Jenessa’s Cadillac Margarita

My friend Jenessa makes the absolute best Cadillac margarita I have ever tasted. Seriously. It’s not even a comparison. Her Cadillac margarita has the perfect balance of orange and lime, just the right amount of tequila, and doesn’t contain any added sugar, artificial sweeteners, or sour mix. It’s a smooth, tangy, boozy delight that is perfect for after-work cocktails, a weekend party, or even a Cinco de Mayo celebration. Lucky for you, she has agreed to share it with us.

Jenessa’s Top Shelf Margarita Recipe

As a food blogger, one of my favorite things is having friends who love food as much as I do. They not only love to hear me geek out about different types of meringue or how to fry rockfish in an oven, they like to geek out about their own culinary creations. Jenessa is one of those friends.

She volunteers as my taste tester, and in exchange, I get the benefits of her brownie creations and handcrafted Cadillac margaritas. With premium, fresh ingredients, top-shelf tequila, and Grand Marnier, it has just the right amount of tang without any unnecessary ingredients. No sour mix here!

A word of caution: they are strong and they go down easy! As always, drink responsibly. It’s one of my favourite cocktails, alongside classics like my blackberry gin and tonic and raspberry mojito.

Ingredient Highlights: 

These days, many margarita recipes floating around include additional sweeteners like agave syrup or simple syrup, or cheap sweet and sour mixes to create that sweet, tangy flavor that is the signature of a good margarita. However, according to the International Bartenders Association, a standard margarita only contains tequila, Cointreau (aka orange liqueur), and lime juice. To make it a Cadillac margarita you add in a shot of Grand Marnier. Here is what we put in this classic Cadillac margarita.

Recommended Bar Tools

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• Cocktail Shaker or long handled spoon
• Basic Citrus Reamer or Countertop Citrus Juicer
• Jigger (for easy liquid measurements)
• Small plate (to salt the rims)
• Festive glasses

How to Salt Rim a Glass

The question of salting the rim of the glass comes down to a personal choice. Personally, I love it and wouldn’t have my margaritas any other way. I’m the person that will drink straight from the glass and savor that salty sweet balance as I rotate the drink. If you agree, here is the how to do it.

Depending on personal preference, you can use sea salt, rock salt, or get fancy with flavored salts. I use the same salt for salting the rim as I use in cooking: Morton Kosher Salt. Grab a small plate and pour a tablespoon or so of salt in the middle. Give it a gentle shake to spread it out in a thin layer. After you’ve prepared your lime by rolling it out for maximum juiciness, take half and slice it into wedges.

Take a lime wedge, split it, then rub it around the glass rim to dampen it. Flip the glass upside down and swirl it in the salt. Flip it up, fill it with ice, then add in your freshly squeezed cadillac margarita. You can then serve the same lime wedge you used for the rim as a garnish on the glass.

Tips for Success

While this recipe is super simple, there is always room for a couple of tips and tricks.

• Roll the fruit to maximize the amount of juice: place the fruit on a steady surface and place your hand on top, using firm pressure roll the fruit back and forth a couple times before slicing it. This helps to loosen up the pulp and break open the segments, resulting in more juice in your glass.
• Make sure you have enough ice on hand. For every margarita you make you’ll go through one cocktail shaker filled with ice plus one rocks glass filled with ice. That’s twice the ice for every drink you make.

Make a Party Pitcher of Margaritas

The only thing better than serving up margaritas to your friends is serving up pitchers of margaritas next to platters of Mexican food! The recipe as written makes a single serving, but it easily sizes up to make a margarita party pitcher. 

• For exact measurements, see the notes section of the recipe for instructions to make an eight-serving party pitcher of margaritas.
• Combine the fruit juice and liquors in advance to make a margarita concentrate, and chill in the fridge until needed. Since it’s chilled in the fridge instead of being shaken over ice, this concentrate is going to be stronger.
• Filling 12-ounce glasses to the top with ice should provide enough dilution for the margarita concentrate. However, if you want to sit the pitcher at the table, I recommend splitting the ice between the pitcher and among smaller glasses, so that you can all go back for seconds.
• To make your party pitchers prettier, add slices of fresh limes.
• If you want to get fancy, serve the shot of Grand Marnier on the side, like they would at a Mexican restaurant or bar.
• Do not shake with or pour over ice until ready to serve!

Jenessa’s Cadillac Margarita

Tangy, sweet, and all together delicious, this top-shelf Cadillac Margarita made with reposado tequila is a fantastic addition to your cocktail menu. Whether you are looking for an after work drink, a pairing for taco Tuesday, or the perfect pitcher for Cinco de Mayo this recipe has you covered. 

4.6 stars (30 ratings)

prep: 5 minutes minutes

total: 5 minutes minutes

servings: 1 serving

author: Renee N Gardner

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Ingredients

• 1/2 orange
• 1/2 lime
• 2 ounces reposado tequila
• 1/2 ounce Cointreau
• 1 splash Gran Marnier
• ice
• kosher salt

Instructions

• Roll out orange and lime on a sturdy surface to break up the pulp and release the juice. Slice in half, reserving 1/2 of each for the second round, garnish, salting the rim, or another recipe. 
• If desired, salt the rim of the serving glass – a 12oz double old fashioned glass works well – then fill with ice. 
• In a large glass or cocktail shaker juice the orange and lime. 
• Add in the tequila, Cointreau, and Grand Marnier. 
• Fill the shaker with ice, cover and shake to combine, then strain into serving glass.
• Serve immediately and drink responsibly.

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Notes

Pitcher Instructions

To make a pitcher with 8 servings use the following amounts:

• 4 oranges
• 4 limes
• 2 cups reposado tequila
• 1/2 cup Cointreau
• 3 TBSP Gran Marnier
• Ice
• 8 – 12 ounce glasses and salt for the rims

Make the margarita concentrate in advance:

• Combine the fruit juice and liquors in advance and chill until needed.
• Salt the rims of 8 – 12 ounce glasses and FILL with ice. Divide the margarita concentrate between the glasses and stir.
• A 1 quart pitcher should hold the ingredients without ice. If you want to ice the pitcher instead of the glasses, use a 2 quart pitcher.
• If the margaritas are too strong, add 2 cups of ice to the concentrate and stir to dilute before serving. (Full glasses of ice should do the trick, but just in case, this works too.)
• Do not shake with or pour over ice until ready to serve!

Nutrition

Serving: 1Calories: 216kcalCarbohydrates: 16gProtein: 1gSodium: 584mgFiber: 2gSugar: 10g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated and is for general information purposes only. For the most accurate information, calculate using your select brands and exact measurements.

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