Sparkling Blood Orange Margarita

Some freshly squeezed OJ and a hearty splash of sparkling wine take a classic tequila drink to new heights in this Blood Orange Margarita! This gorgeous citrus is only available in the winter, so enjoy these cocktails while you can!

Let me start by saying that I honestly can’t remember the last time I had a margarita.

No, no – I don’t mean the last time I had a good one. I just can’t think of the last one I drank, period.

I’ve become such a bourbon worshiper that my affinity for the lighter liquors has waned considerably.

But there is something about winter and citrus season that leads me to buy alllllll the oranges, and they make for a pretty damn perfect margarita.

When I first published this recipe back in 2015, I was a budding wine aficionado.

In that I only drank Rieslings and Moscato. The sweeter, the better.

Because of that, this cocktail was originally a Moscato Margarita.

Sweet white wine. Sweet blood orange juice (which serves an amaretto sour just as well as a margarita, by the way).

So, so sweet.

It makes me cringe just thinking about it.

I’d like to thank my ever-evolving taste buds for showing me the light. I swapped the Moscato for a dry sparkling Rosé here, and I’ll never look back.

Feel free to flavor yours with whatever bubbles tickle your fancy, though. Roscato would be delightful, and champagne is also an option for those of you who hate sweet drinks even more than I do.

What is a margarita?

Margaritas are the most popular and common tequila-based cocktail served in the United States. Reportedly invented in the 1930’s (and popularized in the ’70s by Jimmy Buffett), the margarita is traditionally made up of of tequila, triple sec and lime juice.

Margaritas can be served on the rocks (shaken with ice), straight up (without ice), or frozen (blended with ice).

Fun fact – in Mexico (and everywhere else, I guess), tequila shots are commonly followed by a suckle of lime and a lick of salt to help cut the strong taste of the liquor.

In a way, a margarita is essentially a pedestrian tequila shot – but one that you can sip.

When is National Margarita Day?

National Margarita Day is celebrated annually on February 22nd in the United States.

Of course…you can drink margaritas on the other 364 days of the year, too.

What’s in a blood orange margarita?

This Sparkling Blood Orange Margarita has only 5 ingredients! In addition to tequila and lime juice, it also contains:

• Freshly squeezed blood orange juice
• A dash or two of orange bitters
• Sparkling wine (namely rosé), because margarita spritzers are fabulous

You’ll notice an important exclusion – sugar! There is no added sugar, agave, or simple syrup in these margs, and no bottled mixes either. 100% pure natural boozy yumminess.

I also muddled some blood orange zest into my pink Himalayan salt rim, if you’re into that.

How to make a blood orange margarita

1. First, rub the edge of a wine or rocks glass with a wedge of lime or blood orange.
2. Dip the wet edge in a bowl of kosher or margarita salt. Fill the glass with 2/3 cup of crushed ice and set it aside.
3. Next, in a cocktail shaker filled with 1 cup of ice, add tequila, lime juice, blood orange juice, and orange bitters.
4. Then seal and shake for 30 seconds to chill the liquids.
5. Pour the margarita through a strainer into the ice-filled glass.
6. Top off the drink with some sparkling wine – Moscato di Asti or Sparkling Rosé are both perfect.
7. Finally, garnish the drink with wheels of lime and blood orange.

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Sparkling Blood Orange Margarita

Some freshly squeezed OJ and a hearty splash of sparkling wine take a classic tequila drink to new heights in this Blood Orange Margarita! This gorgeous citrus is only available in the winter, so enjoy these cocktails while you can!

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Course: Cocktail

Cuisine: American

Keyword: blood orange margarita

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 1

Calories: 223kcal

Author: Erica

Ingredients

• ▢ 3 ounces blood orange juice fresh-squeezed; about 2 oranges
• ▢ 2 ounces silver tequila
• ▢ 2 tablespoons lime juice fresh-squeezed; about 1 lime
• ▢ 1 dash orange bitters
• ▢ 1 ⅔ cup ice divided; cubed or crushed
• ▢ 3 ounces sparkling wine Moscato di Asti or sparkling Rosé work well
• ▢ Kosher salt for garnish
• ▢ Blood orange slices for garnish
• ▢ Lime slices for garnish

Instructions

• Rub the edge of a wine or whiskey glass with a lime wedge, then dip in salt.
• Combine tequila, blood orange and lime juice, bitters, and 1 cup ice into a cocktail shaker. Shake for 30 seconds until chilled.
• Fill glass with remaining ice, then strain margarita into the glass. Top off with sparkling wine of your choice.
• Garnish with blood orange and lime slices.

Notes

If blood oranges are hard to find, or out of season, Navel oranges will make a suitable substitute.

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 244mg | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 170IU | Vitamin C: 51.6mg | Iron: 0.3mg

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