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30 Minutes or Less

Mom’s BEST Frozen Daiquiri

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frozen daiquiri with fresh limes on the side.

Cool and refreshing frozen daiquiri, with a secret ingredient! My Mom’s famous recipe for this best EVER frozen cocktail. Just four ingredients, perfectly sweet, and totally delicious.

two frozen daiquiris with fresh limes on the side

The Secret Ingredient: Coconut Rum

A few weeks ago, my Mom had the genius idea to swap out regular rum in her frozen daiquris for coconut rum. And boy, it made allllll the difference! A hint of coconut in this tropical cocktail left everyone asking “what is that?! that’s DELICIOUS!” It’s sort of like a cross between a classic daiquiri and a piña colada. The coconut is light, not at all overpowering, and simply perfect.

My Mom – a fan of the finer things in life – uses an exclusive small-batch brand of coconut rum. But let me tell you, I recreated her recipe with this Bacardi Coconut Rum (purchased for $15!) and my frozen daiquiris tasted just as good!

closeup image of a frozen daiquiri with limes on the side.

What Else You’ll Need to Make a Frozen Daiquiri

Lime Juice – Fresh squeezed is best! My Mom insists on using freshly-squeezed juice in all of her cocktails. And I must admit, fresh squeezed lime juice makes a world of a difference in these frozen daiquiris!

Simple Syrup or Agave – Feel free to use whichever you have on-hand! I used agave nectar because it’s what I had leftover from these Skinny Strawberry Margaritas.

Ice – This one seems pretty self-explanatory, ha! Though I will say, if you’d like a frozen strawberry daiquri instead, replace the ice with two cups of frozen strawberries.

Blender – I own and LOVE my Vitamix blender. It’s super powerful, and there truly isn’t anything it can’t blend. However, any blender will work to blend this frozen cocktail. You could even use a Nutribullet for easier cleanup!

overhead image of a frozen daiquiri with a lime on top.

Adjust This Recipe to Your Dietary Needs

Make it Sugar-Free: For a sugar-free option, replace the simple syrup with your favorite sugar-free liquid sweetener.

Make it a Mocktail: Turn this into a delicious non-alcoholic frozen beverage by using equal parts coconut water in place of the coconut rum!

Mom's BEST Frozen Daiquiri
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Mom’s BEST Frozen Daiquiri

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: DrinksDifficulty: Easy
Servings

2

daiquiris
Prep time

3

minutes
Cooking time

0

minutes
Total time

3

minutes

Cool and refreshing frozen daiquiris, with a secret ingredient! My Mom’s famous recipe for this best EVER frozen cocktail. Just four ingredients, perfectly sweet, and totally delicious.

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces coconut rum

  • 2 ounces lime juice

  • 1 1/2 ounces simple syrup (or agave)

  • 2 cups ice

Directions

  • Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, serve immediately.

Recipe Video

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30 Minutes or Less

Spicy Cucumber Margaritas

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two spicy cucumber margaritas with spicy salt rim on the side

These spicy cucumber margaritas are tangy, smoky, and perfectly sweet! This refreshing cocktail features a spicy rim along with fresh muddled cucumbers. Shake together a batch of these healthier homemade margaritas for your next dinner party or summer barbecue!

two spicy cucumber margaritas with spicy salt rim on the side

What You Need To Make Spicy Cucumber Margaritas

Lime Zest – The lime zest in the spicy rim is my very own secret ingredient. It adds a touch of brightness that will have people asking, “what is that?!” Just a teaspoon of fresh lime zest brings these drinks together. They’re ideally salty, sweet, and savory!

Agave – This natural sweetener makes these margaritas that much more healthy. I personally like the taste of agave better than simple syrup. Agave is darker in both color and flavor. Though if you’re looking for an even healthier cocktail – use honey instead!

Cucumber – This crisp, fresh vegetable is 96% water! Therefore, I like to look at this cocktail as a way to hydrate while I dehydrate. Ok ok gigs up. I can’t confidently say these margaritas are actually healthy just because they contain a vegetable. But I can say the cucumber perfectly balances out the spice. There’s just something about the combination of the two that is *chef’s kiss* perfect!

Make It A Mocktail

  • Use 2 ounces of tonic or sparkling water in place of the tequila. Also, use orange juice instead of triple sec for a virgin spicy cucumber margarita!

Tips For Making Spicy Cucumber Margaritas

  • The longer you shake these margaritas, the spicier they’ll be! Tossing the sliced jalapeños in your cocktail shaker will encourage them to release their spicy oils. So the longer they have to release those oils, the spicier your drinks will be.
  • For a skinny margarita, use orange juice instead of triple sec. The use of agave falls under the “skinny” label. Though if you want to make this a true skinny spicy cucumber margarita (wow that’s a mouthful) make sure you use fresh-squeezed orange juice instead of triple sec.
  • If you don’t like a salty rim, use sugar instead! Replace the salt with the same amount of sugar. Enjoy a slightly sweeter, yet still spicy and delicious cocktail.
Spicy Cucumber Margaritas
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Spicy Cucumber Margaritas

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: DrinksCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

2

servings
Prep time

5

minutes
Total time

5

minutes

These spicy cucumber margaritas are tangy, smoky, and perfectly sweet! This refreshing cocktail features a spicy rim along with fresh muddled cucumbers. Shake together a batch of these healthier homemade margaritas for your next dinner party or summer barbecue!

Ingredients

  • For the spicy rim:

  • 3 tablespoons salt

  • 1 tablespoon chili powder

  • 1 teaspoon lime zest

  • 4 ounces tequila

  • 2 ounces lime juice

  • 1 ounce triple sec, see Notes

  • 1 tablespoon agave, see Notes

  • 1 cup cucumber, sliced

  • 3-4 jalapeño slices

Directions

  • Mix together all spicy rim ingredients together on a small plate. Then run a lime wedge along the rim of both glasses before dipping in the salt mixture. Set glasses aside.
  • Place the tequila, lime juice, triple sec, agave, and cucumber in a cocktail shaker. Muddle together, squashing the cucumbers in the process.
  • Fill the shaker with ice, add in jalapeño slices. Then secure with lid and shake for about 1 minute.
  • Fill both glasses with ice, then pour over ice.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Triple Sec: For a lower calorie drink, you can sub the triple sec for 1 ounce of fresh-squeezed orange juice instead!
  • Agave: Simple syrup or honey would both work in place of the agave in this recipe.

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30 Minutes or Less

Pineapple Mojito (Low-Sugar)

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club soda being poured into a pineapple mojito

This pineapple mojito is incredibly light and refreshing! This recipe features an easy-to-make pineapple simple syrup that takes this summer cocktail to the next level. Fresh mint leaves, plenty of lime wedges, and a splash of white rum quickly come together to create this effortlessly delicious beverage.

club soda being poured into a pineapple mojito

I almost forgot how much I love mojitos. As you guys already know, I’m a big margarita girl. But that doesn’t mean stop me from craving ice cold mojitos in the summer! There’s just something about the literal sparkle in a mojito that makes it one of the most refreshing cocktails of all time. And because I’ve been on a pineapple kick lately (pineapple mimosa, I’m looking at you) I figured, why not add one of my favorite fruits to one of my favorite drinks?

I attempted making a pineapple mojito by simply muddling fresh pineapple chunks into the bottom of a glass. And while it was good, the pineapple really struggled to shine through. Therefore, I quickly and easily solved that problem by whipping up a homemade pineapple simple syrup. The incredible thing about this pineapple simple syrup is not just that it adds more delicious pineapple flavor, but that it adds extra sweetness without any extra sugar!

What You Need To Make a Pineapple Mojito

Fresh Pineapple – Pineapple’s peak season is anywhere between April and July, so enjoy it while it tastes best! Avoid any pineapples that are too green and very hard when gently squeezed. I like to tell if my pineapple is ripe or not by smell. It’s ready for this recipe when it smells like mildly sweet pineapple!

Mint – The magic ingredient that makes this pineapple mojito irresistibly refreshing. I actually used mojito mint leaves for this recipe, but any fresh mint leaves will work. And if you’re feeling adventurous, mint is a pretty easy plant to grow so I highly recommend you plant some! Your own mint plant = mojitos all day every day.

White Rum – White rum is traditional for any mojito recipe. I also prefer white rum for its more mild flavor over dark rum. If you’re in a pinch and only have dark rum, you can use it in this recipe. However, be sure to avoid using spiced rum or flavored rum – those simply won’t work.

Make it a Mocktail

  • Leave out the rum and add a touch more club soda for a refreshing pineapple mojito mocktail!
Pineapple Mojito
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Pineapple Mojito

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: DrinksCuisine: CubanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

1

drink
Total time

5

minutes

This pineapple mojito is incredibly light and refreshing! This recipe features an easy-to-make pineapple simple syrup that takes this summer cocktail to the next level. Fresh mint leaves, plenty of lime wedges, and a splash of white rum quickly come together to create this effortlessly delicious beverage.

Ingredients

  • For the pineapple simple syrup:

  • 1 cup fresh pineapple

  • 1 cup water

  • 1/4 cup sugar, see Notes

  • For a single pineapple mojito:

  • 8 fresh mint leaves

  • 2 line wedges

  • 2 pineapple chunks

  • 1 1/2 ounces white rum

  • 2 tablespoons pineapple simply syrup (recipe included)

  • club soda, see Notes

Directions

  • For the pineapple simple syrup:
  • Blend pineapple and water until smooth, then add to a saucepan with the sugar.
  • Simmer for 30 minutes then cool and transfer to the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour before using in the recipe below.
  • For the pineapple mojito:
  • Add the fresh mint leaves, lime wedges, and pineapple chunks to the bottom of a glass and muddle to release flavor.
  • Fill cup with ice then add in white rum, pineapple simple syrup, and finish off with club soda. Stir before serving.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Sugar: I used coconut sugar to keep this pineapple mojito refined sugar-free, though white or cane sugar will work as well!
  • Club Soda: I love using a pineapple flavored club soda for this cocktail recipe to boost that delicious pineapple flavor, however plain club soda will taste great too.
  • Pineapple simple syrup will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one week.

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30 Minutes or Less

Pineapple Mimosas

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Close up image of pineapple mimosas, garnished with fresh pineapple.

These pineapple mimosas are a new and improved version of a brunch-time favorite! Fresh pineapple and a bottle of bubbly is all you’ll need for this effortless cocktail. Whip these innovative mimosas out at your next party or picnic and impress everyone with your new bartending skills (no one has to know how easy they were to make!).

Close up image of pineapple mimosas, garnished with fresh pineapple.

I’m sure we’re all pretty familiar with the classic orange juice mimosa. Perhaps we even enjoy a grapefruit mimosa on occasion. While yes, both flavors are good, they’re kind of …hmmm how do I say this politely – outdated?!

After years of drinking well cocktails in dark/questionable bars, I familiarized myself with how nicely pineapple pairs with alcohol. Luckily, my taste in alcoholic beverages has since improved. But I continued to drink the same old boring mimosas at brunch. I knew I deserved better when it came to my brunch beverage options, and most importantly, I knew my readers deserved better too! *Enter the pineapple mimosa with homemade, two-ingredient pineapple juice.* These pineapple mimosas are nothing short of refreshing! Perfectly sweet, with just the right amount of juice. I promise you, and everyone you choose to share these pineapple mimosas with, will fall head-over-heels for this fun, new brunch cocktail!

What You Need To Make Pineapple Mimosas

Fresh Pineapple – I tried this recipe with frozen pineapple and while the taste was still on-point, the texture was too difficult to strain. However, if you don’t mind a bit of pulp in your drink – you can definitely use fresh or frozen pineapple and skip the straining step altogether!

Champagne or Prosecco – Really any white sparkling wine will work here! And if i’m being completely honest, I usually can’t even taste a difference between Champagne or Prosecco. Therefore, I can’t recommend one over the other. However, I will say that the higher-end bottles of bubbly make better tasting pineapple mimosas – so keep that in mind when you’re shopping!

Make it a Mimosa Mocktail

  • Skip the champagne in these pineapple mimosas and use a flavored sparkling water instead! I’d recommend a grapefruit, lemon, or pineapple flavored sparkling water for these mocktails.

Pineapple Mimosas Tips and Tricks

  • Add a few pieces of frozen pineapple to the bottom of each glass to chill your cocktails. This is a great way to keep these drinks cold in warmer months, without watering them down!
  • If you have a juicer, feel free to use that to make the pineapple juice instead! Simply run fresh pineapple chunks through the juicer and use it directly in this recipe – no need to strain it.
  • Prep these pineapple mimosas ahead of time by making the fresh pineapple juice and storing it in the fridge until guests arrive or you’re ready to serve. Then, pop a bottle of Champagne and pour up those cocktails!
Pineapple Mimosas
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Pineapple Mimosas

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: DrinksDifficulty: Easy
Servings

6

mimosas
Total time

5

minutes

These pineapple mimosas are a new and improved version of a brunch-time favorite! Fresh pineapple and a bottle of bubbly is all you’ll need for this effortless cocktail. Whip these innovative mimosas out at your next party or picnic and impress everyone with your new bartending skills (no one has to know how easy they were to make!).

Ingredients

  • 2 cups fresh pineapple

  • 1/2 cup water, see Notes

  • 750ml bottle of Champagne or Prosecco, chilled

Directions

  • Blend the pineapple and water together until completely smooth.
  • Pour pineapple juice through a fine mesh strainer to remove pulp.
  • Add 1 ounce of fresh pineapple juice to a champagne flute and top with chilled Champagne or Prosecco.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • If you’re having trouble blending the pineapple, add more water as you see necessary.

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30 Minutes or Less

Skinny Blackberry Margarita

By
blackberry dropping into a glass of skinny blackberry margarita.

Yes, you read that title right – the skinny blackberry margarita is here and ready to change your life! This cup of pure magic is bursting with fresh blackberry and lime flavor, with just a touch of sweetness. Finished off with a salt + sugar rim, this skinny blackberry margarita are nothing short of perfection.

blackberry dropping into a glass of skinny blackberry margarita.

I am a margarita girl through and through. If there’s a marg on the happy hour menu, there’s a 99% chance I’m ordering it. Because of my sheer obsession with margaritas, I wanted to create a recipe for my own margarita here one day. As the weather warms up and my margarita cravings increased, I knew now was the time. But I didn’t want to create just a regular margarita – that’s boring. So I thought hmmm blackberries sound good. And that’s quite literally how these skinny blackberry margaritas came to be.

Why Skinny?

I want to start off by saying that I am usually NOT a fan of foods or recipes that call out “skinny,” or ” low-fat.” Or really anything in the title that would imply that if you didn’t eat or drink this recipe, you’d be “fat.” But the term “skinny margarita” is actually widely known as a specific kind of margarita. It’s almost like asking for a “spicy margarita,” the extra word helps to identify its ingredients (not call out its nutrition facts). Therefore, by calling this a skinny blackberry margarita, we are making it known that this recipe contains fresh-squeezed orange juice and agave nectar. For more info on these ingredients, see the section below!

What You’ll Need to Make a Skinny Blackberry Margarita

Tequila – Silver or reposado tequila taste best in this cocktail, but really any tequila will work! Though keep in mind that the better quality the tequila is that you use – the better tasting your margarita will be.

Fresh Orange Juice – Fresh orange juice replaces the orange liqueur in this skinny blackberry margarita recipe. Simply slice an orange in half then squeeze one of the halves into a glass. Half of a squeezed orange usually yields enough fresh orange juice for this recipe!

Agave Nectar – This sweet syrup is a natural sweetener reigning from – you guessed it – the agave plant! The agave nectar in this recipe replaces the simple syrup used in most traditional margarita recipes. We use a fairly small amount of nectar in this recipe in order to keep the sugars low. Though feel free to add as much or as little agave nectar as you’d like!

Make it a Virgin Skinny Blackberry Margarita

  • Use 2 ounces of tonic or sparkling water in place of the tequila to make this a virgin skinny blackberry margarita!
Skinny Blackberry Margarita
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Skinny Blackberry Margarita

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: DrinksCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

1

serving
Total time

5

minutes

This cup of pure magic is bursting with fresh blackberry and lime flavor, with just a touch of sweetness. Finished off with a salt + sugar rim, this skinny blackberry margarita is nothing short of perfection.

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoons sugar

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • lime wedge

  • 5 blackberries

  • 2 ounces tequila, see Notes

  • 3 tablespoons lime juice

  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons agave nectar

Directions

  • Mix together the sugar and salt on a small plate. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass, then dip in the sugar and salt mixture.
  • Place blackberries at the bottom of the glass and muddle until they are lightly crushed, then fill the glass with ice.
  • Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then add in the tequila, lime juice, orange juice and agave nectar. Secure the lid and shake for 30 seconds, then strain into your glass.

Notes

  • No muddler? No problem! I used the end of a spatula as a muddler – you can use any kitchen utensil you’d like to lightly crush the blackberries.
  • Tequila: Silver or reposado tequila taste best in this recipe, though you can use any tequila you’d like.

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