Slushy-like with spot-on margarita flavor, a big batch of this party favorite takes minutes to mix up and can be stored in the freezer until needed. Ideal for Cinco de Mayo celebrations, potlucks, and backyard barbecues all summer long, the frozen margaritas can even be served one or two at a time.
Years ago, a friend gave me a pink photocopy of this recipe, which she aptly referred to as paradise margaritas. The cherished paper was so splattered that the ink had bled, rendering the recipe barely legible in spots.
Over the years, I’ve served the frosty, make-ahead cocktail at countless celebrations, from casual backyard barbecues and birthday parties to showers and Cinco de Mayo fiestas. And just-because!
When I couldn’t find the pink paper before a party last summer and needed it to be sure of the precise quantities after not making it since the summer before last (thank you COVID), family members were concerned that the recipe may be lost forever.
When I finally found the treasured pink paper, there were several audible gasps of relief. Clearly, it was time to type the recipe and broadly share to avoid future scares!
The recipe makes a big batch, and it will keep in the freezer for months. For added ease, I’ve included printable recipes for a big batch and a bigger batch. From there, you could further scale up or down as needed.
The assembly is literally nothing more than pouring liquids into a large vat. I use a leftover plastic pretzel tub. Any large freezer-safe container will do, so long as its capacity is five quarts or more.
What happens to the leftovers?
As the margaritas sit on the counter, they will continue to melt. Unused portions, however, may be refrozen and will taste as good as new. (We’ve refrozen more than once.) The melted margaritas are also delicious on the rocks.
Do the frozen margaritas make sense if I only want a few servings at a time?
No party is required. If you’d like to enjoy one or two frozen margaritas at a time, let the container sit on the counter for a few minutes and then scrape the amount desired into an individual glass (or glasses).
The alcohol prevents the mixture from freezing hard, so while you can scrape the margaritas into a glass right away, it will take a few minutes to thaw to a slushy-like consistency. Stirring on occasion will expedite the process.
What is the difference between silver and gold tequila?
The two varieties are aged differently, and as a result, silver tequila offers a stronger, purer taste while gold tequila is smoother and somewhat sweeter. Because of this, silver tequila (sometimes labeled blanco) is generally considered to be better suited to mixed drinks like margaritas and gold tequila to shots or sipping. Additionally, silver tequila’s clear color is often preferred in cocktails and its purer taste makes it a good match with other flavor profiles.
What’s the best tequila to use for margaritas?
As mentioned above, I generally use silver (or blanco) but have used gold in this frozen margarita recipe with good results. You want a good tasting tequila, but because it’s being mixed, you need not spend a lot of money. My go-to for this margarita recipe is Jose Cuervo silver with Jose Cuervo gold being a worthy second choice.
The preparation is as easy as pouring the liquid ingredients into a large, freezer-safe container, giving them a stir, and then freezing.
To allow the big container to fully freeze, I recommend preparing at least two days in advance. Longer is fine–the margaritas will keep for months in the freezer.
When ready to serve, let the container sit at room temperature and scrape across the top. As the mixture softens, it will become slushy-like. We’ve let the container sit on the counter for hours–it takes a while to fully melt. That said, the melted mixture tastes great on the rocks and it does refreeze well.
A salted rim is optional, but not necessary.
For added ease and to cover all your entertaining needs, following the big batch frozen margarita recipe is a bigger batch recipe.
Big Batch Frozen Margaritas (Make-Ahead)Prep Time: 5 minutes + freezing timeYield: 17 cups/4¼ quarts (recipe can be easily scaled up or down and stores in the freezer for months)
Slushy-like with spot-on margarita flavor, a big batch of this party favorite takes minutes to mix up and can be done well in advance for added convenience.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups tequila* (12 ounces or ½ a 750 milliliter bottle)
- 1 cup (8 ounces) triple sec
- 2 (12-ounce) cans frozen limeade concentrate, thawed and undiluted
- 2 quarts water
- 1 (10-ounce) can frozen margarita mix**, thawed (like Bacardi)
- Optional for serving: lime juice, coarse salt, lime slices
InstructionsTwo days in advance (to allow time to freeze; longer is fine) combine the first 5 ingredients in a very large, plastic (freezable) container or distribute evenly among two containers. (I use a large, plastic pretzel tub.) Stir well, cover, and freeze.
When ready to serve, allow the frozen mixture to sit at room temperature for a few minutes, and then scrape with a fork, and transfer to glasses for serving. The mixture will become slushy-like as it sits. Unused portions may be refrozen and are also delicious on the rocks when fully melted.
To serve with salted rims if desired: wet rims of glasses with lime juice, coat rims with salt, and garnish with a lime slice.
Notes*What is the best tequila to use for margaritas? I generally use silver (or blanco) although have used gold in this margarita recipe with good results. You want a good tasting tequila, but because it’s being mixed, you need not spend a lot of money. My go-to here is Jose Cuervo silver with Jose Cuervo gold being a worthy second choice.
**Frozen margarita mix can be found in the frozen section of the grocery store with the frozen lemonade and limeade. It contains no alcohol.
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Tried this recipe?Post a picture on instagram and we will repost it! Mention @fountainavenuekitchen or tag #fountainavenuekitchen!
The Fountain Avenue Kitchen https://fountainavenuekitchen.com/
- 1½ cups tequila* (12 ounces or ½ a 750 milliliter bottle)
- 1 cup (8 ounces) triple sec
- 2 (12-ounce) cans frozen limeade concentrate, thawed and undiluted
- 2 quarts water
- 1 (10-ounce) can frozen margarita mix**, thawed (like Bacardi)
- Optional for serving: lime juice, coarse salt, lime slices
Two days in advance (to allow time to freeze; longer is fine) combine the first 5 ingredients in a very large, plastic (freezable) container or distribute evenly among two containers. (I use a large, plastic pretzel tub.) Stir well, cover, and freeze.
When ready to serve, allow the frozen mixture to sit at room temperature for a few minutes, and then scrape with a fork, and transfer to glasses for serving. The mixture will become slushy-like as it sits. Unused portions may be refrozen and are also delicious on the rocks when fully melted.
To serve with salted rims if desired: wet rims of glasses with lime juice, coat rims with salt, and garnish with a lime slice.
*What is the best tequila to use for margaritas? I generally use silver (or blanco) although have used gold in this margarita recipe with good results. You want a good tasting tequila, but because it’s being mixed, you need not spend a lot of money. My go-to here is Jose Cuervo silver with Jose Cuervo gold being a worthy second choice.
**Frozen margarita mix can be found in the frozen section of the grocery store with the frozen lemonade and limeade. It contains no alcohol.
Bigger Batch Frozen MargaritasPrep Time: 5 minutes + freezing timeYield: 34 cups/ 8.5 quarts
Need a signature drink for a backyard barbecue, Cinco de Mayo fiesta, or other celebratory event? A jumbo batch of frosty margaritas takes 5 minutes to prep and any leftovers will keep in the freezer for months.
Ingredients
- 1 (750 milliliter) bottle tequila*
- 2 cups (16 ounces) triple sec
- 4 (12-ounce) cans frozen limeade concentrate, thawed and undiluted
- 4 quarts water
- 2 (10-ounce) cans frozen margarita mix**, thawed (like Bacardi)
- Optional for serving: lime juice, coarse salt, lime slices
InstructionsTwo days in advance (to allow time to freeze; longer is fine) combine the first 5 ingredients in a very large, plastic (freezable) container or distribute evenly among two containers. (I use two large, plastic pretzel tubs.) Stir well, cover, and freeze.
When ready to serve, allow the frozen mixture to sit at room temperature for a few minutes, and then scrape with a fork, and transfer to glasses for serving. The mixture will become slushy-like as it sits. Unused portions may be refrozen and are also delicious on the rocks when fully melted.
To serve with salted rims if desired: wet rims of glasses with lime juice, coat rims with salt, and garnish with a lime slice.
Notes*What’s the best tequila to use these margaritas? I generally use silver (or blanco) although have used gold in this margarita recipe with good results. You want a good tasting tequila, but because it’s being mixed, you need not spend a lot of money. My go-to here is Jose Cuervo silver with Jose Cuervo gold being a worthy backup.
**Frozen margarita mix can be found in the frozen section of the grocery store with the frozen lemonade and limeade. It contains no alcohol.
More On YouTube More on Instagram
Tried this recipe?Post a picture on instagram and we will repost it! Mention @fountainavenuekitchen or tag #fountainavenuekitchen!
The Fountain Avenue Kitchen https://fountainavenuekitchen.com/
- 1 (750 milliliter) bottle tequila*
- 2 cups (16 ounces) triple sec
- 4 (12-ounce) cans frozen limeade concentrate, thawed and undiluted
- 4 quarts water
- 2 (10-ounce) cans frozen margarita mix**, thawed (like Bacardi)
- Optional for serving: lime juice, coarse salt, lime slices
Two days in advance (to allow time to freeze; longer is fine) combine the first 5 ingredients in a very large, plastic (freezable) container or distribute evenly among two containers. (I use two large, plastic pretzel tubs.) Stir well, cover, and freeze.
When ready to serve, allow the frozen mixture to sit at room temperature for a few minutes, and then scrape with a fork, and transfer to glasses for serving. The mixture will become slushy-like as it sits. Unused portions may be refrozen and are also delicious on the rocks when fully melted.
To serve with salted rims if desired: wet rims of glasses with lime juice, coat rims with salt, and garnish with a lime slice.
*What’s the best tequila to use these margaritas? I generally use silver (or blanco) although have used gold in this margarita recipe with good results. You want a good tasting tequila, but because it’s being mixed, you need not spend a lot of money. My go-to here is Jose Cuervo silver with Jose Cuervo gold being a worthy backup.
**Frozen margarita mix can be found in the frozen section of the grocery store with the frozen lemonade and limeade. It contains no alcohol.
I cannot find frozen margarita mix anywhere around me. Can I just use more limeade or what is suggested for replacing the frozen margarita mix?
Thank you.
Hi Audrie, I’ve always used the mix, but the ingredients are similar enough to the limeade that the flavor would likely be quite similar once the tequila is added.
Is it possible to mix and freeze everything except the water and then blend the frozen mix with ice later?
Hi Rachel, You could do that, although you’d likely need to add water along with the ice to get the proper ratio and to make it easier to blend. If you try, feel free to report back!
can you make this flavored? and if so how?
Hi Renee, I haven’t made a flavored version, but you could experiment by adding a little more triple sec to enhance the orange flavor or even a small amount of orange extract – or another extract of choice. A friend of mine told me he added a half cup of fresh orange juice, which complemented nicely but wasn’t enough to fundamentally change the flavor. Beyond that, you could also experiment with various fruit purees. If doing that, perhaps start with a smaller batch to make sure the amount added doesn’t negatively impact the consistency once frozen.