The Best Grapefruit Margarita | Ambitious Kitchen

We made it to Friday, so I think we deserve a fresh, delicious, beautiful cocktail to close out the week. Don’t you think? Over the past year or so Rebecca and I have had so much fun testing out new cocktail recipes and my favorites, by far, are margaritas.

So, say hello to this love, easy grapefruit margarita recipe made with just 5 simple ingredients. We’re skipping the grapefruit juice concentrate and using freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (so good this time of year), then we’re topping our glasses with a tajín rim and dried grapefruit slices because you know we’re fancy like that.

In case you missed it, we share an easy tutorial for making dried citrus here.

I hope you LOVE this wonderful grapefruit margarita. Call up your friends and have a lovely weekend!

Everything you’ll need to make the best grapefruit margarita

You’ll often find ingredients like orange liqueur, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier in a classic margarita recipe to give it a boozy, citrus flavor, but this beautiful grapefruit margarita is made with just 5 simple ingredients for a fun, refreshing cocktail everyone will love! Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

Tequila: I prefer to use silver tequila, or tequila blanco, in my margarita recipes.
Simple syrup: we’re sweetening this margarita with a little simple syrup, but agave nectar should also work. See below to learn how to make it yourself!
Triple Sec: you can either add Triple Sec or a little more simple syrup for sweetness.
Fresh juices: we’re squeezing in fresh lime juice and, of course, fresh grapefruit juice for a delicious, fruity taste. No pink grapefruit juice concentrate necessary.
To serve: these are optional, but I love adding tajín to the rime and garnishing each glass with dehydrated grapefruit slices or a fresh grapefruit wedge!

How to make homemade simple syrup

A quick shortcut for simple syrup: shake equal parts granulated sugar and water (2 tablespoons each would be enough for 2 grapefruit margaritas) in a small jar for 1-2 minutes until the sugar dissolves. If you’re swapping the Triple Sec for more simple syrup, double the granulated sugar and water.

Jazz up your grapefruit margarita

If you love bubbly drinks, this easy grapefruit margarita is also delicious with a little club soda poured in!

Our favorite ways to garnish

You can use sea salt, but I really love adding tajín to the rim of the glasses when I make margaritas. Tajín is a Mexican spice blend that typically consists of dried, ground chilies, sea salt and dehydrated lime juice. It’s tangy, a little spicy, and the flavor is SO delicious paired with this fresh grapefruit margarita.

To rim your glass you’ll cut a wedge from a lime and rub the cut side of the lime along the rim of the glass. Pour tajín (or sea salt) onto a small plate and dip the wet glass rim into the tajín to coat it. Then make your cocktail and pour it right in! Don’t forget to top your drink with a dried grapefruit slice. Learn exactly how to make dried citrus here!

Delicious grapefruit margaritas in 3 steps

Salt the rim. Before making the cocktail, add salt or tajín to the rim using the instructions above.
Shake it up. Add all of the ingredients (besides garnishes) to a cocktail shaker or mason jar with 1/2 cup ice cubes. Shake it all up.
Serve & enjoy! Add some ice to your glasses, then pour the margarita mixture, top with dried grapefruit rounds, and enjoy!

Can I make a bigger batch?

Absolutely! This recipe makes 2 margaritas as-is, so feel free to triple or quadruple this recipe to serve more guests.

Our favorite cocktail-making tools

Shake it up with a cocktail shaker
A simple strainer in case your shaker doesn’t have one
I love using this hand juicer for all things juicing
Cute margarita glasses like these or these
A pitcher for serving a party

Get all of our go-to kitchen essentials here!

More amazing cocktail recipes

Get all of our cocktail recipes here!

I hope you love this grapefruit margarita recipe! If you make it be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Enjoy, xo!

The best grapefruit margarita recipe made with 5 simple ingredients and beautiful garnishes. Serve your margaritas with a tajín rim and dried citrus for an easy, picture-worthy cocktail! Triple to serve a crowd or enjoy these grapefruit margaritas as-is for date night or girls’ night.

Ingredients

For the margarita:
4
ounces
silver tequila
1
ounce
simple syrup* (2 tablespoons)
1
ounce
Triple Sec (or replace with more simple syrup)
2
ounces
freshly squeezed lime juice (1/4 cup fresh lime juice)
2
ounces
freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1
cup
ice
For serving:
Tajín (or sea salt) and a lime wedge for rimming the glass, if desired
Fresh or dehydrated grapefruit slices

Instructions

If you’d like to rim your glass, do this first. Cut a wedge from a lime and rub the cut side of the lime along the rim of your favorite glass. Pour tajín (or sea salt) onto a plate and dip the wet glass rim into the tajín to coat it.
Add tequila, simple syrup, Triple Sec, fresh lime juice, fresh grapefruit juice and ice to a cocktail shaker. Cover tightly, and shake vigorously for about 15 seconds.
Pour the margarita into your rimmed glasses and garnish with fresh or dehydrated grapefruit slices. Cheers!

Recipe Notes

*A quick shortcut for simple syrup: shake equal parts granulated sugar + water (2 tbsp. each would be enough for 2 drinks) in a small jar for 1-2 minutes until the sugar dissolves.

Learn how to make dried citrus here! It’s great for garnishing cocktails, desserts, and more.