Italian Margarita with Armaretto

If you know me, you know I love a good tequila recipe. If you haven't added amaretto to a margarita, it's delicious. It makes for such a refreshing cocktail, and it's so easy to make! Plus, there are so many fun variations you could try. Here's how to make an Italian margarita with amaretto.

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If you’ve never had an Italian margarita, you will love it.

It’s easy to make. A few simple ingredients and amaretto is all you need to make this fun twist on a standard margarita cocktail. 

It’s so refreshing. I must prefer the sweetness that amaretto adds to this Italian margarita recipe rather than triple sec to a traditional margarita recipe. Its a delicious cocktail that's perfect for your next happy hour or summer evenings. 

What is Amaretto?

Amaretto is a sweet Italian Liquer. It has a sweet yet slightly bitter almond taste. It gives your drink the perfect amount of sweetness with a bite. I love it! You will absolutely want to keep a bottle of Amaretto on your home bar to level up your at-home cocktail game. 

What is an Italian margarita?

An Italian margarita is a traditional margarita with amaretto instead of triple sec! You also don't need a sweetener like simple syrup, agave syrup, or honey, the amaretto liqueur has a sweet enough flavor. Plus, the addition of Amaretto is the perfect Italian twist on this classic cocktail. 

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make this amaretto cocktail!

Fresh Lime Juice. Like any margarita recipe, you need fresh lime to add a bit of sour yet zesty flavor to cut the sweetness of the orange juice and amaretto.

Fresh Orange Juice. The amaretto and orange juice pair so well together. However the nutty amaretto pairs so well with so many fresh citrus juices, that you could have some fun with your favorite citrus and still make a good margarita. I've included some options for you below to create your very own perfect cocktail. 

Amaretto. This wouldn't be an Italian margarita without amaretto! You can find this at any liquor store. It will be in the liquor section, where you will find triple sec or blue curacao. This takes the place of orange liqueur, or Grand Marnier, what you would find in a typical margarita. 

Tequila. I mean, this one is obvious! I always prefer to make margaritas with Blanco tequila, otherwise known as silver tequila. You can also use reposado tequila or anejo tequila, which are aged tequilas, for this Italian margarita recipe, too. 

How to make an Italian margarita with Amaretto

Here's how to make this amaretto cocktail!

1. In a cocktail shaker, add in 2 oz tequila, 1 oz amaretto, 2 oz orange juice, and ½ oz lime juice.
2. Add ice, and shake.
3. Strain into a margarita glass, garnish, and enjoy!

Substitutions and variations

Fresh Juices.​ You could always sub out the fresh orange juice for cara cara oranges, blood oranges, mandarine oranges, or tangerines.

Lime Juice. If you don't have limes, you can always use lemon juice or sour mix.

Best tequila for margaritas?

I always recommend using Blanco for margarita recipes, especially spicy margaritas. Blanco is not an aged tequila, like Reposado or Añejo, so it allows the flavors of your margarita to be the stars of the show.

You can absolutely use Reposado for margaritas, but you'll get that richer, aged taste. You'll notice that in these photos I used Reposado tequila, and it is delicious! Reposado tequila is aged for anywhere from two months to a year in barrels prior to being bottled. That's where the golden hue and the richer flavor come from.

Añejo is tequila that is aged for anywhere from one to three years and is truly made to be sipped on. So, I would recommend not making a margarita with Añejo tequila, and rather pour it over ice and enjoy it straight.

Garnish ideas

• Lime Wedge
• Maraschino Cherries
• Orange Wheel
• Dried Citrus Slice

FAQs

What is Amaretto?

Amaretto is an Italian Liquer. It has a sweet yet slightly bitter almond taste. It gives your drink the perfect amount of sweetness with a bite. I love it!

Where to find amaretto in a grocery store?

You can find amaretto in the liqueur section of the alcohol section. It will be near other liqueurs like triple sec or blue curacao.

Italian margarita vs. regular margarita

The difference between an Italian margarita vs. a regular margarita is amaretto vs. triple sec! Instead of using triple sec and a sweetner like agave nectar, you use amaretto.

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