Coconut Margarita
Get ready to be whisked away to the beach with this tropical coconut margarita recipe. This frozen cocktail is made with tequila, Cointreau, cream of coconut, fresh lime, and simple syrup. It’s creamy, refreshing, and crazy delicious!
When I worked at the Mexican restaurant so many years ago, there were a few underdog margarita recipes. And by that I mean, they weren’t as popular as some of the other much-loved margaritas. But even though I love strawberry margaritas, I’d choose to imbibe coconut margaritas over the more popular ones.
This margarita has a creamy texture, goes down smooth, and tastes like a vacation day at the beach. The coconut flavor is strong enough to taste, but not so strong that it is overpowering. I can’t wait for you to try this classic margarita recipe.
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Helpful tips
- One of the ingredients is cream of coconut, which is a pre-sweetened coconut concoction. You will NOT be using (and can’t substitute) coconut cream or coconut milk as those are not the same thing.
- The orange liqueur that I love to use is Cointreau. But as all premium brands come at a premium price, a more budget friendly choice is triple sec.
- I like to use silver or blanco tequila in this recipe so the cocktail comes out white, like the color of coconut. If you don’t care about the color, you can use anejo or reposado tequila.
- Color is also the reason why I go with Cointreau or triple sec, which are clear, and not the ultra premium Grand Marnier liqueur, which has a golden color.
- Wash your limes before juicing them. Here’s how – Use the coarse side of this cloth to rub the skin under running water or you can just squirt some unscented, natural foaming hand soap in your hands and rub the skin of the lime between them. Make sure to rinse the limes thoroughly.
- The way we served this margarita at the restaurant was always frozen. You could serve it on the rocks (ice), but I love how smooth, frosty, and creamy it is frozen.
- Since the cream of coconut is sweetened, you do not have to use any sweetener like simple syrup, honey, or agave. But if you find that the margarita isn’t as sweet as you like, add (only) 1/2 ounce of simple syrup. But, please, try it like this first.
- I used 3 cups of ice from my refrigerator ice maker in this cocktail, but you’ll only need 2 cups if you make your ice in ice cube trays, which yield bigger cubes.
- For garnish, we’re going to use toasted coconut flakes for the rim. You can buy it pre-toasted or toast it yourself. Here’s how: Heat a small sauté pan on medium heat. Sprinkle chopped up coconut flakes in the pan and stand there stirring the coconut as it toasts. It should only take around 3 minutes for the coconut to become golden brown. Once they are done toasting, remove from pan and set it aside to cool.
- If you want to, you can garnish the cocktail with a lime wedge but I enjoy the toasted coconut and lime zest.
- If you want to make a pitcher of this margarita, just use the slider in the recipe card to adjust the ingredients. To access the slider, hover your cursor over the number of Servings. Change the number of servings using the slider and the recipe card will adjust ingredients for you accordingly.
How to make a coconut margarita
Pre-step
Get out your blender and microplane. If you are going to toast the coconut, do so now. (See Helpful tips on how).
After measuring out the ingredients, add to the blender container.
Step one
Gather the ingredients – tequila, orange liqueur, cream of coconut, and fresh lime juice. (A)
Step two
Measure out 4 ounces of tequila. (B)
Step three
Measure out 2 ounces of Cointreau. (C)
Step four
Measure 2 ounces fresh lime juice. (D)
Step five
Measure 3 ounces of cream of coconut. (E)
Step six
Garnish the glassware. Add toasted coconut to a small plate. (F)
Wet your finger with a little simple syrup and rub it along the edge of the glasses.
Place the glass rim side down in the coconut mixture and dip the edge of the glass in the garnish until the rim is coated. Lightly shake the glass to dislodge any loose toasted coconut. Set the glasses upright.
Step seven
Add 2 – 3 cups of ice to the blender. Place the lid on and blend on medium. You want the margarita to be thick but not so much that it is difficult to pour between the glasses.
Step eight
Divide and pour the margarita between the two glasses, making sure not to pour the margarita over the coconut on the rim of the glass.
Step nine
Take a microplane and zest part of a lime on top of the margarita.
Doesn’t that look delicious?
Let’s look at the drink up close.
Yum.
I hope you enjoyed this coconut margarita recipe. It’s so delicious.
Other popular frozen cocktails
And as always, may all your dishes/drinks be delish.
If you’ve tried this recipe, I’d love to know your thoughts in the comments below. I love hearing from you! You can also FOLLOW ME on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, INSTAGRAM, and PINTEREST to see more of my delicious food and delightful cocktails!
Coconut Margarita
Ingredients
- 4 ounces tequila (blanco)
- 2 ounces orange liqueur (Cointreau or triple sec)
- 2 ounces lime juice
- 3 ounces cream of coconut
- 2 cups ice (2 – 3 cups – depending on the size of your cubes)
Garnish
- 2 tablespoons toasted coconut
- 2 teaspoons lime zest
Instructions
- If you are going to toast the coconut yourself, do so now. Here's how: Heat a small sauté pan on medium heat. Sprinkle chopped up coconut flakes in the pan and stand there stirring the coconut as it toasts. It should only take around 3 minutes for the coconut to become golden brown. Once they are done toasting, remove from pan and place on a small plate. Set aside.2 tablespoons toasted coconut
- Get the blender and microplane.
- Add tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, and cream of coconut.4 ounces tequila, 2 ounces orange liqueur, 2 ounces lime juice, 3 ounces cream of coconut
- Garnish the glasses with the toasted coconut. Get the plate of coconut and place the glass rim side down in the coconut mixture. Dip the edge of the glass in the garnish until the rim is coated. Lightly shake the glass to dislodge any loose toasted coconut. Set the glasses upright.
- Add 2 – 3 cups of ice to the blender. (Start with 2 cups as you can always add more, but you can't subtract it). Place the lid on the blender and blend on medium until the margarita has thickened but is not too thick to pour easily in the glasses.2 cups ice
- Divide and pour the margarita between the two glasses. Be careful not to pour over the garnished rims.
- Take a lime in your hand and use a microplane to zest some lime directly on the top of the margarita.2 teaspoons lime zest
- Sip
- Smile
- Enjoy
Notes
- One of the ingredients is cream of coconut, which is a pre-sweetened coconut concoction. You will NOT be using (and can’t substitute) coconut cream or coconut milk as those are not the same thing.
- The orange liqueur that I love to use is Cointreau. But as all premium brands come at a premium price, a more budget friendly choice is triple sec.
- I like to use silver or blanco tequila in this recipe so the cocktail comes out white, like the color of coconut. If you don’t care about the color, you can use anejo or reposado tequila.
- Color is also the reason why I go with Cointreau or triple sec, which are clear, and not the ultra premium Grand Marnier liqueur, which has a golden color.
- Wash your limes before juicing them. Here’s how – Use the coarse side of this cloth to rub the skin under running water or you can just squirt some unscented, natural foaming hand soap in your hands and rub the skin of the lime between them. Make sure to rinse the limes thoroughly.
- The way we served this margarita at the restaurant was always frozen. You could serve it on the rocks (ice), but I love how smooth, frosty, and creamy it is frozen.
- Since the cream of coconut is sweetened, you do not have to use any sweetener like simple syrup, honey, or agave. But if you find that the margarita isn’t as sweet as you like, add (only) 1/2 ounce of simple syrup. But, please, try it like this first.
- I used 3 cups of ice from my refrigerator ice maker in this cocktail, but you’ll only need 2 cups if you make your ice in ice cube trays, which yield bigger cubes.
- For garnish, we’re going to use toasted coconut flakes for the rim. You can buy it pre-toasted or toast it yourself. Here’s how: Heat a small sauté pan on medium heat. Sprinkle chopped up coconut flakes in the pan and stand there stirring the coconut as it toasts. It should only take around 3 minutes for the coconut to become golden brown. Once they are done toasting, remove from pan and set it aside to cool.
- If you want to, you can garnish the cocktail with a lime wedge but I enjoy the toasted coconut and lime zest.
- If you want to make a pitcher of this margarita, just use the slider in the recipe card to adjust the ingredients. To access the slider, hover your cursor over the number of Servings. Change the number of servings using the slider and the recipe card will adjust ingredients for you accordingly.
Nutrition
From lighting up stages with her BA in theater to food journalist, Elaine Benoit's journey is a testament to passion's transformative power. As the CEO of Dishes Delish, she offers a blend of healthy, comforting recipes and exquisitely crafted cocktails. Beyond the kitchen, Elaine voiced her culinary adventures on her podcast, "Dishing," and co-owns Food Blogger Help, extending her expertise to guide budding food bloggers to success. Whether it's for a heartwarming dish or insights into food blogging, Elaine's diverse experiences make her a beacon in the culinary digital landscape.
One of my all time favorite flavors. Made this last night and we all enjoyed it. Thanks for the recipe Elaine.
Thanks so much, Joyce. I’m glad that you enjoyed it.
This was such a fun twist on a traditional margarita! Tasted great with our taco night spread for dinner!
Thanks so much, Anjali! I’m so glad to hear that.
Wow, I felt like I was on a beach with this margarita! So delicious.
Hehe. Thanks so much, Janessa. It’s one of my favorites.
Absolutely delicious. Made this today at our Labor Day BBQ and it was a hit of the party. Thanks for sharing, can’t wait to make again.
I’m so glad to hear that MacKenzie! I’m so glad you enjoyed it.
im a big coconut fan! This margarita is like a tropical island
Hehe. Thanks, Nancy. I think so too!
Wow – what a spectacular drink. It sounds absolutely delicious and looks so elegant!
Thanks so much, Shashi! I appreciate it. 🙂
OOOh ya, is all I can say about this tasty bevie. We served to guests over the weekend and they loved it.
I’m go glad to hear that, Deb! We love it here too! 🙂 Thanks for commenting. I appreciate it.
Such a delicious and easy drink to make.
I will make this, and I am sure my sister will love this.
Thanks, Amy! It’s so tropical and delicious!