limoncello margarita
The best dessert I ever had was a limoncello cake from an Italian restaurant nearby. Unnnnnf.
The cake consistent of sponge layers soaked in limoncello and finished with heaps of mascarpone buttercream. It was glorious. Mom and I visited probably five or six years ago, and shared a slice with cappuccinos on the side. I’ve eaten at many a place in my 29 years of life, but I’d rank that as one of the top at least in terms of local interest. That glorious cake has stuck with me even so much time later.
Limoncello is a very diverse Italian liqueur. A good balance of citrusy and sweet, the typical manifestation is in spritz form, as with Aperol or St. Germain. A solid apertif, so the Europeans say. Today, though, we’re fusing this golden beauty with lime and tequila to make one slam-banging summer margarita.
A little mint adds a refreshing twist to each sip. It’s an easy drinking porch swing libation for slow weekends and hot afternoons. So chill out and enjoy a glass or two, amigo. Just don’t drive after.
Playing the Limon-cello
This margarita is as easy as it comes, like most of my drinks. As it should be over the summer months.
First, grab your favorite glass and rim in some lemon sugar. Easiest way to do this is run a lemon wedge around the rim and dunk into the mix of sugar and lemon zest. Now, you’ve got a pretty and sparkly little garnish!
In your cocktail shaker, muddle mint with lime juice and agave, then add in the limoncello and tequila. I like how the lime accentuates the liqueur, so I keep it in to nod to the traditional margarita fixing.
Fill the shaker with ice and do a little dance (make a lil love, GET DOWN TONIGHT, WOO) to get that drink nice and cold. Pour – or strain, if you don’t want the mint chunks – the drink into your glass. Top it off with some bubbly water, throw on some fresh mint and a lemon wheel, and you’re done!
Share a toast with your best pals this weekend. Whether it was an easy week or no, if you’re wont to wind down with a drink in hand, this is a good one with which to do said unwinding. Stay safe, pals!
Tried this recipe out? Leave a rating and comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
More margs to make:
Spicy Gingered Guava Margarita
limoncello margarita
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 6 fresh mint leaves
- 1 1/2 oz tequila
- 1 oz limoncello
- 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
- 1-2 tbsp agave (use to your taste)
- sparkling water, to top
- fresh mint and lemon wheels, for garnish
Instructions
- On a shallow plate, toss the sugar with the lemon zest. Run a lemon wedge around the rim of a cocktail glass, then dip and swirl into the sugar. Shake off excess.
- In a shaker, muddle the mint leaves with the lime juice and agave until nice and squished. Add the tequila and limoncello. Add ice and shake until cold. Strain or pour into the prepared glass, adding more ice if needed. Top with sparkling water and garnish with fresh mint leaves and lemon wheels, as desired.
