coconut margarita
Love me a weekend marg. How about you?
A couple weekends ago, J and I dined at Besito here in Tampa. I wasn’t going to succumb to peer pressure and try out a margarita since I’d already sipped a Plum Rummy earlier in the day, but after a bit of subtle poking by our server, I said screw it. I think I did say screw it, for once, instead of the more aggressive alternative.
I chose a coconut margarita (named something cuter, but I forget at the moment) and by goodness it was delicious. Not too sweet, sort of buttery from the coconut-infused tequila, light and drinkable. I knew I had to spin it into my own creation the following weekend.
And here it is! Wow!
I shunned purchasing a specific coconut tequila, and instead used my trusty Casamigos along with a touch of coconut extract for the flavor. The extract is bold in body, melds perfectly well with the other components, and lends a wonderful flavor without a big purchase commitment. Only thing is now I need to bake something with coconut…
I selected an orange sugar rim, much like the one featured in my Cherry Cordial Martini, for an extra burst of citrus sweetness. I don’t know about you, but I like sugar rims much more than salt rims. Perhaps I just haven’t found the perfect salty rim for me yet. I’m open minded.
The final touch on this drink is a splash of grapefruit juice. Fresh squeezed, if you can get your hands on it, otherwise a good quality bottled version works just fine. I love tasting the grapefruit before the coconut flavor really kicks in. Utterly refreshing yet subtle enough to not take over and become the main flavor, as it is with the Blushing Grapefruit Ginger Margarita.
The other companions to the tequila, coconut extract, and grapefruit juice are quite typical of margaritas: lime juice, agave nectar, and Cointreau. I haven’t used orange liqueur in any of my margaritas up until now, but since I now have my bar stocked with a bottle, I can’t wait to play with it more and see what it adds to other drinks. This one? A light undertone that brings forth the lime and the orange zest in the rim just a touch more.
And of course, I love my garnishes. Lime wheels and flowers feature here, but you can add whatever might please you. A little orange twist, though nontraditional, might be cute.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tbsp orange zest
- 1/2 oz lime juice
- 1 tbsp agave syrup, or to taste
- 1/4-1/2 tsp coconut extract
- 2 oz tequila
- 1 oz Cointreau
- 1-2 oz grapefruit juice, to top
Instructions
- Sift the sugar and orange zest together on a shallow plate.
- Rub a lime or orange wedge over the rim of a glass, then dip and swirl into the orange sugar. Fill with ice. In a shaker, combine the lime juice, agave, coconut extract, tequila, and Cointreau. Add ice and shake until cold. Strain into prepared glass. Top with grapefruit juice. Garnish with a lime wheel and edible flowers, as desired.
