The Best Frozen Strawberry Margarita

HUGE flavor and a pop of color come together to make the best Frozen Strawberry Margarita. It is easy to make and an excellent warm-weather drink or just when you want to imagine summer weather.

This classic deck-sipper can be yours today, so get your blender and put on your flavor pants. Whip up a batch of these frozen strawberry margaritas for your next party, Labor Day gathering, or simply treat yourself to a delicious and satisfying happy hour cocktail anytime.

This is a classic cocktail, so it will hit all the traditional notes. This frozen margarita is particularly special, as it walks you through making a strawberry margarita with fresh strawberries. 

There are a few ways I will give you to change this up, but this is a step-by-step guide for making a classic frozen strawberry margarita drink. You get all the flavor, color, and heritage of the cocktail. 

If classic cocktails are your thing, check out our Perfect Margarita recipe, a Dark ‘N Stormy Cocktail, or a Classic White Russian Cocktail. In the mood to change it up a bit? Give this Monkey Gland cocktail a try. 

🍓 Ingredients

Strawberries and tequila are the stars of this drink, but you will need a few other simple ingredients. There are a few things you can think about when constructing your own homemade strawberry margaritas.

Fresh Strawberries

Use fresh whenever possible. We have a secret spot where we can harvest wild strawberries once a year; it is a dream come true. 

I also made this recipe with frozen strawberries; it was a different ballgame. The finished drink had a different consistency. While you can use frozen strawberries, I highly recommend fresh berries for this recipe to get the best natural strawberry flavor.

Sugar vs. Salt Rimmed Glass

Salt really accentuates the flavors of a traditional Margarita. A salted rim can soften bitterness in the triple sec and bring the lime flavor forward.

A traditional Margarita is a more spirit-forward drink than this sweeter frozen version. The sweetness of this Frozen Strawberry Margarita really is a crowd-pleaser. 

The taste of the tequila almost goes away. It is mostly (not all) hidden behind the sweetness of our sugar and bold strawberry flavor. Additionally, we will candy-coat this drink by rimming the glass with sugar instead of salt. 

I think you can use either, but my recipe calls for sugar. While this slightly moves away from the traditional Margarita, we are also here to explore and make great drinks, right?

🍲 Instructions

Add the ice, tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and simple syrup to the blender and blend until mixed. Add the strawberries and continue blending until smooth. Pour into sugar-rimmed margarita glasses and enjoy.

🤷 Substitutions and variations

There are a few ways that this can be changed.

• Tequila Brand – Blanco Tequila is what I use, but you can experiment with other tequilas. Reposado is slightly aged, but would also be a reasonable spirit. I would suggest avoiding the more gold tequilas, but they can also be fine.
• Triple Sec – I use Cointreau, which is a triple sec, but Grand Marnier is also a good substitute. Use whatever orange liqueur you have or prefer.
• Rim – This cocktail recipe is rimmed with sugar, but you can use salt. Maybe even try flavored salt, as well.
• Simple Syrup – Don’t have simple syrup? A tablespoon of sugar, honey, or agave will do the trick.

🎓 History tidbit

The Frozen Strawberry Margarita is a popular variation of the classic Margarita cocktail, and you can check out the history of the classic margarita here. While the exact history of the Frozen Strawberry Margarita is unclear, blended frozen margaritas were already becoming popular in the United States by the 1950s, well before frozen drink machines became common.

In 1971, Dallas restaurateur Mariano Martinez adapted a soft-serve ice cream machine to make frozen margaritas quickly and consistently. His invention helped make frozen margaritas a fixture in Tex-Mex restaurants, although the frozen margarita itself existed well before his machine.

The popularity of the Frozen Strawberry Margarita continued to grow throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and it became a staple of many Mexican and Tex-Mex restaurants across the United States. Today, the Frozen Strawberry Margarita remains a beloved variation of the classic Margarita cocktail and is enjoyed by many worldwide as a refreshing and fruity frozen cocktail option.

❓ FAQ

📝 Tips and tricks

• Use fresh strawberries when you can, but frozen strawberries will work, too.
• Make sure you are using a good blender.
• Making simple syrup is as easy as combining 1 part hot water with 1 part sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then cool.
• Use the spent lime to moisten your margarita glass before rimming with sugar.

🛠 Products used in this recipe

• Blender
• Measuring Cups

😋 Did you make this recipe?

That is awesome, and thank you so much for giving this Frozen Strawberry Margarita recipe a try. If you could leave a rating in the comment area below, it would be greatly appreciated. This lets me know how I am doing and also helps others decide if they want to make this recipe. Most of all, thanks for visiting Ramshackle Pantry.