Fresh Cherry Margaritas

Take advantage of cherry season & enjoy a Cherry Margarita or two! Fresh cherries turn your ordinary cocktail into something extra special for summer!

More booze! More summer cocktails!

Even more reasons to sit by the pool!

Which isn’t something I do a lot of, since I’m definitely a distant cousin of Casper. But drinks like these cherry margaritas make me want to sit back, soak up the sun, and think about stuff.

Cherry season is far too short, in my opinion.

Those little ruby beauties are one of my favorite fruits! I’ve tried using them in everything from fruit salads to cupcakes to pies to decadent dessert grilled cheese. I’ve even used their juice in cold treats like these tart mojito cherry popsicles. Nothing beats them for me!

So of course, working them in to a cocktail was the next step.

What’s in fresh cherry margaritas?

Margaritas are a simple combination of three to five ingredients:

• Fresh cherries – I mean…it’s in the name!
• Tequila – blanco yields the best flavor for mixed drinks. Save the aged reposado and añejo for shots.
• Lime juice – always, always freshly squeezed! Don’t try to substitute in pre-squeezed juice, and please skip the margarita mix! Fresh is always SO much better!
• Sweetener – either simple syrup or agave nectar work well in any margarita. Opt for agave if you want to cut back on the calories!
• Cherry liqueur – ultimately, this is up to your tastes, but a little splash of liqueur adds a nice citrusy sweetness to the final product. You can also use raspberry liqueur – aka creme de cassis – for a little flavor twist.
• Rimming salt – coarse salt, kosher salt, sea salt… any of them work! You can also use a bit of granulated sugar for a little bit of a sweeter sip.

How to make cherry margaritas

1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle fresh cherries, sugar, and lime juice to mostly a pulp.
2. Add tequila, liqueur, and 1/4 cup ice. Shake vigorously for 45-60 seconds.
3. Strain into 2 ice-filled glasses rimmed with salt, adding some of the muddled cherries to the glass as well.
4. Garnish with a fresh cherry or two and a slice of lime.

To make a pitcher (8-10 servings):

1. Add cherries and sugar to a food processor and pulse a few times, just to break down the fruit a bit. Transfer the mixture to a 2-quart pitcher.
2. Pour in the tequila, lime juice, and liqueur. Stir well, taste and adjust sweetness as desired, then refrigerate the pitcher until ready to serve.
3. When ready to serve, rim the glasses with salt (if desired) and fill each with ice.
4. Pour the desired amount of margarita into the prepared glasses. Garnish with fresh cherries and a lime wheel and serve.

Cherry season over? Give this Cranberry Gin Cocktail a go next!

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