Name: Prickly Pear Margarita
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 35 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 10 prickly pears cut in half; ½ cup raw cane sugar; zest and juice of 1 lemon; ¼ teaspoon kosher salt; 1 lime cut in quarters; kosher salt (garnish); crushed ice; juice of 1 lime; 4 oz. reposado tequila; 1 oz. triple sec; 1 oz. prickly pear syrup

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Prickly pear margaritas are a great way to show off to your friends. If you’re like me, make a pitcher of margaritas before the party starts.

Table of Contents

Key Ingredients

Here are all the ingredients needed to make this refreshing margarita.

Prickly Pears: You’ll find these at your local Latin grocery store. 9/10 they’ll be labeled “tuna”.
Reposado: I find that this tequila works best in margaritas because of it’s smooth flavor. Regardless if it’s top, mid or bottom shelf tequila
Triple Sec: You need an orange liquor to balance out the flavors of any margarita and this does the trick.
Lime Juice: No margarita is complete without a squeeze of fresh lime juice. Always use fresh and never bottled. Your tastebuds will thank you.

How do you make prickly pear margarita from scratch?

To make prickly pear, the first thing you need to do is make a prickly pear syrup. This recipe for prickly pear syrup is easy to make and use for margaritas, lemonade, sweet tea, or cocktails.

For 1 ¼ cup of syrup, you need: 10 prickly pears cut in half, ½ cup raw cane sugar, zest and juice of 1 lemon, and ¼ teaspoon kosher salt.

Use a spoon to scoop out the flesh of the prickly pears, place in a medium saucepot. Add the sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt. Cover pears with water, turn on the heat to medium-high, bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes. Over a bowl, press flesh of prickly pears, through a fine-mesh strainer, discard seeds. Add strained juice back to the saucepot.
Bring to a boil, and cook until syrup thickens slightly about 25 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a container.
Rub the lime around each glass’s rim, place salt on a plate, and roll the rim in salt. In each glass, add crushed ice, ½ juice of a lime, 2 oz. tequila, ½ oz. triple sec and ½ oz. prickly pear syrup.

Margarita Making Tips:

My two favorite types of orange liquor are Triple Sec and Cointreau. Using orange juice will not do the job but will work. Try using different tequilas for different depths of flavors.

Can you eat prickly pears raw?

Yes, prickly pears are naturally sweet with a slight bite of tartness. However, they contain a ton of seeds, so be cautious before taking a big bite.

Can you make ahead?

Fridge: Prickly Pear Margarita: You can be made one day in advance. Only add the ice once you’re ready to serve.

Prickly Pear Syrup: Syrup can be made one day in advance.

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Substitution Options:

Common One to One Substitutions:

Granulated sugar = Raw Cane Sugar

Sugar Rim = Salt Rim

Cointreau = Triple Sec

what to serve with Prickly Pear margaritas?

Meal Ideas:

Whether you’re a tequila lover or not, prickly pear margaritas are the perfect drink to show off your mixology skills at your next party. And if you don’t feel like mixing up a batch yourself, no problem! I’ve got you covered with a recipe for store-bought prickly pear margaritas that will still have your guests raving. So gather your friends, fire up the grill, and get ready to party with a Mexican theme with these delicious and festive cocktails. This is perfect for a Cinco De Mayo party! Let me know what did you think in the comments below. Salud!

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