Prickly Pear Margarita – A Beautiful Mess

The Prickly Pear Margarita is a magical hot pink margarita. This cocktail is made with tequila, orange liqueur, prickly pear syrup and lime juice. This colorful spin on the classic margarita substitutes prickly pear syrup for agave nectar, giving it a bright pink color. This variation is sometimes known as a Barbie Margarita.

More tequila cocktails: Strawberry Margarita, Paloma, Tequila Sunrise, Ranch Water, Mexican Mule, Mexican Candy Shot.

Ingredients in a Prickly Pear Margarita recipe

• Blanco Tequila – Choose your favorite silver tequila.
• Orange Liqueur – Such as Cointreau, Grand Marnier or Triple Sec.
• Prickly Pear Syrup – Bright pink cactus fruit syrup adds sweetness.
  (Note: This is a replacement for agave syrup in a classic margarita.)
• Lime Juice – Freshly squeezed is a must.
• Margarita Salt – For the rim. I use this margarita salt.

The best glassware choice for a rocks margarita is a double old fashioned glass.

What is prickly pear?

Prickly pear (also known as cactus pear) is a cactus fruit from the Nopal cactus, or Opuntia. The bright pink fruit is edible after removing the skin. The fruit of prickly pear is known as tunas. They have a juicy bright pink interior with a mild flavor that’s a cross between watermelon, raspberry and bubble gum. These fruited cactus can be found in the southwest from Texas through southern California and into central Mexico. They are ripe from late summer to early winter (September to December is their peak season). You can often find prickly pear fruit in the grocery store, and when you can’t there are syrups made from it that are easily found.

How To Make Prickly Pear Margaritas

Begin by prepping the rim of a margarita glass using course salt. You can use water or agave to secure the salt (I prefer to use honey for a nice solid rim).

Next, pour tequila, prickly pear syrup, orange liqueur and lime juice into a cocktail shaker half filled with ice. Shake for 10-15 seconds until well chilled. 

Next, pour the mixture into your prepped margarita glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with a lime wedge or a slice of lime.

What is the best tequila for a margarita?

We recommend using silver (or blanco) tequila for margaritas. Silver tequila is the most neutral tasting. Some may prefer Reposado tequila, which is more oaky and smokey. Mezcal fans may also choose mezcal instead of silver tequila for this recipe. Overall, we recommend a mid-priced tequila for margaritas such as 1800 Blanco Tequila, Casamigos Tequila or Patron Silver Tequila. For this recipe, we used Olmeca Altos.

Tips for Making

• Pitcher Recipe – To make a pitcher sized batch, multiply this recipe by eight for a pitcher of prickly pear margaritas. That will make around eight cocktails (depending on your glasses and how much ice you use). Be sure to garnish with lime slices.
• Garnish Ideas – Fresh limes (such as a lime slice), prickly pear fruit or an orange slice.
• Prickly Pear Syrup Recipe – If you prefer to make homemade prickly pear syrup, get some prickly pear powder and add it to our simple syrup recipe. You can do the same thing with fresh nopal fruit, just strain out the pulp and fruit before using the syrup.
• Secret Ingredient – Fresh lime juice is a must for homemade margaritas. The biggest difference between a syrupy margarita found at many restaurants and an excellent homemade cocktail is the use of fresh ingredients—especially lime juice.

More Margarita Recipes

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