20 Essential Margarita Recipes

This spicy margarita recipe from Food & Wine's Paige McCurdy-Flynn uses both chile powder and fresh chile for a double dose of heat.

This quick and easy margarita recipe is made with muddled blueberries and bitters.

According to master mixologist Dale DeGroff, a drink called the Tequila Daisy was served at Tijuana’s Agua Caliente racetrack in the 1920s. It was made with lemon juice, tequila and a sweet ingredient—the template for a Margarita.

A blended frozen margarita, with a bit of heat from jalapeño, is the ideal warm-weather beverage.

Bartender David Yan coats the rim of the glass with citrusy Tajin-brand chile powder, but any powdered chile will give the drink a fun kick.

Chef Dean Fearing calls this drink, "the fall margarita." The sweet-tart blood orange flavor intensifies the margarita-ness of it.

Muddled cucumber, jalapeño, cilantro, and mint make this one extra flavorful.

Chef José Andrés uses Sucro, a powdered emulsifier beloved by avant-garde chefs, to make the salty foam topping.

Mixologist Adam Seger claims that the margarita is the cocktail world’s aphrodisiac. This version combines passion fruit and pomegranate, commonly associated with Aphrodite, the goddess of love.

Unusual fruit and herb combinations distinguish the drinks at this upscale taqueria, whose name loosely translates as "from scratch."

The only thing more refreshing than a margarita is one made with cucumbers. The cucumber-infused tequila also makes a great punch.

Mixologist Todd Thrasher created this margarita to entice his wife into visiting him at PX, the 1920s-style speakeasy above the restaurant Eamonn's: A Dublin Chipper. The margarita's flavors are based on a spicy Salvadoran chile mix she likes to sprinkle on cucumbers.

This margarita, Nadia Roden's own concoction, was inspired by the pomegranates her mother and grandmother used to serve at New Year's celebrations.

Mixologists are still reacting against too-sweet drinks. This spicy margarita combines three savory ingredients: jalapeño, cilantro and cucumber.

These excellent margaritas have a subtle, smoky flavor. The secret: The limes and lemons are grilled before being juiced.

Combine mango and elderflower liquor for a vibrant and refreshing drink on a hot, summer day.

A rim of gochujang (Korean chile paste) and gochugaru (Korean chile powder) creates warming layers of heat in this tart and spicy take on a margarita. You can order gochujang and gochugaru online or find them at your local Asian grocery store.

Gail Simmons’ Frozen Cucumber-Coconut Cocktail with Chili-Sumac-Salt Rim is the perfect refreshing summer drink. Inspired by the classic flavors of Mexican fruta con chile y limón, each drink is rimmed with a salty, smoky, slightly tart blend of flaky sea salt, chili powder, and sumac. Sprinkle any extras on fresh cut fruit for a delicious snack. For a perfect slushy texture that never gets icy or watery, Simmons freezes the cucumbers before blending. Use your favorite fresh coconut water here; it adds a lightly sweet, cooling flavor to the cocktail.