🍒 When life gives you cherries, follow our lead and put a festive twist on the classic Marg! 🍒
We all know the Margarita is a delicious drink. Tequila and lime are a match made in cocktail heaven, and this simple combination has inspired many a riff, from Blood Orange and Spicy Pineapple to Lemon Sherbet, Pineapple and Coconut and so many more. But when summer rolls around and cherries are at their best – and cheapest – and that well-meaning relative brings you a whole box of them, there’s only one thing for it – the Cherry Margarita.
This super Christmassy cocktail lifts the traditional Marg to new festive heights. Using the Tommy’s Margarita base recipe, which switches both triple sec and sugar syrup for agave syrup, expect a bright cocktail that effortlessly balances sweet with tart and salty, and has a whole load of freshness. It’s pretty in pink, too.
Ingredients
50mL reposado or añejo tequila
25mL fresh lime juice
15mL agave syrup
3 fresh, pitted cherries
Garnish: lime and salt for glass rim, plus extra cherry, stem on
Method
Prep your glass by rubbing half a lime around the rim and dipping it in a bowl of salt
Add your three fresh, pitted cherries to a cocktail shaker
Muddle cherries well, then add remaining ingredients
Add cubed ice, seal shaker and shake to chill and dilute – until the outside of the tin is frosty
Add fresh ice to your prepped glass and carefully strain your cocktail
Garnish with the remaining cherry
🍸 Dan’s top tips
The base recipe used here is a Tommy’s Margarita, but if you prefer a more traditional Marg, the addition of cherries will also work in your go-to recipe. You might find that playing around with triple sec and sugar syrup in the mix gives you even more room to move.
That’s the beauty of making cocktails at home, after all. Make like a bartender and play with all the elements, whether that’s switching up the ratios, going big on the garnishes (you have all those cherries – get creative!) and really just experimenting to see how you, and everyone else, likes this one best.
You’ll note that we’ve suggested using aged tequila here – either reposado or añejo – to give the drink a more complex, rich profile. But Blanco tequila will also work just fine. Use what you’ve got on hand. You could even try mezcal to take this in a smokier direction.
And if you’re wondering when to dazzle your guests with this banging cocktail, we think it’s made for the Christmas table or even to go with all those incredible leftovers over the lazy days that follow. Festive heaven.
Snag your Reposado or Añejo Tequila at Dan Murphy’s - Thornleigh Marketplace.