Create a margarita flight from scratch with homemade margaritas on the rocks.
Need a fun tequila mixed drink idea? Create your very own margarita flight with different flavored margaritas of your choice. This alcoholic flight recipe would be perfect for a themed party or to celebrate a special occasion. These fruit margaritas on the rocks have the perfect hint of sweetness while allowing the flavor of tequila to shine through!
I love learning to make really good cocktails at home. It's fun getting to drink bar-quality cocktails without having to leave your kitchen! This margarita flight is no exception. The best part? You get to pick the exact flavors you love and turn them into margarita of your dreams!
In this post I'll teach you how to make a margarita from scratch, as well as my tips and tricks for serving up this margarita flight so your friends and family are super impressed!
History of the Margarita
One of the things I love about the food and drink world is learning about the history and cultural behind a dish or cocktail. Margaritas are well known and loved in the U.S. and North America. But, where did they come from?
Well it turns out, according to National Geographic, that we don't totally know where or how the margarita originated. One story claims that Carlos (Danny) Herrera added salt and lime to tequila for a showgirl, Marjorie King. Others claim it was developed by a Texas socialite Margaret Sames.
There are also records that show the margarita we all know and love today evolved from a cocktail called the "daisy." This was a popular drink in the 1930s/40s that was served over shaved ice and made with a mix of alcohol, citrus juice, and grenadine.
While we may not know the exact history of the drink itself, we do owe some credit to the hard working jimadors who harvest (by hand) the entire blue agave plant that tequila is made from. The margaritas we all know and love today wouldn't be possible without the delicious bottles of tequila. If you're interested in learning more about tequila, check out my beginner's guide to tequila.
How to Make Different Flavored Margaritas
What makes this margarita flight recipe so special is the various fruit flavors throughout each drink on the flight board. The possibilities are endless when it comes to creating different margarita recipes. All you need is some creativity and a few helpful tips.
This recipe is made from 100% natural fruit juice. You have a few different options for how to get your fruit juice, depending on what's available to you.
- Freshly Squeezed Citrus: Pick up some fresh limes, lemons, grapefruit, orange, or blood orange and juice your own citrus.
- Fruit Juice: Pick up some fruit juice at the store. Some delicious options are pineapple, cranberry, or pomegranate. If you purchase no sugar added fruit juice, you might need to add in some additional agave syrup to help with the tartness.
- Fresh Fruit: You can also use fresh fruit. Just muddle the fruit to help release the juices. And don't forget to use a Hawthorne and fine mesh strainer to keep the seeds out of the drink.
Serving Your Margarita Flight
Presentation is everything with this margarita flight board! Not only will your margaritas look like they were made at a high-end bar, but your friends will be so excited to dig in and start drinking! Here's what you'll do to serve your margarita flight:
1. Find a serving platter or board. You can use a traditional flight board or just a wooden serving platter or marble board. If you're hosting a party and need multiple flight boards, I suggest these wooden serving platters for a cheaper, but still super cute option.
2. Rim your glasses: Next, rim your glasses with salt or sugar. All you need is some extra agave syrup to help the salt or sugar stick.
3. Create some garnishes: Using some cocktail picks, fruit slices, and citrus slices, create some fun garnishes to add to the margaritas. If you need some more inspiration, check out this post on creative cocktail garnishes.
4. Put it all together: Now all that's left to do is pour the hand-shaken margaritas in the glasses (these are my favorite glasses), garnish, and place them on the serving board.
How to Make a Margarita FAQs
What is the best tequila to use in a margarita?
The most important thing to look for when purchasing a bottle of tequila is that ‘100% blue agave‘ appears somewhere on the label. The reason this is so important is that all alcohol is made from sugar. We want to ensure that our tequila is created solely from the sugar of the blue agave and nothing else!
Most margaritas are made using a blanco (silver) tequila. I love the Casamigos and Patrón tequila, personally. You could also try substituting blanco tequila for reposado tequila for a more woody, smokey taste.
How can I make a frozen margarita?
If you want to turn your margarita flight into all frozen margaritas, it's super simple! Just add some ice to the recipe below. I typically start with 1 cup of ice, and blend on high until smooth.
Do I have to use Triple Sec/Cointreau?
Most traditional margarita recipes will call for some kind of orange liqueur such as Triple Sec or Cointreau. However, in order to allow the various flavors of blood orange, pineapple, and raspberry to shine in the margarita flight, I've decide to omit the orange liqueur in this recipe.
However, if you're interested in learning about classic cocktail recipes, check out my bartender cheat sheet. It has 45 classic cocktail recipes all in one guide (including a traditional margarita recipe).
Do I have to use freshly squeezed citrus?
By no means is freshly squeezed citrus required. However, I find it helps the drink taste light and fresh! Feel free to opt for pre-squeezed citrus or canned juices.
More Cocktail Recipes
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Margarita Flight
Ingredients
- 6 ounces blanco tequila divided
- 7.5 ounces freshly squeezed citrus or fruit juice divided (see notes)
- 3 ounces freshly squeeze lime juice divided
- 1.5 ounces agave syrup plus a tablespoon for rimming glasses
- splash sparkling water
- coarse salt or granulated sugar for garnish
- extra citrus or fruit slices for garnish
Instructions
- To a cocktail shaker add 2 ounces blanco tequila, 2.5 ounces of one type of fruit juice (see notes), 1 ounce lime juice, ½ ounce agave syrup, and a handful of ice cubes. Shake for 30-45 seconds until chilled.
- To garnish, dip the rim of the serving glass in agave syrup. Then, coat with coarse salt or granulated sugar. Add a few ice cubes to the glass, and strain margarita mix over ice. Top with a splash of sparkling water. Create cocktail pick garnish with extra fruit slices, and lay on top of the glass.
- Repeat with remaining two fruit juices, rinsing out the cocktail shaker in between each use. To serve, place all three margaritas on flight board and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutrition
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Rachel
I recently made these for a girl's night and everyone loved them! Such a fun idea and an easy way to switch up a normal margarita!
Jessica Mode
So glad you loved them!! 🙂
Jason
These were so easy to make and a great inspiration! Thanks!