How to Make Easy Strawberry Margaritas on the Rocks
Wondering how to make a simple strawberry margarita at home? This summer cocktail is a necessity for the hot months ahead. My easy margarita recipe made with strawberry simple syrup is the best margarita recipe around. Stop by the lake and learn how to make easy strawberry margaritas on the rocks for the perfect lake day experience.
Last week, I ventured out to Chili’s with two of my dearest friends, Kristen and Melanie, to celebrate my birthday. With life being so chaotic for everyone these days, our get-together ended up being almost a month past my birthday. Oh, how I’m sure you’ve been there before.
I’m just proud we made it happen. That in itself is an accomplishment if you know what I mean!
9 times out of 10, if the 3 of us are getting together, we’re meeting up at Chili’s. It’s in a convenient location for all three of us, has an abundance of chips and salsa, and an extremely large cocktail menu. Really, what more could us ladies ask for?!
Two seconds after sitting down at the restaurant, the girls and I perused the cocktail menu. My go-to cocktail at Chili’s is always the frozen mango margarita. I was just about to order it when the waitress told us about the $5 margarita of the month…
Wait, what?! Tell me more.
With three different tequilas and three different fruit flavors to choose from, I was pretty much sold! Lucky for me they had a mango version for me to order. Kristen went for the blackberry option.
The first sip of my mango margarita on the rocks was awesome! On the other hand, my first sip of Kristen’s blackberry margarita was MIND BLOWING! It was so good in fact, that I finished up my mango margarita extra quick and ordered a second drink in the blackberry flavor all for my very own.
And here comes the embarrassing part. I was so impressed with the margaritas I had at Chili’s that I asked Patrick to take me back the next day so I could have them again.
Yes, I swear that’s a true story. No, I’m not an alcoholic. The margaritas are just that good, I promise!
Thus far, I had only tried the mango and blackberry $5 margaritas the day prior on my visit to Chili’s. If you remember, I mentioned there were three fruit flavors to choose from. The last option I hadn’t tried yet was the strawberry version so I painfully agreed to give it a whirl 😉
Can I just say that there are no words to describe how fabulous this margarita on the rocks was?! The strawberry margarita was out of this world. It was perfectly sweet with just the right amount of kick from the tequilas.
And just like that, the strawberry version quickly became my new favorite.
In case you were wondering, I absolutely ordered a second one…
After day two of Chili’s $5 margaritas, I knew I had to figure out a way to recreate this concoction at home. I spent endless hours on Google and Pinterest researching different flavor combinations to help me figure out the perfect margarita recipe to call my own.
For my margarita recipe, I decided to make homemade berry flavored simple syrups to add that perfect fruity taste to the cocktail. I made three different flavored simple syrups: strawberry, blackberry, and blueberry.
Making a simple syrup is beyond, well, simple! A plain simple syrup is just 1 cup each of water and sugar brought to a boil until the sugar dissolves. You let the mixture cool and the water takes on the taste and consistency similar to syrup.
For the berry flavored simple syrups, I started with the plain base of water and sugar but then added in 1 cup of berries.
- For the strawberry version, I did one cup each of water, sugar, and strawberries.
- For the blackberry version, I did one cup each of water, sugar, and blackberries.
- For the blueberry version, I did one cup each of water, sugar, and blueberries.
Make sense?
I added all three ingredients into a saucepan and let it cook down for about 5 minutes. You’re looking for the sugar to dissolve and the berries to break down as well.
After the simple syrup cooks, pour the mixture through a strainer pushing lightly to get only the juice from the berries.
You can throw out the extra berries that didn’t break down.
You’ll be left with a gorgeous strawberry simple syrup.
I poured the simple syrups into mason jars, put a label on them, and placed them in the fridge to cool completely. They’ll last up to two weeks in the refrigerator.
With the fruit simple syrups ready to go, it was time to make the margaritas on the rocks!
I’m showcasing the strawberry margarita on the blog today because it’s my favorite but we did make one using each of the different berry flavors and they were all FABULOUS!
How to Make Easy Strawberry Margaritas on the Rocks
What you need to make my easy strawberry margarita summer cocktail
1 oz. (2 tbsp) Silver Tequila (I used Patron Silver), 1 oz. (2 tbsp) Triple Sec (or any other orange liqueur), 1/3 cup Strawberry Simple Syrup, 1 oz. (2 tbsp) Lime Juice, Salt or Sugar (for the rim), Limes or any other fruits you desire (for garnish)
Rub the rim of your glass with fruit (lime, strawberry, orange, etc.) and dip your glass in either sugar or salt. *I personally prefer sugar but you do whatever makes you happy!
Add ice to the glass and put it aside.
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and place the tequila, triple sec, strawberry simple syrup, and lime juice inside the shaker.
Give it all a good shake, shake, shake!
Pour the strawberry margarita inside your glass making sure to strain the ice from your shaker.
Add a garnish to the rim of your glass if you so choose and say cheers.
All I can say is my thorough research paid off. I’m so excited I was able to recreate this Chili’s strawberry margarita recipe at home. I may be partial, but I think my version might be just the tiniest bit better! I can envision myself drinking this on the pontoon every weekend this summer.
I hope you enjoyed learning how to make easy strawberry margaritas on the rocks. Make sure to comment below or tag me on Instagram with #lakelifestateofmind when you make this summer cocktail for yourself. And if margaritas aren’t your thing, feel free to try on my Pineapple Paradise Mimosas for size!
- 1 oz. (2 tbsp) Silver Tequila (I used Patron Silver)
- 1 oz. (2 tbsp) Triple Sec (or any other orange liqueur)
- ⅓ cup Strawberry Simple Syrup
- 1 oz. (2 tbsp) Lime Juice
- Salt or Sugar (for the rim)
- Limes or any other fruits you desire (for garnish)
- For the simple syrup:
- 1 cup of water
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 cup of strawberries (or any other berries you choose)
- Rub the rim of your glass with fruit (lime, strawberry, orange, etc.) and dip your glass in either sugar or salt.
- Add ice to the glass and put it aside.
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice.
- Place the tequila, triple sec, strawberry simple syrup, and lime juice inside the shaker and give it all a good shake, shake, shake!
- Pour the strawberry margarita inside your glass making sure to strain the ice from your shaker.
- Add a garnish to the rim of your glass if you so choose and say cheers!
- For the simple syrup:
- Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and heat over medium heat until the sugar dissolves, about 5 minutes.
- Strain the simple syrup mixture through a strainer and throw out the extra berries that didn't break down.
- Let the strawberry simple syrup cool completely and store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- *Will last up to two weeks in the fridge.
Tequila Thursday Cocktails
Thirsty Thursday
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Can’t wait to try the strawberry margaritas thanks for sharing. Have a wonderful trip, can’t wait to hear all about it,safe travels love you Titi 🥰
You’re going to love them, Titi. Thank you and love you too <3
Wow!!! Just made these tonight. So easy!!! I love the syrup. I think it’s perfectly proportion of strawberry to lime. Just the right sweetness. I’ve been looking for a good recipe and I think you hit the nail on the head. Thanks!!
I’m so happy you loved the strawberry margaritas. I’m obsessed with them myself. The simple syrup really makes it for me. If you get a chance, try one of the other flavors. It was hard for me to pick my favorite out of the three 💗
Okay, Tiffany–these look absolutely delicious! BUT–I have a challenge for you and if anyone can do this–it’s you! I don’t drink alcohol so are there some substitutes I can use instead? I love the idea of all the fruit syrups–and I can do that –but what about the alcohol–are there any substitutions you can think of that I can use? It’s a bummer being left out! Great post!
Challenge accepted! I will definitely try to come up with a mocktail for you <3
Do you think I could use frozen berries to make the simple syrups?
Absolutely, Leanna!! I hope you enjoy it 💗
Oh this looks amazingly delicious! I am excited to make the simple syrups with all the berries from my garden!
Lucky you! I wish I had a garden full of berries to use. I hope you enjoy it.
I’ve had better. Too sweet. I don’t think the ratios are right. Lower the syrup, up the tequila and probably cut back a little on the triple sec too. The strawberry syrup came out good though and I’m sure I can use it in other things.
Thank you for the honest feedback. I tend to like sweeter cocktails so I can see how it might be too sweet for others. Happy the strawberry syrup was still useful for you though. It can make a delish addition poured over some vanilla ice cream. Thanks for your comment!