5 Great Margarita Recipes for Any Amount of Time (or Skill Level)

On the Fly: Mandarina Rosa

What Takes the Most Time: Going to the grocery store, honestly, but also squeezing citrus.

Recommended Tequila: Tres Agaves Blanco

Ingredients:

2 oz blanco tequila
2 oz fresh squeezed tangerine juice
1 oz fresh squeezed lime juice 

Directions: Rim glass with pink sea salt. Shake all ingredients together; double strain and serve straight-up in a martini or coupe glass. Garnish with tangerine twist.

Short Prep Time: Margarita El Tesoro

What Takes the Most Time: Making agave syrup in a saucepan, or mixing the spice rim ingredients.

Recommended Tequila: El Tesoro Blanco 

Ingredients: 

2 oz blanco tequila 
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
3/4 oz agave syrup (2 parts agave nectar, 1 part water)
Lime wheel, spice rim to garnish

Directions: Add lime juice, agave syrup and tequila in a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously. Double strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with a lime wheel. For a seasonal variation, add lime juice, agave syrup, and seasonal fruits or peppers in a shaker. Muddle, then add ice and tequila. Shake and strain into a rocks glass.

For the spice rim: Mix salt, ancho chili and lime zest to create a spice mixture. Use a lime wedge to lightly moisten half of your glass rim. Gently roll one side of your glass rim in the spice mixture.

A Little Effort: Hibiscus Pineapple Margarita

What Takes the Most Time: Making the hibiscus syrup.

Recommended Tequila: Olmeca Altos Plata

Ingredients: 

2 oz Altos Plata
1 oz pineapple juice
2 tsp hibiscus syrup 

Directions:    

Build all the ingredients into a shaker with ice. Double strain into a coup glass. Garnish with carmelized chilli.

For the hibiscus syrup: Create a simple syrup in a saucepan, add hibiscus tea, and steep to taste.

Some Time Invested: The Hibiscus Margarita, from The Capri in Marfa, Texas

What Takes the Most Time: Making two syrups and a tea before you even get started.

Recommended Tequila: Casa Noble Reposado

Ingredients:

1.5 oz hibiscus tea
1/4 oz honey syrup
3/4 oz agave syrup
1 lemon wedge
1 orange wedge
2 lime wedges
2 oz reposado tequila

Directions: Muddle the citrus with the honey and agave. Add hibiscus and tequila. Shake and strain into lowball glass and garnish with lime wedge.

Plan Ahead: Spicy Pink Watermelon Margarita

What Takes the Most Time: Infusing the agave nectar, but juicing is going to be a close second.

Recommended Tequila: Código 1530 Rosa Tequila

Ingredients: 

2 oz tequila
3 oz pressed watermelon lime jalapeño juice 
3/4 oz fresh lime juice
1/4 tsp jalapeño-infused agave nectar
Fresh jalapeño, sliced (optional)
Kosher salt (as garnish) 

Directions: Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Pour in the watermelon jalapeno juice, tequila, lime juice and agave nectar. Shake for 30 seconds. Garnish glass with salted rim and jalapeno slices if desired.

For jalapeno-infused agave nectar: Mix freshly chopped jalapeños into agave nectar, let sit overnight, stirring occasionally.