Aperol Margarita

Laura Rege
Laura Rege
Laura Rege is a recipe developer and food stylist living the mid-coastal lifestyle between Dallas and Brooklyn. Formerly a senior member of the editorial teams at Food & Wine and Martha Stewart Living, Laura now creates and styles recipes for websites like ours and cooking…read more
published Jul 25, 2024
angled shot of two aperol margaritas in rocks glasses with a tajin rim, and a wedge of orange in each glass
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter

Aperol spritz meets classic margarita.

Serves2

Prep5 minutes

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angled shot of two aperol margaritas in rocks glasses with a tajin rim, and a wedge of orange in each glass
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter

I’ve finally found the drink of summer. Meet: The Aperol margarita. This eye-catching margarita merges the feel-good vibes of the Aperol spritz with the undeniably tasty classic margarita into one refreshing cocktail. Here, swapping out orange liqueur (or Cointreau) for Aperol in a margarita is a total game-changer. Plus, this cocktail is fairly effortless to make. Besides juicing limes, you just pour and shake and it’s ready to go! 

Why You’ll Love It

  • It’s pretty and refreshing. Aperol brings orange flavor, plus it lends herbal notes and a touch of bitterness to balance the margarita (orange liqueur, on the other hand, leans towards sweet). The complexity of Aperol rounds out this margarita and creates a more balanced drink. 
  • It can be made as a pitcher drink to serve a crowd. Just combine a big batch, unshaken, in a pitcher, cover, and refrigerate until well-chilled. When ready to serve, add ice to the pitcher. 
Credit: Photo: Alex Lepe; Food Styling: Rachel Perlmutter

Key Ingredients in an Aperol Margarita

  • Tequila: A staple in margaritas, use a quality blanco tequila for a smoother finish that complements the bitter notes in Aperol. 
  • Aperol: Its sweet, bitter, and herbal notes round out the drink’s flavor. There is no other orange aperitivo like it.
  • Lime juice: Freshly juiced limes are essential for the best taste.
  • Agave syrup: A touch of sweetness from agave balances the overall flavor.
  • Tajín seasoning: A Tajín and salt rim enhances the drink’s complexity, making each sip more irresistible. 

How to Make an Aperol Margarita

  1. Salt your glasses. Prep your margarita or rocks glasses by rimming them with orange and dipping in salt. Fill the glasses with ice and set aside.
  2. Shake the ingredients. In a cocktail shaker, combine Aperol, tequila, lime juice, and ice. Shake well until the drink is chilled; you’ll know it’s ready when the outside of the shaker is icy.
  3. Enjoy your cocktails. Strain the drink into the prepared glasses and garnish as desired. Sip and savor the perfect blend of sweet, sour, and bitter.

Helpful Swaps

Even a cocktail with just a few ingredients can be personalized to everyone’s tastes. Put your spin on the Aperol Margarita with these fun swaps. 

  • For a smoky flavor: If you’re the type of person who orders a mezcal margarita, then do the same here! Swap the tequila for a high-quality mezcal in equal parts.
  • For a spicy twist: For a spicy kick, don’t just rim the glass with Tajín; instead add a few slices of jalapeño to the cocktail shaker and shake it with the drink to make it a spicy Aperol margarita.
  • Make it a spritz: For a slower-sipping cocktail, finish off each glass with a few splashes of seltzer. It lends an effervescent touch and extends the enjoyment without raising the alcohol content. 

Aperol Margarita Recipe

Aperol spritz meets classic margarita.

Prep time 5 minutes

Serves 2

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 1 teaspoon

    Diamond Crystal kosher salt

  • 1 teaspoon

    Tajín seasoning

  • 1

    small navel orange, mandarin, or clementine

  • Ice, preferably small cubes or crushed

  • 2

    medium limes

  • 4 ounces

    blanco tequila

  • 2 ounces

    Aperol

  • 1 ounce

    agave syrup

Instructions

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  1. Place 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt and 1 teaspoon Tajín seasoning on a small flat plate and stir to combine. Spread into an even layer. Cut 3 half-moon slices from 1 small orange and reserve for garnish (save the remaining orange for another use). Run 1 orange slice over the rim of 2 old-fashioned or margarita glasses to moisten. Invert each glass into the Tajín mixture, turning it as needed, to coat the rim. Fill the glasses with ice.

  2. Juice 2 medium limes until you have 2 ounces and place in a cocktail shaker. Add 4 ounces blanco tequila, 2 ounces Aperol, and 1 ounce agave syrup. Fill the shaker halfway with ice, seal, and shake until the outside of the shaker is very frosty, about 20 seconds. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into the glasses. Garnish each glass with an orange slice.

Recipe Notes

Substitutions:

  • The tequila can be substituted with mezcal to make smoky mezcal Aperol margaritas.
  • Add 3 thin slices of jalapeño to the shaker and shake well for spicy Aperol margaritas.