This bold and refreshing Pickle Margarita is a delicious and tangy twist on a classic cocktail. It’s the perfect drink to sip all summer long – you will never make margaritas the same again!
If there’s a pickle trend on social media, we’re trying it! The Pickle Margarita has gone viral for good reason — this exciting drink is a bold, fun twist on the classic margarita. Packed with tangy, salty, and refreshing flavors that work surprisingly perfect together, this cocktail is sure to be your drink of choice this summer. Shake them up for weekday sipping, or weekend entertaining — either way, they’re easy, breezy, and absolutely dill-icious.
Not your average drink of choice, this Pickle Margarita is a little savory, a little sweet, and a lot of fun all packed into one ice cold glass. It’s perfectly unique in the best way possible and all we’ve got to say is, don’t knock it ’til you try it.
If you’re a pickle lover like we are, try some of these other bold recipes. This Tangy Pickle Lemonade is sweet, salty and refreshing, and this Pickle Cheese Sauce goes perfectly with almost anything.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Unique Sweet and Salty Flavor: This fun spin on the traditional cocktail is the perfect balance of savory, sweet, and tangy flavors.
- Perfect for Pickle Lovers: Packed with dill, zesty, briny, bold flavor, this margarita is the drink for pickle fans out there.
- Quick & Easy: Super simple with just a few ingredients, this is easy to make and serve in minutes.
- Customizable Spice Level: Make these drinks as spicy or mild as you like — this recipe is easy to customize and change based on your preferences.
Ingredients
- Pickle Juice: The star ingredient here, we like dill for the most robust, classic pickle flavor.
- Sparkling water or Tequila: Bubbly, sparkly seltzer is great for a mocktail, and goes with tequila for that signature margarita spirit.
- Lime Juice: Tangy and bright, use freshly squeezed.
- Jalapeño Slices: For fresh heat and spicy flavor. Use as much or as little as you’d like.
- Simple Syrup: Sweetness to balance all the flavors.
- Tajin: For flavoring and a touch of color for the rim.
- Sliced Dill or Baby Pickles: The perfect pickle garnish.
How To Make a Pickle Margarita
1. To a cocktail shaker, add pickle juice, sparkling water or tequila, lime juice, jalapeño slices (if using) and simple syrup. Shake vigorously for 20 seconds.
2. Run a wedge of lime around the glass, then dip in Tajin seasoning or salt.
3. Pour the mixture from the shaker into a cocktail glass or margarita glass over ice cubes. Garnish with pickles.
Expert Tips
- Use High-Quality Tequila: Choose good quality liquor for the best flavor, it’s worth it.
- Adjust Pickle Juice: Use as much or as little as you’d like, based on taste preference.
- Chill Glass: A cold class for a cold drink is extra refreshing.
- Use Spicy Pickle Juice: For an extra kick and spice.
- Add Sweetness: Simple syrup or a touch of sweetness helps to balance the flavors.
Variations
- Make it Spicy: Mix up a spicy pickle margarita with fresh jalapeño slices.
- Serve it Frozen: Make a blended, frozen drink with ice.
- Lighten It Up: Make a “skinny version” with no added sweetener.
- Use Mezcal: Swap out the tequila and use your favorite mezcal for a smoky, deep flavor.
Storage
Prep the components for this drink in advance: squeeze and juice the limes and make the simple syrup ahead of time. You can even slice the jalapeños, is using. Store each component separately in airtight containers in the fridge until you’re ready to use.
You can easily scale the ingredients for this drink if you’d like to make a big batch. But we suggest shaking a drink or two to order at a time for the best flavor and temperature, so they aren’t diluted and stay ice cold.
FAQs
Yes! The briny, bold, savory flavor of dill pickle juice compliments the tangy, bright lime and sweetness from orange liqueur or simple syrup. It’s got a similar flavor profile to a dirty martini.
Dill pickles are the only way to go. Using sweet, like bread and butter, would give the drink and entirely different flavor.
Yes — skip the tequila and swap in sparkling water.
This drink has savory notes and undertones but isn’t overly salty, since it’s balanced by the simple syrup and lime juice.
You can easily scale the ingredients to prep a larger batch — juice the limes, make the simple syrup, and measure out the ingredients, but we suggest shaking 1-2 drinks at a time to order, so nothing is diluted and the drinks stay ice cold.
More Easy Drink Recipes
Pickle Margarita
Ingredients
Method
- To a cocktail shaker, pickle juice, sparkling water or tequila, lime juice, jalapeno slices (if using) and simple syrup. Shake vigorously for 20 seconds.
- Run a wedge of lime around the glass, then dip in Tajin seasoning or salt.
- Pour the mixture from the shaker into a cocktail glass or margarita glass over ice cubes. Garnish with pickles.
Notes
- Prep drink components in advance: squeeze and juice the limes and make the simple syrup ahead of time. Slice the jalapeños, is using. Store each component separately in airtight containers in the fridge until ready to use.
- Easily scale the ingredients for this drink if you’d like to make a big batch. We suggest shaking a drink or two to order at a time for the best flavor and temperature, so they aren’t diluted and stay ice cold.