Orange-Centric Golden Margarita Recipe

Creating a balanced drink is formulaic, and often, the best ones are made by riffing off of the classics. This isn't a bad thing; classic cocktails are simple and meant to be built upon and reimagined. Great riffs can be wildly different than their inspiration, like the Paper Plane is to the Last Word. They can also be as simple as an ingredient change, like a martini to a dirty martini, or a Kir to a Kir Royale.

The margarita is a classic sour that is constantly riffed into new flavors. Thanks to its simple recipe that allows for punchy, tropical flavors and a variety of salty rims, the tequila-and-triple sec drink can be reimagined one hundred different ways. One such way is to change the base spirit, tequila blanco. Change it from tequila and it's no longer a margarita, but swap it for another kind of tequila and you have a whole new flavor profile in the same drink. In this recipe, developer Michelle McGlinn walks through how to mix up a golden margarita with an extra touch of orange flavor by using tequila reposado and a splash of orange juice. It's citrusy, but with a richer flavor than the lime and tequila blanco version. It's a simple swap and an easy riff, but a perfect way to have a whole new margarita.

Like a regular margarita, you'll need lime juice, agave, and Cointreau or triple sec. Unlike a regular margarita that calls for tequila blanco, you'll instead need tequila reposado. You can't substitute here — the cocktail is meant to be made with aged tequila, and you wouldn't want to shake an añejo (though you can, in a pinch). Finally, you'll need freshly squeezed orange juice and an orange slice (dehydrated, if possible) to garnish.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.

Add the tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, orange juice, and agave to the shaker.

Shake until frothy, about 20 seconds.

Strain over ice into a rocks glass.

Garnish and serve.

Though it's likely one of the more common liquors to keep in a liquor cabinet, by now you know that a golden margarita simply can't be made with tequila blanco. Tequila blanco, or silver tequila, is bottled soon or immediately after distillation, producing a clear, agave-forward liquid. It's the sharp but bright flavor you know from margaritas and palomas — or as a shot with salt and lime. Tequila that is aged takes on a very different flavor, and depending on the length of aging, takes on a deep caramel flavor that can be used for sipping — no salt or lime required.

For this cocktail, you'll want to source tequila reposado. Añejo is similar in color and flavor, but is aged longer and takes on a deeper, woodier flavor almost like that of bourbon whisky. Because of this, avoid añejo, which should be used in stirred drinks that allow the flavor to come forward. Instead, seek out reposado, and find one that says "100% agave" on the bottle, which indicates that the tequila is made only with agave and isn't loaded with sugars and additives. Our choice, Olmeca Altos, is a bright-flavored, affordable option. Other great reposados include Espolon, Milagro, and Siete Leguas.

Because this margarita takes on a drier, more oaky flavor, you may want to garnish with dried fruit instead of a regular orange slice. This requires some planning ahead, but if you make a batch of dried orange slices, you can store them to use later, too. Our recommendation — grab a couple of different citruses and spend a day drying them all out, then store them for later use in all of your favorite cocktails.

To dehydrate using an oven, set your oven temperature to 250 F. Slice the oranges to about ⅛-inch thickness — thicker than a mandoline slice, but thinner than an average knife slice. Pat them completely dry, then arrange them on a parchment-lined sheet tray. Put the sheet tray in the oven and bake, flipping every hour, for up to 5 hours or until completely dried out. The oranges should not brown, and if they start to turn brown, turn the heat down further. To make the oranges in the air fryer, set the air fryer between 150 and 250 F and air fry for 90 minutes, flipping every 30. The oranges should be completely dry, with no shine or moisture left.