Put an extra fruity spin on a classic tequila cocktail with this fresh raspberry margarita! Chambord and freshly muddled raspberries come together to make the perfect drink that tastes like summer in a glass. This very berry margarita only takes minutes to whip up, and you can easily make this recipe as individual servings or a pitcher for parties. Those hot summer days just aren't complete without these raspberry margaritas in hand.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Double dose of raspberries: This margarita gets its ultra fresh flavor from muddled raspberries as well as Chambord. While some recipes use one or the other, we get extra raspberry.
Versatile for any occasion: With its dainty pink hue, this raspberry margarita makes a great signature cocktail for a fancy celebration – think Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, bachelorette parties, bridal showers and weddings. At the same time, we’re talking fruity margaritas here, so it just as easily fits at a casual backyard party.
Perfect party drink: Since it’s so simple to make and can easily be adapted to a pitcher recipe, this raspberry sipper is a party favorite for hosting. Entertaining is always a breeze when margaritas are involved, and you know everyone will be happy. Who doesn’t love a refreshing margarita?
Ingredients
Now let’s chat about a few ingredient notes to ensure you enjoy the absolute best raspberry margarita recipe.
Tequila: Wondering what’s the best tequila for margaritas? This comes down to personal preference, but I love reposado tequila for my margaritas. Reposado tequila ages in oak barrels from anywhere from two to 12 months. That barrel aging results in a richer, more complex flavor.
Alternatively, you can use a blanco tequila, also known as silver or white tequila. This type of silver tequila goes straight into stainless steel barrels, giving it a more agave-forward flavor.
Chambord: This is a raspberry liqueur. Traditionally, margaritas use orange liqueur, like Triple sec, Cointreau or Grand Marnier, but Matt and I did a side-by-side tasting with orange liqueur and Chambord, and we both agreed the Chambord raspberry margarita was the clear winner. While you can technically substitute orange liqueur, you will absolutely love the extra raspberry flavor from the Chambord.
Lime juice: Make sure you use freshly squeezed lime juice rather than bottled juice. Fresh lime juice is so much brighter tasting. When you’re preparing cocktails, quality of ingredients makes a world of difference.
Raspberries: While fresh raspberries are readily available year-round, you can substitute frozen raspberries if that’s what you have on hand. Frozen fruit is preserved at its peak quality, so you’re still getting great fruit. Just make sure you thaw it first.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: For a salted rim, cut a slit in the middle of a fresh lime wedge, run it along the glass, and then swirl the moistened rim in coarse sea salt like so (photo 1). We set the margarita glass aside for now.
Step 2: From here, we grab our cocktail shaker and add the fresh berries and simple syrup. We then muddle the raspberries until they’re juicy and pulverized (photo 2).
Step 3: Now we add the tequila, Chambord, lime juice, and a handful of ice to the cocktail shaker (photo 3).
Step 4: We put on the cocktail shaker top and vigorously shake to mix and chill (photo 4). I like to shake for about 15-30 seconds.
Step 5: For our final step, we replace the cocktail shaker top with a Hawthorne strainer and strain the margarita into our prepared glass (photo 5).
All that’s left is to garnish with a lime wheel, sip and love every refreshing sip. It’s delicious, huh?
If you love this drink, make sure you also try my blackberry margarita, cherry margarita and blueberry margarita. They’re all three just as delicious with that fresh fruit flavor. Or for a fruity take on another classic cocktail, my raspberry mojito or mango mojito should be right up your alley.
Recipe FAQs
This is why I always emphasize using the best ingredients. Simply put, making the perfect margarita comes down to using the best ingredients. This includes fresh lime juice and the best tequila that fits your budget.
Have you ever ordered a margarita at a restaurant and noticed it tasted sticky sweet with very little citrus kick? That’s an example of a margarita using a poor-quality sweet and sour mix with no fresh juice. Let’s make sure you only have the best margaritas in your life and prepare them the right way.
Although simple syrup is available for purchase, I recommend making your own. Again, it’s all about using the best ingredients here. To make your own simple syrup, bring 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a boil, stirring occasionally to help dissolve the sugar, and then turn off the heat.
Just like that, you have your own homemade simple syrup. Let it cool and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. As long as it’s stored properly, it should last several weeks. You’ll know it’s time to make a new batch when it turns cloudy.
Absolutely, this recipe works great in a pitcher. You can muddle the berries with the simple syrup in a bowl and pass through a fine-mesh sieve to remove the seeds and any large chunks. However, you may find for a large batch it's easier to purée the berries in a blender with the simple syrup, pass through a fine-mesh sieve if you'd like to remove the seeds and then add that to the pitcher. From there, we stir in the remaining ingredients and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
I recommend serving within 24 hours. After a day, the lime juice starts to lose its brightness.
Variations
- Give it a spicy twist and muddle some fresh jalapeño or habanero slices with the berries.
- Use a flavored simple syrup. My ginger simple syrup is wonderful with fruit-based cocktails.
- Create a mixed-berry margarita by adding some other fruits to the raspberries.
- Make it nonalcoholic by skipping the tequila and adding some sparkling water instead. Just pour the sparkling water into the mixture at the end and gently stir to combine.
And these are just starting points – feel free to get creative!
Expert Tips
If you prefer to use fruit purée rather than muddling, process the raspberries in a blender and then use 2 tablespoons of purée per drink.
Get the most out of your limes by first rolling the limes on the countertop with a firm grip. This helps release the juice. After rolling, use a handheld citrus juicer to extract the juice.
Use two hands for the proper shaking technique. This helps ensure you get enough force behind the shake.
Pick limes that have some give when you press them with your fingertips. Old, dry limes are rock hard.
For an extra refreshing drink, place your glasses in the freezer 30 minutes before serving. That way, they’re nice and chilled.
Perfect Pairing
Margarita night calls for some good Mexican food, and I have plenty of delicious recipes for you. With the fruity raspberry base, my lobster tacos with mango-habanero salsa are lovely. My crispy chorizo tacos make another nice option.
You’ll also love my beer-braised shredded Mexican beef. Raspberries surprisingly pair well with dried chiles like chipotles, which you’ll find in this recipe. It perfectly plays with the sweet and spicy combo, and the lime from the margarita adds a nice brightness.
For dessert, you’ll love my spiced orange tres leches cake or raspberry mojito mini pies. You can’t go wrong with either sweet treat.
When only the most refreshing, fruity cocktail will do, I hope you try this raspberry margarita. It’s the perfect sipper for any occasion and just might be your new favorite margarita recipe.
Cheers!
More Fruity Margarita Recipes
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Raspberry Margarita
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker
- Muddler
- Jigger or small measuring cup
- Handheld citrus juicer
- Hawthorne or cocktail strainer
Ingredients
- Lime slice cut with a slit in the center, for salted rim
- Coarse sea salt for salted rim
- ¼ heaping cup raspberries
- ½ ounce simple syrup preferably homemade
- 2 ounces tequila reposado is my favorite but blanco also works
- 1 ounce Chambord
- 1 ounce lime juice about 1 lime
- Ice
- Lime wheel for garnish, optional
Instructions
- If you would like a salted rim, run the lime slice along the rim of the margarita glass. Pour sea salt onto a small plate and swirl the moistened rim into the salt to adhere. Set aside.
- Add the raspberries and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker. Muddle until the raspberries are well-pulverized.
- Pour in the tequila, Chambord and lime juice and add a handful of ice.
- Put on the cocktail shaker top. Vigorously shake for 15-30 seconds.
- Replace the top with the Hawthorne or cocktail strainer and strain into an ice-filled glass. If desired, garnish with a lime wheel. Enjoy!
Notes
- If you prefer to use fruit purée rather than muddling for individual glasses, it should come out to about 2 tablespoons purée per drink.
- Chambord is a name brand raspberry liqueur. You can substitute another brand or orange liqueur, but this recipe was tested with Chambord and recommend for best results.
- First, roll the limes on the countertop with a firm grip. This helps release the juice. After rolling, use a handheld citrus juicer to get the most out of the fruit.
- Use two hands for the proper shaking technique. This helps ensure you get enough force behind the shake.
- Pick limes that have some give when you press them with your fingertips. Old, dry limes are rock hard.
- Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Silvia says
I love margaritas because they are so easy and fast to prepare. Also, the sweetness of the fruit goes so well with the acidity of the lime juice. This raspberry lime combo is truly delicious.
Amanda McGrory-Dixon says
Thank you, Silvia!