Prickly Pear Margarita

by Cassie March 1, 2024

With your first sip, you are going to be blown away by the delicious flavor of this prickly pear margarita recipe! It officially feels like spring so let’s whip up this gorgeous cocktail with a bright pink hue!

2 prickly pear margaritas with lime garnish

Prickly Pears.

Prickly pears are also known as cactus pears and grow wild throughout the southwest and Mexico where they are often eaten as a fresh fruit. Their unique flavor can be compared to a melon or kiwi with a hint of bubble gum – how fun! You can often find fresh prickly pears for sale at your local grocery store in the produce section and could make your own prickly pear syrup but I have found many high-quality pre-made prickly pear syrup options on Amazon (with free shipping) that will do the trick. This ingredient is going to be the star of the show! I chose Monins version called “Desert Pear”

Simple ingredients.

This delicious drink comes together quickly with only 4 ingredients. Fresh lime juice – promise me you’ll juice your own limes – it makes all the difference. I like to use a quality reposado tequila which combines the pure agave flavor of a blanco tequila with the robust smoothness of an añejo. You will also need orange liqueur, Cointreau is my go-to but you could easily substitute triple sec. A classic margarita would also have simple syrup which we will be subbing for our prickly pear syrup – this will make all the flavors pop and give us that gorgeous pink color!

Prickly Pear Margarita ingredients including: Tajin, Desert pear syrup, Tequila, Margarita salt, Cointreau, Agave Nectar, Limes

Let’s shake things up.

You can simply combine the ingredients in your glass and stir them but I promise using a cocktail shaker will improve your end result. Professional bartenders will agree that any cocktail that contains fresh juice needs to be shaken, if you don’t happen to have a shaker at home you could also use a mason jar as a substitute.

Margarita shaker with desert pear syrup, tequila, cointreau, and measuring cup

Dress your drink.

Garnishing your glass for this easy margarita recipe is one of my favorite steps and I am talking about more than just an additional lime wedge and salt rim. I like to combine sea salt and tajin in a small plate, you will then brush or dip the rim of the glass with a little agave nectar or honey and dip it in the sea salt and tajin mixture – place a slice of lime on the glass rim and you are ready to go!

Instructions.

Start by getting your prepared glass (or glasses) ready. Mix tajin with sea salt on a small plate, use a small pastry brush to put the agave nectar or honey on the rim of your glass then dip it in the mixture. Garnish with a lime slice and set aside.
In a cocktail shaker add the tequila, fresh lime juice, prickly pear syrup, Cointreau, and ice. Shake vigorously for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Pour the margarita mixture into your glass and enjoy – this will definitely be one of your new favorite cocktails!

Frequently asked questions:

Can these be made ahead of time?

Sure thing! You can add all of your ingredients to a mason jar (minus the ice) and store it in the refrigerator for a day or two until you are ready to serve them. Simply pour the margarita mixture into the shaker, add ice, and then you’re ready to go!

Can these be made in a larger batch?

Sure thing! Multiply out how many margaritas you want to make and add all the ingredients in a large pitcher and stir. I still like to use a cocktail shaker – you can simply pour the margarita mixture into the shaker for every margarita you want to make.

Are there any suggested recipe variations?

I was hoping you would ask! I love to add a little kick to these with the addition of a few jalapeno slices. Simply add them into the shaker with all of the other ingredients and voilá – you have a spicy prickly pear margarita! In addition, you can also brush the rim of your margarita glass with hot honey instead of the agave syrup to add a little more heat

If you like Margaritas, I think you’ll like these too!

Espresso Martini, Blood Orange Mojito