Combine the deliciousness of Limoncello, gold tequila, and fresh lemon and
lime to create one refreshingly flavorful and fun margarita. With it's
fabulous lemony flavor and lemon-sugar rim, a Limoncello Margarita is
one tasty little cocktail that's sure to please!
In thinking through all the variations of
margaritas
out there, it makes one wonder -- So, what makes a margarita a margarita
anyway?
There are 3 key components that make a traditional margarita a margarita:
- Tequila
- An orange liqueur, such as Triple Sec, Grand Marnier, or Cointreau, and
- Lime juice
There are indeed many other ingredients that get added in to many
margaritas, like pineapple juice in our
homemade margarita mix recipe, pineapple and lemon in
Emeril's fresh margarita, Rose's sweetened lime juice in our very favorite
top shelf margarita, and a myriad of other add-ins folks have come up with. But at its most
basic, tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice are the margarita core.
Well, we've monkeyed around with that core to share this super tasty
Limoncello Margarita.
A Limoncello Margarita takes the standard tequila + orange liqueur + lime
juice formula of a traditional margarita and switches out Limoncello for the
orange liqueur, creating a flavorful and refreshing lemon-based version of
the classic. And oh, what a delicious version it is!
Complete with a lemon-sugar rim (to replace the traditional salt) and
fabulous lemony flavor, a Limoncello Margarita is one tasty little cocktail that's sure to please. It's just
perfect for Cinco de Mayo, Taco Tuesday, sipping by the pool, or anytime
that good-old margarita craving hits.
With it's fabulous lemony flavor and lemon-sugar rim, a Limoncello Margarita is one tasty little cocktail that's sure to please!
What's to Love About This Recipe?
- A wonderful play on the classic - Switch out the traditional margarita orange liqueur for Limoncello for one wonderfully flavorful play on the classic.
- Fun & fabulous lemony flavor - The lemony flavor of this Limoncello Margarita makes it one fun and fabulous margarita variation, for sure.
- Lemon zest + sugar rim - Replacing the standard margarita salted rim with a sweet lemon-sugar rim is just the right touch for this tasty Limoncello cocktail.
- Super easy to make - Combine the margarita's ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice, shake, and pour. -- That's all there is to whipping up one of these tasty sipping treats!
Limoncello Margarita Ingredients:
A Limoncello Margarita takes the standard tequila + orange liqueur + lime
juice formula of a traditional margarita and switches out Limoncello for
the orange liqueur, creating a flavorful and refreshing lemon-based
version of the classic.
For the cocktail itself, you'll need:
- Gold tequila - The backbone of a margarita cocktail. We choose gold tequila over silver/blanco tequila in this cocktail because gold tequila has a bit smoother taste than silver.
- Limoncello - The lemon liqueur that's this cocktail's namesake. It stands in for the standard orange-flavored liqueur of a traditional margarita to create this delicious lemon-centered version.
- Simple syrup - A "simple" mixture of equal parts water and granulated sugar that brings a little hit of sweetness to the cocktail, balancing out the cocktail's lemon components. To make a small batch of simple syrup, combine 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds, then stir until the sugar is fully dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool and you're good to go. To make a larger amount for more cocktails, just combine larger amounts of water and sugar.
- Fresh lime juice - Another standard component of a traditional margarita, helping create the cocktail's tart and tangy flavor. Fresh lime juice is best, and highly recommended, to give your cocktail the best flavor. We do not recommend substituting bottled lime juice.
- Fresh lemon juice - Added to the mix of this cocktail to compliment its Limoncello lemon profile. Fresh lemon juice is best. We do not recommend substituting bottled lemon juice.
For the glasses' lemon-sugar rims, you'll need:
- Granulated sugar - Stands in for the salt traditionally used to rim the glass of a classic margarita. A sugared rim is a nice touch for this lemony limoncello margarita.
- Lemon zest - Mixed in with the granulated sugar, fresh lemon zest brings a wonderful lemon element to the margarita glass's rim
How to Make a Limoncello Margarita:
Whipping up a Limoncello Margarita is super easy.
Start by coating the rims of the glasses you'll use in lemon-sugar. To
make the lemon-sugar, combine some lemon zest and granulated sugar on a small shallow
plate, stirring them together until they're well mixed.
Moisten the rim of each glass to be used for your cocktails. -- You
can use the cut side of a lemon or lime wedge, or your fingertip
moistened with a bit of water, lemon or lime juice, or a small amount
of tequila. Dip the wet rim of each glass in lemon-sugar until it's well
coated.
Set the prepared glasses aside until you're ready to enjoy your
Limoncello Margaritas.
To make the Limoncello Margarita itself, place all the cocktail
ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake everything
together for about 20 to 30 seconds to get the ingredients mixed and
well chilled.
Strain the mixture into a prepared lemon-sugar-rimmed glass.
Garnish each Limoncello Margarita with a lemon and a lime wedge, and
enjoy!
So if you're looking for a fun and tasty twist on the traditional
margarita, give a Limoncello Margarita a try. With it's fabulous lemony flavor and lemon-sugar rim, a Limoncello Margarita is one tasty little cocktail that's sure to please!
Check out these other tasty limoncello & margarita
cocktails:
Thank you for stopping by The Kitchen is My Playground. We'd love
to have you back soon!
Yield: 1 cocktail
Limoncello Margarita
Combine the deliciousness of Limoncello, gold tequila, and fresh lemon
and lime to create one refreshingly flavorful and fun margarita. With
it's fabulous lemony flavor and lemon-sugar rim, a Limoncello
Margarita is one tasty little cocktail that's sure to please!
Prep time: 10 MinTotal time: 10 Min
Ingredients
For each cocktail:
- 2 oz. gold tequila
- 1 oz. limoncello
- 1 oz. simple syrup (*see note below)
- 1/2 oz. fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 oz. fresh lime juice
For lemon-sugar rims on glasses:
- zest of 1 lemon
- 3 T. granulated sugar
Instructions
Prepare lemon-sugar & sugared rims:
- On a small shallow plate, combine lemon zest and sugar; stir together until well mixed.
- Moisten the rim of the glass to be used. Dip wet rim in lemon-sugar until well coated.
- Set aside.
Prepare cocktail:
- Place all cocktail ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake for about 20 to 30 seconds.
- Strain into prepared lemon-sugar-rimmed glass.
- Garnish with lemon and/or lime wedges, if desired.
TRACEY'S NOTES:
- *Simple syrup is a "simple" mixture of equal parts water and granulated sugar. To make a small batch of simple syrup, combine 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Heat in the microwave for about 30 seconds, then stir until sugar is fully dissolved. Allow to cool. To make a larger amount for more cocktails, just combine larger amounts of water and sugar.
- To moisten the rims of glasses, use the cut side of a lemon or lime wedge. Or, use your fingertip moistened with a bit of water, lemon or lime juice, or a small amount of tequila.
Images and text ©The Kitchen is My Playground
This post is linked with Weekend Potluck.
Sounds like a fabulous twist on a classic, Tracey.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your limoncello margarita recipe at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week. I'm delighted to be featuring this post at tonight's party and pinning too.
Hugs,
Kerryanne