7 Twists On The Margarita

Everyone loves margaritas, and good ones at that — not those messes of sour mix and watered down tequila that we've been served too many times. And the standard margarita, made with only tequila, agave nectar, and lime, can get a bit dull once you've mastered the art of margs. So instead, we give you 7 updated recipes that will give your magarita the shake-up it needs. 

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What's in the original margarita? Well, that depends on your liquored-up version of who actually made the drink to begin with. As CBS, the Smithsonian, and Esquire point out, the inventors' names may have very well gotten drowned in a pool of tequila and Triple Sec, but there are a few names that pop up over and over. Some say that the margarita was named after Margarita Sames, a socialite who first mixed one up at a party in Acapulco, Mexico. Later, one of her party guests, Tommy Hilton, added it to the bar's menu at his hotel chain, says the Smithsonian — ensuring that no one would ever go without a salt-lickin' good margarita in his lifetime. That margarita is as traditional as it gets, which is why most bars and restaurants these days feel the need to update it.

What do you need to give your margarita a much-needed revamp? Well, it's all about the ingredients you use: we like a bit of kick to our tequila, which is why plenty of the cocktails involve chipotle, jalapeños, or habaneros. And we definitely will use the hottest ingredients to sweeten up our margs, too —  blood oranges, coconut, mango, passion fruit, and prickly pear all top our list. You can't go wrong with these reinvented margaritas — trust us. Click ahead to see the recipes.