Today we are celebrating the beginning of spring with a refreshing Pineapple Margarita recipe. If you are a lover of margaritas like me, you probably find it hard to choose between a frozen margarita or margarita on the rocks. If that is you, no need to worry because I am going to share how to make both versions in your very own kitchen. Plus, below you will find my tips and tricks to serve it to a crowd along with a few ways to spice up your tequila and pineapple drink game. Can’t get enough of delicious margarita recipes? Check out my Strawberry Basil Tequila Cocktail and Blueberry Margarita recipe as well.
Ingredients
Before I talk about how to make a margarita, I want to go back to basics and talk about the ingredients to make a delicious margarita. To make it, you simply blend everything in a shaker with ice and pour over a margarita glass filled with ice.
TequilaFreshly squeezed lime juiceOrange liquor / Triple Sec (such as Grand Marnier)Simple syrup (or Honey Simple Syrup for a naturally sweetened margarita)Ice
As you can see, it is so simple to make margaritas, especially if you are serving just a few people. However, things get a little more complicated when you are serving a crowd. Think about serving 30+ people! It is a lot of work to put all of that together and make it for a large group. Believe me, I have been there many times. If you can relate, you will love Powell & Mahoney’s margarita mix. I have been a long time fan and have been using their products for 3 years now. Carefully crafted using premium ingredients and sweetened with cane sugar and agave, they offer a variety of margarita mixes ranging from skinny margarita to jalapeno margarita (like I used in this Spicy Jalapeno Margarita recipe) to mango passion fruit margarita. With all the spring and summer parties (i.e. Cinco de Mayo and Memorial Day just around the corner) and picnics coming up, I thought it would be a good idea to make this pineapple margarita recipe using Powell & Mahoney’s margarita mix. This way, you can see how easy it is to make the most delicious sweet margarita recipe in no time, even if you are serving a lot of people.
How to make a it on the rocks?
The first method, making Pineapple Margarita on the Rocks, has 2 folds. First, you fill a shaker with ice and add in tequila, pineapple juice, triple sec, and Powell and Mahoney’s margarita mix. Second, you give it a good shake and pour it in a margarita glass full of ice. If you are serving this pina rita recipe (you see what I did there? ?) to a crowd, you can mix everything in a large pitcher, fill it with ice, and mix everything with a large spoon. I usually place it on a large tray along with empty glasses and a bucket of ice. This way, your guests can easily serve themselves.
How to rim the edges of the glass for margaritas
Most restaurants serve margaritas with coarse salt. I don’t know about you, but I love salt on the edges of my glass. However, when I am making margaritas at home I take it up a notch and mix salt (kosher salt or coarse sea salt would both work) with a little bit of chili powder and lime zest. It is optional, but most people love it. Alternatively, you can rim the edges of the glass with a sugar rim. To do so, I usually mix sugar with the zest of fresh lime for some additional color and flavor.
How to garnish pineapple juice margaritas
I think what makes margaritas so much fun is the garnishes. Here are a few ideas to give a little pizzazz to your margaritas:
Garnish it with a slice of fresh limeGarnish it with a slice of fresh pineapple wedgeGrill a slice of pineapple and serve it on the side or as a garnish on the edge of the glassGet creative with the rim and instead of using salt and chili powder, use roasted shredded coconutGarnish with a small jalapeno by placing it on the edge of the glass using a knot bamboo pick or a cocktail pickGarnish with fresh herbs like mint and cilantro leaves
How to make it frozen?
The second method, making my version of the Frozen Pineapple Margarita recipe has 2 folds. While it is super easy to make, it requires a little bit of advance preparation. In my opinion, the secret to out-of-this-world delicious frozen pineapple margaritas is using frozen fresh pineapples.
How to freeze pineapples for frozen pineapple drinks recipes?
Now you might ask, can fresh pineapple be frozen? Absolutely! As a matter of fact, I usually keep some in the freezer not only to make frozen margaritas but also to add in smoothies in the morning. To freeze pineapple, I cut the pineapple into small cubes, place them on a small baking sheet lined with parchment paper (or stretch film), and keep in the freezer for at least 8 hours or overnight. Once they are frozen, I place the now-frozen pineapple chunks in freezer bags to prevent them from freezer burn.
How to blend?
Once you have your frozen pineapple chunks ready, the rest is a piece of cake. All you have to do is to put the rest of the ingredients; margarita mix, triple sec, and tequila in the blender and process until smooth. I find that using 1 cup of frozen pineapple per person delivers the best fresh pineapple margarita.
Other pineapple based cocktails you might like:
Virgin Gorda Style Pina ColadaSpicy Pineapple Jalapeno Mezcalita
Keep your margarita glasses in the freezer until you are ready to serve: I usually keep a few beer and margarita glass in my freezer to be able to serve cold beverages. I think any (cold) beverage served in a cold glass tastes better.Infuse your tequila with pineapple: I recently had a pineapple-infused tequila at a friend’s house and it was amazing. My friend told me that she puts chunks of fresh pineapple in a jar filled with tequila (let them sit in there up to 2 days) and uses that to make various tequila and pineapple juice drinks. Use grilled pineapple as a garnish: If you have never grilled pineapples you are missing out of life. When you put them on the grill, the sugars in the fruit get caramelized and in return become SO delicious. I almost always serve pineapple margaritas during our summer grilling parties so that I can serve them with grilled pineapple.How To Make a Non-Alcoholic Pineapple Margarita: It is so easy. Simply omit tequila and use a little bit more pineapple juice instead. Need a visual as to how to make pineapple margaritas? Be sure to watch the quick how to video in the recipe card below.
