The Perfect Magarita Cocktail Recipe, The Fastest And Easiest Way To Make It

Using bottled lime juice. Pre-packaged juice contains preservatives that give the drink a metallic, "chemical" aftertaste.

Always use fresh-squeezed limes. The bright, zesty acidity of fresh juice is what makes a Margarita "pop."

Shaking without enough ice. If you only use a few cubes, they will melt too fast, making your drink watery rather than cold.

Fill your shaker at least 2/3 full with ice. This chills the liquid instantly and creates the perfect amount of "dilution" to mellow the alcohol.

Dipping the whole rim in sugar. If you get sugar on the inside of the glass, it falls into the drink and ruins the carefully balanced ratio.

Only apply the lime and sugar to the outside edge of the rim. This allows you to choose when you want a sweet sip.

Using "Gold" or aged Tequila. Heavily oaked tequilas can overwhelm the delicate citrus notes of the Cointreau.

Stick with Blanco (Silver) Tequila. Its clean, peppery agave flavor is the traditional partner for lime and orange.

Shaking for too short a time. A quick 2-second swirl won't combine the syrup-heavy Cointreau with the thin lime juice.

The Fix: Shake vigorously for at least 12–15 seconds until the outside of your shaker (or cup) feels painfully cold to the touch.

Not straining the mixture. Leaving the "shaking ice" in the drink causes it to melt rapidly, turning your cocktail into lime-water.

Strain the mixture over fresh ice cubes in your serving glass. This keeps the drink cold without further dilution.