Looking for a delicious cocktail without all the calories? Learn how to make a Skinny Margarita that doesn’t sacrifice flavor with this easy recipe!
I’m not a big drinker but when we’re having Mexican food I totally crave a margarita. Recently, I hosted a birthday dinner for a few girlfriends and wanted to make something fun, fresh, and easy. A couple of them have food sensitivities, and let’s be real we’re all trying to eat low-calorie.
So I set out to make a cocktail that was light, clean and full of flavor—and this skinny margarita delivered. It has 185 calories, but you’d never know it—no sugary margarita mixers or skinny mixes, no artificial anything—just fresh pure ingredients. Once you try it, you might never go back to those overly sweet restaurant margs!
My friends agreed—it was hands down one of the best margaritas they’d ever had. They couldn’t believe how easy the recipe was. Skinny marg for the win!
Oh, and if you’re serving these for a crowd? I’ve got a pitcher version for you. Frozen or on the rocks? Yep, covered. Keep on readin’!
Tips for the Best Skinny Margarita
- Ice Matters: Use ice for both shaking and serving. Large cubes in the shaker chill without diluting too fast, while smaller ice-like nuggets or crushed ice work best in the glass.
- Choose Quality Tequila: Go for silver (blanco) tequila made with 100% agave. It’s unaged, smooth, and delivers that clean, crisp agave flavor perfect for a lighter margarita.
- Use Fresh Citrus: Fresh-squeezed lime and orange juice make a big difference. If using store-bought OJ, choose one that’s all-natural with no additives.
- Sweeten Naturally: Agave syrup is a lighter, natural alternative to simple syrup. Adjust to taste—opt for light agave for subtle sweetness or dark agave for a deeper flavor.
- Garnish Your Way: Salted rim? Sugar? Both? Totally up to you. I usually skip it, but it’s a great finishing touch if that’s your thing.
Watch how to make our Skinny Margarita
What is a Skinny Margarita
A skinny margarita is a lower-calorie version of the classic margarita that cuts calories without cutting flavor. Unlike traditional margaritas that often rely on sugary mixers or simple syrup, a skinny margarita uses fresh ingredients and natural sweeteners. The result is a refreshing, tangy drink with a touch of sweetness—and about half the calories of the original. When it comes to skinny margarita vs regular margarita, this version proves you don’t need all the sugar to enjoy a flavorful cocktail.
Easy Skinny Margarita Ingredients
- Ice: I like to use large ice in the cocktail shaker, and serve it with ice nuggets or crushed ice!
- Liquor: Blanco tequila offers the cleanest, brightest flavor, allowing the fresh citrus and agave notes to shine without overpowering the drink. Some of my go-to brands are Patrón, Espolón, and 1800. Honestly, Kirkland’s Silver Tequila is a great budget-friendly option that still tastes smooth and fresh. Oh by the way you can certainly use vodka too.
- Fresh Citrus: Go for fresh-squeezed lime and orange juice here.
- Agave Syrup: Choose amber or light agave syrup, same calories, just a slightly different flavor profile. You can substitute with honey, simple syrup or try this sugar-free simple syrup with monk fruit.
- Garnish with a margarita salt or sugar rim and a wedge of lime or orange wheels.
Get the full recipe in the recipe card below.
Skinny Margarita Variations & Swaps
Want to mix things up? Try these tasty variations:
- Spicy Margarita: Add a slice of jalapeño to the shaker for a kick and rim the glass with spicy Tajin!
- Fruity Skinny Margarita: Muddle fruit like fresh berries, mango or watermelon in the bottom of the shaker. Note that this will alter the calorie count.
- Cucumber Skinny Margarita: Add cucumber slices to the shaker for a refreshing twist.
- Make it even more guilt-free and swap in this sugar-free grenadine syrup or your favorite zero-calorie sweetener.
- Skinny strawberry margarita or blueberry or blackberry or raspberry (yum!), muddle 2-3 sliced strawberries or a small handful of berries in the bottom of your cocktail shaker. Or add it all to the blender with some ice!
- Herbal Skinny Margarita: Like this grapefruit basil vodka smash (also light and yummy), gently muddle some fresh basil or your favorite fresh herbs or mint.
Frozen vs. On The Rocks
I prefer my skinny margarita on the rocks—I like to sip it slowly and enjoy the fresh, citrusy flavor as the ice melts. It feels lighter and lasts longer.
But if you’re into that frosty, slushie vibe, go frozen! Just blend all the ingredients with 1 cup of ice until smooth. It’s refreshing and fun, especially for warm days.
Both versions are simple, fresh, and totally delicious—it just depends on your mood!
Easy Skinny Margarita Tools
To make the perfect skinny margs, these tools will help:
- Juicer my favorite hand-held juicer, go for the yellow one (it fits lemons and limes easily and small oranges too!
- Cocktail shaker set this one is similar to the one I have.
How to Make a Skinny Margarita
Step 1 – Prep the Glass
If a desired, rub a lime or orange wedge around the rim of your glass and dip it in the salt (margarita or kosher salt work great) on a small plate. Add desired amount of ice and set aside.
Step 2 – Make the Cocktail
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave syrup.
Shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds. Taste a bit and adjust agave and lime juice.
Step 3 – Serve
Strain into the prepared margarita glasses. Garnish with an orange or lime wedge.
Skinny Margarita Pitcher Recipe
Here’s how to make a pitcher of margaritas that serves 8–10. Want to make 6 instead? Use the slider on the recipe card to adjust the amounts!
- Tequila: 2 ¼ to 2 ½ cups (about 20 ounces) Silver or blanco tequila is most commonly used in skinny margaritas for its clean, crisp flavor. However, reposado (a lightly aged “gold” tequila) can also be used if you prefer a slightly smoother, richer taste. Both work well—it just depends on your flavor preference.
- Fresh Lime Juice: 1 to 1 ⅓ cups (8 to 10.7 ounces) – you’ll need around 8 to 11 limes. You’ll usually get about 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) of juice per lime.
- Fresh Orange Juice: 10 ounces (1 ¼ cups)
- Agave Syrup: 3 to 6 tablespoons – start with 3, taste, and add more if needed. You can also leave the sweetener by the pitcher so guests can adjust to taste.
Add all ingredients to a large pitcher, give it a good stir, then chill in fridge until ready to serve, Pour over ice in salt-rimmed glasses. For a fun twist, add a splash of sparkling water or soda water to each glass before serving. Garnish with orange or lime wheels and you’re good to go!
FAQs for Skinny Margs
This version skips the Triple Sec or Grand Marnier (which both add extra sugar) and uses fresh orange juice instead. It’s naturally sweetened with agave syrup instead of processed simple syrup, resulting in a cocktail with less sugar, fewer calories, and no artificial ingredients.
Yes! The fresh orange juice provides some natural sweetness, so you can leave out the agave for an even tarter margarita. Try honey or a few drops of liquid stevia or monk fruit too.
Nope! A skinny margarita typically has the same amount of alcohol as a regular one. The difference is in what it leaves out—no sugary mixes, no orange liqueur like Triple Sec, Grand Marnier, or Cointreau, and way less added sugar. You still get that classic margarita kick, just in a lighter, fresher way.
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Video
Equipment
- Expert Cocktail Shaker Home Bar Set
Ingredients
- Ice for both the shaker and the glass
- 2 oz Silver Tequila Patrón, Espolón, and 1800. Honestly, Kirkland’s Silver Tequila is good too and you can alos use a reposado (gold) for a different flavor.
- 1 – 1½ oz Lime Juice fresh squeezed, more for more tart flavor
- 1 oz Orange Juice fresh squeezed, about ½ an orange
- 1 – 3 teaspoons Light Agave Syrup or use a sugar-free simple syrup, 3 teaspoons = a tablespoon, start with a little, taste and add more.
Optional Garnish
- Orange or lime wheel for garnish
- Margarita Salt or kosher salt Use sugar (more calories) or your favorite margarita salt if desired.
Instructions
- If salt or sugar rim is desired, rim a glass by rubbing a lime or orange wedge around the rim and dipping it in the salt or sugar*. Add desired amount of ice and set aside. *Salt and/or sugar are calculated into nutritional info.Ice
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave syrup.2 oz Silver Tequila, 1 – 1½ oz Lime Juice, 1 oz Orange Juice, 1 – 3 teaspoons Light Agave Syrup
- Shake vigorously for 20-30 seconds.
- Strain into the prepared glass.
- Garnish with an orange or lime wedge.
Notes
- Ice is used for both shaking and serving, keeping the drink cold and refreshing. Large ice cubes help slow dilution and maintain flavor longer. I like using large ice cubes in the cocktail shaker, but prefer smaller cubes like nugget ice or crushed ice in my glass.
- Silver Tequila (Blanco) is clear and unaged, offering a crisp, fresh agave flavor. It’s the best choice for a lighter, cleaner margarita, as it doesn’t have the caramel or oak notes characteristic of aged tequilas (reposados). Look for 100% agave tequila for the best taste and smoothness. My faves: Patrón, Espolòn, 1800 or I like Kirkland’s Silver Tequila.
- Fresh-squeezed lime and orange juice make a difference in the flavor. For the best results, I recommend using a citrus squeezer—it gets every last drop with minimal effort. Roll your room-temperature citrus on the counter under your hand a few times to loosen it up, then slice it in half and squeeze.
- Agave syrup: It’s lighter and has a lower glycemic index compared to simple syrup. Use light agave nectar for a mild sweetness or darker agave for a richer, deeper flavor. Adjust the amount to suit your taste if you prefer a sweeter or less sweet drink.
- I opted out of rimming the glasses with salt in this margarita, but it certainly is an option. You can rim with salt, sugar, or a mix of salt and sugar. Salt and/or sugar are not calculated into the nutritional information.
- Nutrition info is calculated on using the lowest amounts shown, so use your own calorie calculator and plug in amounts after you customize.
Nutrition
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