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This Aperol margarita recipe is easy to make with Aperol, lime juice, and your favorite tequila.
Aperol spritzes meet margs with these vibrant Aperol margaritas! ♡
We traditionally make margs in our house using Cointreau. But my friend, Lindsey, recently mentioned that she’s been enjoying hers lately with Aperol, which lends more of a bittersweet and herby flavor to the cocktail and also gives it a vibrant orange hue. So we’ve been giving it a try this summer and are now officially hooked!
The Aperol still gives a margarita the orange flavor we all know and love, but it’s slightly less sweet in a good way, giving the cocktail a touch more of the zingy, citrusy, bitterness that I personally love. It also lowers the ABV of the cocktail nearly by half (from ~30% to 22%), which is perfect if you’re looking for a lighter summer cocktail. And while I generally prefer mezcal margaritas, both Barclay and I found that we actually enjoyed this one made with a good crisp tequila, which really lets the delicate Aperol flavors shine through.
I highly recommend a Tajín salt rim, or you’re welcome to also muddle in some fresh jalapeño wedges to add a spicy kick. Then serve it up nice and chilled on the rocks, and enjoy enjoy! Cheers!
Aperol Margarita Ingredients
Here are a few quick notes about the ingredients you will need to make an Aperol margarita:
Blanco (silver) tequila: The crisp flavor of blanco tequila plays well with the citrusy flavors in this margarita.
Aperol: This vibrant Italian apertif adds its signature bittersweet orange and herby notes to the cocktail, and also has a lower ABV (11%) than the triple sec traditionally used in margaritas.
Lime juice: Freshly-squeezed lime juice adds tangy zest to this cocktail. I’ve used this citrus juicer for years when making margaritas and highly recommend it!
Ice: I recommend using medium or large ice cubes when making margaritas, which help to slow down the melting process and avoid diluting your cocktail.
Tajín and coarse sea salt: We enjoy the extra layers of flavor that chile-lime Tajín and coarse sea salt add to rim the glasses, but feel free to use whatever rimming salt, sugar or spices that you prefer. Or you can just skip rimming the glasses altogether.
Recipe Variations
Here are a few variations to this Aperol margarita recipe that you’re welcome to try:
Make it spicy: Muddle in a few fresh jalapeño slices to make a spicy Aperol margarita.
Make it smoky: Use mezcal in place of tequila to make an Aperol mezcal margarita.
Make it sweeter: Add simple syrup or agave nectar to sweeten this cocktail.
Add ginger: Add ginger simple syrup or a splash of ginger beer to make a ginger Aperol margarita.
More Margarita Recipes To Try
Looking for more margarita recipes to try? Here are a few of our favorites:
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2 ounces tequila
1 ounce Aperol
1 ounce lime juice
ice
Tajín and coarse salt, for rimming the glass
Salt the rim (optional). Run a lime wedge (the juicy part) around the top rim of your serving glass. Fill a shallow bowl or plate with salt, then dip the rim until it is covered with your desired amount of salt. Set aside.
Make the margarita mix. Add tequila, Aperol, lime juice and a few ice cubes to a cocktail shaker. Cover and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds.
Serve. Fill the prepared serving glass with ice. Strain in the margarita mix, garnish with an orange or lime slice, serve and enjoy. Cheers!
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posted on June 28, 2024 by Ali
