We are in the thick of blood orange season and I'm trying to squeeze out every last purply-orange drop I can. And I don't know about you but a good stiff drink sounds like a wonderful way to make use of a few blood oranges. Today, we're talking about how to make a blood orange mezcal margarita with a tajin rim. It's smooth, smoky, and the perfect balance of sweet and tart. Want to learn how to make homemade margaritas from scratch? Let's get into it.
If you like making margaritas at home, you must try these:
- Frozen Cherry Pineapple Margaritas
- Passion Fruit Margaritas on the Rocks
- The Bloody Margarita for Brunch
I first fell in love with mezcal while vacationing in Mexico about a year ago and highly recommend trying your margaritas and other cocktails with mezcal instead of tequila for a little something different. This blood orange margarita recipe was inspired by a deliciously smoky frozen mezcal margarita I recently enjoyed on Isla Holbox, Mexico. Here's what you need to make this blood orange cocktail with mezcal.
Blood Orange Mezcal Margarita Ingedients
- Agave Nectar or Maple Syrup
- Blood Orange Juice
- Ice
- Lime
- Mezcal
- Tajin
- Triple Sec
Making this winter citrus cocktail is as simple as shaking and pouring. Everything except for the lime and Tajin goes into a cocktail shaker and is then poured over fresh ice into a Tajin-rimmed glass. See? Easy. While you're here, check out my blood orange bourbon smash drink, too.
Tips for Making Mezcal Margaritas
Making margaritas on the rocks at home is much easier than you might think. You can certainly make my blood orange margarita recipe with tequila but when you make a margarita with mezcal, you get a whole different experience with just one simple switch.
- What is the difference between tequila and mezcal? Tequila and mezcal are both Mexican spirits made from the agave plant. Tequila is made with steamed agave whereas mezcal is made with agave that has been cooked in the presence of wood, charcoal, and lava rocks.
- What does mezcal taste like? Because of the cooking process, mezcal has a much smokier and slightly earthen taste than tequila.
- How to do Tajin rim? The tajin rims are the crowning glory of my blood orange mezcal margaritas but they're actually the first step in the recipe rather than a finishing touch. To make a tajin rim, simply run a wedge of lime around the edge of a glass then dip it into tajin. The lime juice helps the tajin stick to the glass. I find it easiest to pour a bit of tajin out onto a plate for this.
- How to make margaritas without mix? In place of margarita mix, all you need is fresh lime juice, triple sec, and either agave nectar or maple syrup, depending on your preference.
I hope you'll add this winter mezcal cocktail to your at-home happy hour ASAP while blood oranges are still available. And sharing is caring so be sure to pin this smoky blood orange margarita recipe on Pinterest. Thanks for reading!
How to Make a Blood Orange Margarita at Home with Mezcal
Smoky, sweet, and tart margarita on the rocks with fresh lime and blood orange
- 2 ounces mezcal
- ½ ounce triple sec or cointreau
- 2 ounces fresh blood orange juice (about three oranges)
- ½ ounce agave nectar or maple syrup
- 1 lime wedge
- Tajin
Run lime wedge around the rim of a rocks glass. Pour a couple spoonfuls of Tajin onto a plate then dip the rim of the glass into the mix to coat. Add ice to glass then set aside.
Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice then add mezcal, triple sec, blood orange juice, and agave nectar. Cover shaker tightly and shake vigorously for about 10 seconds.
Remove top and strain mixture into rimmed rocks glass. Enjoy responsibly!
Recipe Video
Tamara says
I get so excited when I find blood oranges in the store! So when I found this cocktail recipe, I knew I had to try it. Wow! They were absolutely delicious, I’ll definitely be making it again very soon.
Marta says
I am huge fan of mezcal. I think more cocktails should use it in lieu of tequila blanca. The mezcal, combined with the blood orange juice, in this cocktail was the perfect pairing of sweet and smoky. I'll definitely be making this again.
Cat William says
Surprisingly, I had everything at the house. Hubby and i whipped these bad boys up and relaxed! So yummy
Robin says
A bit of salt from the Tajin and the sweetness of the triple sec and agave is exactly what I needed this weekend. Superb!
Carita says
I love anything with Mezcal so I knew this recipe would not disappoint! This drink is definitely for a mature drinker and it did not disappoint. My husband absolutely loved it!
Kaluhi says
Absolutely magical! Made this over the weekend and my sissy and i couldn't have enough!
Eric & Shanna Jones says
We love a smoky margarita and this cocktail was right on time! The blood orange juice just took it to another level.
Capri says
The Tajin rim was my favorite part! I also loved how perfectly the blood orange juice complemented the mezcal! So good!
Chenée says
I was so lucky to find some blood oranges this weekend and I ALWAYS have mezcal on hand so I had to try this! It was perfect -- not too sweet, and the spice from the Tajin was perfect!