These easy raspberry margaritas get their gorgeous color and a pop of flavor from a quick, homemade raspberry syrup! Use tequila for a more classic margarita, or mix these cocktails with your favorite gin, vodka, or nonalcoholic spirit. Cocktail recipe for 21+. Please drink responsibly.
These easy, refreshing cocktails are perfect for summer!
All you need is a bit of tequila, fresh lime juice, and our quick homemade raspberry syrup - no triple sec or margarita mix required!
How to make this simple raspberry syrup
Our secret weapon for these bright, flavorful drinks: Homemade raspberry syrup!
- Add fresh raspberries to a small saucepan with a bit of sugar and water.
- Stir it all together!
- Cook over medium-low heat for 10-15 minutes until berries have softened and sugar has dissolved.
- Let the syrup cool, then pour it through a strainer to remove the berries.
Pro Tip: Freeze leftover raspberries for smoothies!
Spread the berries into a thin layer on a nonstick baking mat (or a piece of waxed paper), pop them in the freezer for 1-2 hours to set, then transfer to an airtight container or Stasher Bag and return to the freezer.
How to add a salt rim to a margarita glass
You don't need any fancy tools to add a salt or sugar rim to your cocktails at home! Just grab a lime wedge and a bit of kosher salt (or granulated sugar if you prefer!) and you're good to go.
- Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass. Use gentle pressure: You just want to moisten the very edge of the glass so the salt will stick!
- Dust a small plate with a light layer of kosher salt.
- Dip the edge of your glass into the salt on your plate. Lightly tap the glass into the salt a few times until you have enough salt on the rim.
Riffs and Substitutions
These raspberry margaritas are easy to adjust! Some of our favorite swaps:
- Adjust the sweet/sour flavor mix. If you like your drinks on the sour side, add a bit of extra lime juice to your cocktail. Like a sweeter margarita? Add a bit of extra raspberry syrup.
- Make a blended margarita! We served these raspberry margaritas on the rocks, but you could also blend all of the ingredients together with a few handfuls of ice to make a frozen version. Check out these Classic Frozen Margaritas from Isabel Eats for an easy guide to frozen, blended margaritas!
- Swap the liquor. We're always suckers for a good berry margarita, but this basic recipe is great with just about any liquors (vodka, rum, and gin are all good in this drink) if tequila isn't your thing! You can also swap the booze for a nonalcoholic gin or a splash of club soda - the real flavor comes from the lime juice and raspberry syrup here!
- Stretch these drinks farther by topping them off with a bit of sparkling water, club soda, or proescco!
- Swap the strawberries in this recipe for any fresh berries you have on hand: blackberries, raspberries, or blueberries are all good! Peaches are excellent in this simple syrup, too. You can also use frozen fruit instead of fresh (you may just need to let it cook for an extra few minutes).
A few Margarita FAQs
The short (and yes, maybe less-than-helpful) answer: Use any tequila you like to drink! We tend to use Espolòn Blanco, Familia Camarena, Milagro, or Casamigos. But this drink is also good with gin, vodka, or a nonalcoholic spirit!
Yes! This syrup freezes very well. Let it cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 6 months.
We recommend mixing the cocktails just before serving, but you can absolutely prep the components ahead of time! Make the raspberry syrup in advance and store it in the fridge (up to a week) or freezer (up to 6 months) until you're ready to use. Fresh lime juice will keep in the fridge for 2-3 days if you'd like to juice the limes ahead of time. You can also use store-bought bottled lime juice to save time (but we love the bright, fresh flavor you get when you juice the limes yourself!)
Thirsty for More?
Check out some of our other tried-and-true cocktail recipes!
📖 Recipe
Raspberry Margaritas
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Inactive Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Yield: 2 generous drinks 1x
- Category: Cocktails
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These easy raspberry margaritas use a quick, homemade raspberry syrup for a refreshing cocktail!
Ingredients
For the raspberry syrup:
- 6 ounces fresh raspberries (1 standard-size grocery store container)
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup water
Note: This recipe makes enough simple syrup for several cocktails. Use what you need and store the rest in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week!
For the margaritas:
- 2 ounces raspberry syrup
- 4 ounces tequila (½ cup)
- 6 ounces fresh lime juice (¾ cup)
- Plenty of ice (at least 3 cups)
Optional Garnishes:
- Fresh lime wedges
- Fresh raspberries
- 2 Tablespoons kosher salt, for glass rims
Instructions
Make the raspberry syrup:
- Stir raspberries, sugar, and water together in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a low simmer and cook, stirring frequently, for 10-15 minutes until berries have softened and sugar has dissolved. The syrup should be a rich, dark pink color and the berries should have lost most of their shape.
- Turn off the heat and let syrup cool for 20-30 minutes, then strain it through a mesh strainer to remove any large raspberry pieces (Pro tip: Save the leftover berry pieces for smoothies!)
- Let the syrup cool completely (usually another 15-30 minutes). Use cooled syrup immediately or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Make the margaritas:
- If you’d like a salt rim: Spread a thin layer of salt over a small plate. Run a lime wedge around the rim of each glass, then dip the glass in the salt.
- Place a handful of ice in each glass.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine tequila, lime juice, and raspberry syrup. (If you have a small cocktail shaker, you may need to do this in two batches).
- Add a few handfuls of ice to the shaker, cover, and shake to chill margaritas. Pour into your prepared cocktail glasses and serve immediately.
Notes
Adjust the balance of sweet and sour. If you like a sweeter cocktail, add a bit more raspberry syrup. For a more sour flavor, add a bit of extra lime juice. This is a pretty forgiving recipe - feel free to adjust the ratios to suit your own taste!
Additions and Substitutions. Use fresh strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or peaches in place of the raspberries if you like. Use frozen fruit instead of fresh if you prefer (you’ll just need to extend the syrup’s cook time by a few minutes). To stretch these drinks a bit, divide the recipe into additional glasses and top each drink with club soda, tonic water, or prosecco.
If you’d like to make these as blended margaritas, put the liquid ingredients in a blender with 2-3 cups of ice and blend until smooth. Enjoy!
Store extra raspberry syrup in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week, or in the freezer for up to 6 months. Defrost frozen syrup in the fridge overnight when you’re ready to use it.
To make these margaritas for a crowd, follow a 1:2:3 ratio (1 part raspberry syrup, 2 parts tequila, 3 parts lime juice) and scale up as needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 203
- Sugar: 28.3 g
- Sodium: 35.9 mg
- Fat: 0.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 43.6 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
Keywords: cocktails, spirits, summer
Jessica
I love this raspberry syrup! It just makes all my drinks look so PRETTY. I've used it in actual cocktails like these but I also love adding a splash to plain sparkling water with a dash of bitters. Super versatile.
★★★★★
Team Life As A Strawberry
YAY! We love the idea of adding it to an everyday drink like sparkling water!
Dani
Do you know exactly how many cocktails one batch of simple syrup makes?
Team Life As A Strawberry
One batch of the raspberry syrup makes enough for 3-4 cocktails! The recipe can easily be scaled up if you want to make more!