Toast National Margarita Day with a blood orange margarita! Take advantage of the short blood orange season to make blood orange simple syrup to use in cocktails.
I was planning to post this recipe for Blood Orange Margarita tomorrow… then I found out today is National Margarita Day! It seemed to be some sort of sign from the universe to post the recipe today instead and who am I to argue with the universe?
And I realise I haven’t shared the news that my Blueberry Basil Margarita actually won ‘best drink’ at the Best of Pinterest UK awards at the beginning of the month.
It was such a fun night, mostly because I got to hang out with my bestie Julia of Vikalinka and finally meet Hannah of Domestic Gothess among many other blogger friends. The award was a full kilo (!) of vegan chocolate so I guess I had better come up with some new chocolate recipes.
Blood oranges are simply made for cocktails – with their incredible colour and taste they will liven up many classic recipes that seem a little stale. You can use the blood orange juice in the cocktails or make a blood orange simple syrup as I have done here.
Simple syrup is made with one part sugar and and one part water – I have simply replaced the water with strained juice to create a concentrated syrup with the most electrifying colour! You can use this in many other cocktail recipes – like this fresh take on the French 75 I created for Brit+Co.
Blood Orange Margarita
Ingredients
Blood orange syrup
- 150 g | 5.3 oz sugar
- 150 ml | 5 fl oz strained fresh blood orange juice
For the margarita
- 2 measures 50ml | 1.7fl oz blanco tequila
- 2 measures 50ml | 1.7fl oz strained blood orange juice
- 1 tbsp triple sec or Cointreau
- 2 tsbp blood orange simple syrup
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- blood orange slices to garnish
- flaked sea salt to frost the glass
Instructions
- Put the orange juice and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer and stir until sugar is dissolved. Strain into a sterilised jar and cool before using.
- Cut a wedge of blood orange or lime and wipe it around the edge of your glass – either a margarita glass or whatever you prefer. Dip the glass into a plate filled with coarse sea salt and set aside.
- Put the tequila, triple sec, blood orange juice, simple syrup and lime juice in a cocktail shaker half filled with ice. Shake hard for 30 seconds.
- Strain the cocktail into the prepared glass and add some cracked ice if you like. Garnish with blood orange wedges.
Elaine says
One of my favorite drinks! Great recipe and fantastic photos!
Lucy Parissi says
Thanks Elaine – mine too for sure!
Kavey at Kavey Eats says
Your cocktail recipes are so appealing, I find them really inspirational. I posted one this week and tried to channel your creativity when styling it – it’s not at your level but just in trying to live up to your standards, lifted my own! Thanks Lucy! PS LOVE blood oranges!
Lucy Parissi says
Thanks Kavey – I loved your recipe! Cocktails are nice for photo practice as they are usually so photogenic
Jacqueline Meldrum says
I love margaritas and blood oranges. I actually eat way too many when they come in season. This is the perfect cocktail for me. Beautiful photos too!
Congratulations on your award. Well deserved!
Pinned, tweeted, stumbled, flipped and yummed 🙂
Lucy says
Wow just look at that blood orange colour, so vivid! I certainly need to try these out this weekend – cheers!
Hannah Hossack-Lodge says
These look phenomenal! I love a good margarita and blood orange ones sound seriously good! I haven’t been able to find any blood oranges though, so annoying 🙁 It was really lovely to meet you too, lets not leave it another two years until the next time! xx
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PS How many total blood oranges did you use? I will make them for a little weekend dinner gathering, for four. Thanks 🙂
[email protected] says
Day-um girl, I need this in my life. I’m not kidding either. Love blood oranges and margaritas and adore then concentrated simple syrup that you have created. If it wasn’t a Wednesday evening on my own I would be making one or two. Soon!