With spring and patio season on the horizon, now is the perfect time to gather the ingredients to make my ultra refreshing, sweet-tart Chambord Margaritas.
Silver tequila joins fresh squeezed lime juice, homemade 3 minute simple syrup, and Chambord — a black raspberry liquor — in a cocktail shaker full of ice that’s sloshed into cocktail glasses rimmed with homemade sweet and salty lime margarita salt. This is the spring and summer cocktail you’ve been waiting for!
If you’ve ever had a homemade margarita then you know there’s no going back to a margarita mix once you’ve had a taste. I still have flashbacks to spring breaks of yesteryear when I’d stand tapping my finger on my chin trying to decide which flavor from the WALL OF FROZEN MARGARITAS to slurp down by the beach. Never again! That is to say, fresh homemade margaritas are in a league of their own, especially when they’re spiked with Chambord which is a cognac infused with black and red raspberries and vanilla. Chambord adds a smidge of sweetness and beautiful blush color to this refreshingly tart margarita recipe. I have a near zero tolerance policy for sweet margaritas, so I promise the Chambord doesn’t make them too sweet — just adds a little somethin’ somethin’.
I’m not going to lie, Chambord is a splurge. It’s usually $38-40 at the grocery store but since it’s so strong you only need a bit for each batch, meaning one bottle will (likely) last an entire patio season. In addition to these margaritas, we like adding a splash to vodka and club soda with lime, or a glass of champagne and fresh raspberries. It’s really tasty! Chambord Margaritas are great for patio and party season of course, but they’re also really fun for bridal showers on account of the pretty colors. Honestly they’re great for pretty much any festive occasion.
Start by making the 3 minute simple syrup Stir together 1 cup each water and sugar in a microwave safe vessel then nuke for 3 minutes, stirring halfway through, and cool completely. That’s it! You can make simple syrup one or even two weeks ahead of time.
Next make the sweet and salty lime margarita salt which you’ll use to rim the glasses with. First zest 1 lime with a microplane, being careful to just get the green zest and not the white pith.
Combine the zest with 2 Tablespoons each salt and sugar in a food processor or blender then process until smooth.
Run a lime wedge around the rim of a cocktail glass then dunk it into the lime sugar and salt.
Glasses are prepped — it’s margarita time!
To a cocktail shaker (you could use a big mason jar too,) add 6oz silver tequila, 3oz fresh squeezed lime juice, 2oz simple syrup, and 1oz Chambord then shake, shake, shake.
Strain into the rimmed glasses then sip, sip, hooray!
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