Blood Orange Margarita

Difford’s Guide
Discerning Drinkers (172 ratings)

Serve in an Old-fashioned glass

Ingredients:
1 oz Patrón Silver blanco tequila
12 oz Cointreau triple sec liqueur
16 oz Strucchi Red Bitter (Campari-style liqueur)
12 oz Blood orange juice
12 oz Lime juice (freshly squeezed)
16 oz Monin Pure Cane Syrup (65.0°brix, equivalent to 2:1 rich syrup)
× 1 1 serving
Read about cocktail measures and measuring

How to make:

  1. Select and pre-chill an Old-fashioned glass.
  2. RIM glass with salt (moisten outside edge with lime or orange juice and dip into salt).
  3. Prepare garnish of blood orange slice wheel.
  4. SHAKE all ingredients with ice.
  5. STRAIN into ice-filled glass.
  6. Garnish with blood orange slice.

Strength & taste guide:

No alcohol
Medium
Boozy
Strength 7/10
Sweet
Medium
Dry/sour
Sweet to sour 8/10

Review:

Notes of tequila, orangey triple sec, bittersweet liqueur, blood orange and lime juice all sit in perfect kilter in this tasty riff on the classic Margarita.

View readers' comments

History:

Adapted from a recipe created in 2000 by Ben Davidson in Sydney, Australia.
Margarita cocktail history.

Nutrition:

One serving of Blood Orange Margarita contains 138 calories

Alcohol content:

  • 1 standard drinks
  • 16.66% alc./vol. (16.66° proof)
  • 14.2 grams of pure alcohol

Difford’s Guide remains free-to-use thanks to the support of the brands in green above. Values stated for alcohol and calorie content, and number of drinks an ingredient makes should be considered approximate.

Join the discussion

Showing 10 of 21 comments for Blood Orange Margarita.
See discussion in the Forum

Please log in to make a comment
8th June at 00:40
I’m not a big Campari fan so I subbed Nonnino Amaro and it was fantastic. I would guess the flavor profile changes a lot with the bitter Campari.
John Hinojos’ Avatar John Hinojos
6th May at 00:20
Love this. Wanted a dryer version, so we left out the cane syrup. Was perfect as an aperitivo.
Chris Brislawn’s Avatar Chris Brislawn
6th April at 02:28
Garnett and Grant are right; it was excellent with an added half-ounce of extra-smoky mezcal, especially after "taming" it by teaming the mezcal with anejo tequila and a little more deep-purple blood orange and lime juice. A more complex, more colorful variation on the margarita.
Joanne Waldie’s Avatar Joanne Waldie
24th March at 20:08
Unlike almost everyone else... I confess I was a bit underwhelmed. Felt a bit watered down to me... lacked complexity and kick compared to other Margaritas. I did sub Campari for strucci which may be the issue....
Egg McKenzie’s Avatar Egg McKenzie
5th March at 18:40
good.
Yossi Burg’s Avatar Yossi Burg
1st June 2024 at 09:22
Lime and blood orange together! An excellent Margarita riff - extremely fresh tasting with blanco tequila.
Calvin Grant’s Avatar Calvin Grant
16th March 2024 at 01:28
Even better with tequila/mezcal split!
Ian Fenton’s Avatar Ian Fenton
2nd December 2023 at 11:36
Skipped the salt rim and added some saline instead, and switched the sugar syrup for agave. Fantastic, if dangerously easy-drinking, on a hot summer night.

Same substitutions but also mezcal in for the tequila… even better.
Matthew  Kay ’s Avatar Matthew Kay
17th July 2023 at 08:21
Very nice even though I accidentally used a pink grapefruit instead of the orange think it enhanced the campari but it wasn't too bitter.
Miguel Perales’ Avatar Miguel Perales
4th April 2023 at 22:25
An amazingly good Margarita riff. Fantastic blood orange flavor throughout. Not bitter at all and the salt actually balances out this cocktail. Recommend this one.