drink recipe:
- Tequila – as you’ve likely already seen, there are numerous tequilas on the market. We enjoy either Herradura Reposado (with the horseshoe on the front label) or Cazadores Reposado (with a Deer on the front label). Many people prefer blanco or silver tequila as the best tequila for margaritas, as the flavor doesn’t compete with the flavors in the drink. Choose the best quality tequila that is the most affordable to you.
- Blue Curacao Liqueur – If you’re unable to find blue curacao, you can use Cointreau, which is an orange flavored liqueur. Cointreau is not blue, so your blue margarita will be missing that bright blue color, but still have the same flavor. If you cannot find Cointreau, you can substitute Triple Sec in its place.
- Lime juice – I recommend buying 1-2 limes for each margarita you are making. This will give you adequate juice for each drink and leave extra for salting rims and slices for garnish. Can’t get fresh limes? You can also find bottled lime juice in the cocktail mix section of the grocery store.
For exact ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions be sure to scroll down to the recipe at the bottom of the post. Thanks!
Blue margarita variations to try:
- The Blue Hawaiian – along with the lime juice, blue curacao and tequila, add a spash of pineapple juice. Garnish with pineapple slices and marashino cherries.
- Spicy Blue Margarita – along with the lime juice, blue curacao and tequila, add in muddled jalapeno to your cocktail shaker. Be sure to check out our Spicy Jalapeno Margarita recipe.
- Blue Margarita Mocktail – make this non-alcoholic version with blue sports drink, lime juice and sparkling water.
- Blue Margarita with a Sugared Rim – instead of salting the rim of your glasses, use granulated sugar to rim your glasses. Run a lime wedge around the glass and dip the edge of the glasses in white granulated sugar. You could also use turbinado sugar or colored sugar crystals.
How do I salt a rim of margarita glasses?
- To salt a rim of a margarita glass, first, run a fresh lime wedge around the rim of the glass. This will moisten the rim and give the salt something to stick to.
- Place the glass into margarita salt. You can also use kosher salt, which has slightly larger grains than traditional table salt.
- Fill your glass with ice and pour in your prepared margarita.
What glasses are best for margaritas?
If you’re serving a margarita on-the-rocks, a shorter rocks glass is ideal. If you’re serving a blended or frozen margarita, an ups curved margarita glass is best.
I use these same glasses and salting technique for my Pink Margaritas, Mango Margaritas and Raspberry Margaritas.
What garnishes are best for a blue margarita drink recipe?
For these blue margaritas, I chose a Cara Cara orange slice twisted with a couple or maraschino cherries, both skewered on cocktail sticks. You could also garnish these with simple lime slices or wedges.
Some other garnish ideas are blue sugar (instead of salt), pineapple wedges, or mini paper umbrellas. Red sugar would also be great for a July 4th theme.
How many calories are in a blue curacao margarita?
There are approximately 272 calories in this blue margarita drink. Calories will be higher if you are sweetening this margarita with added agave nectar.
Love tropical cocktails? Try our Skinny Malibu Pina Colada.
What can I serve with margaritas?
Margaritas are fantastic served with anything Tex-Mex. Here are some delicious appetizers and main dish recipes that go well with margaritas:
- White Queso Dip
- Crock Pot Jalapeno Popper Dip
- Classic Pico de Gallo Salsa with your favorite tortilla chips
- Sour Cream Enchiladas
- Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas
- Rotisserie Chicken Tacos
- Easy Salmon Tacos Recipe
Love margaritas? Try these other margarita recipes next:
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Blue Margarita Drink Recipe
Equipment
- Cocktail Shaker This useful glass cocktail shaker has measurements on the side for easy pouring!
- Citrus Juicer This hand-held citrus juicer is fantastic for fresh lime and lemon juice. Great for making cocktails!
- Margarita Glasses These stemless margarita glasses help keep your margaritas icy cold!
Ingredients
- 2 oz. tequila
- 1 oz. blue curacao liqueur
- 1 oz. lime juice fresh squeezed
Optional:
- 2 teaspoons agave nectar optional
Instructions
- Prep your glasses. Run a lime wedge over the edge of your margarita glass(es). Salt the edges of the glass(es) with kosher or margarita salt. Fill salted glasses with ice. Set prepared glasses aside.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the tequila, blue curacao, lime juice and agave nectar, if using. Place tight fitting lid onto shaker, and shake vigorously for 15-20 seconds.
- Pour margarita into prepared glass. Enjoy right away while cold.
For Making Frozen/Blended:
- Add the tequila, blue curacao and lime juice to a blender. Add in 1 1/2 -2 cups of ice. Fit blender jar with tight fitting lid. Blend for 45-60 seconds or until ice is completely pureed. Pour into a prepared (salted) ups margarita glass. Enjoy right away while cold.
Notes
Nutrition
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