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30 Minutes or Less

Skinny Strawberry Margarita Recipe

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close-up image of a skinny strawberry margarita in a glass with fresh strawberries and lime wedges on top.

A lighter, but just as delicious skinny strawberry margarita! Shake up one of these ice cold cocktails at your next Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, or summer party. Made with fresh-squeezed juice, good quality tequila, and fresh strawberries for an incredibly light and refreshing cocktail!

skinny strawberry margarita being poured from a cocktail shaker into a glass.

What You’ll Need To Make A Skinny Strawberry Margarita

Strawberries – Fresh (not frozen) strawberries are a perfect fruity addition to this classic cocktail! Slice off the tops of your strawberries, then gently muddle them in the bottom of your drink glass. Last, pour your shaken skinny margarita on top and give it a gentle stir to incorporate.

Lime Juice – Fresh-squeezed lime juice is best in any margarita recipe. However, if you’re short on time, or making a large batch of these, go ahead and use bottled lime juice instead. Though when picking a bottled lime juice, make sure it has just one ingredient – limes – no added sugar, please!

Orange Juice – Just like the lime juice, fresh-squeezed orange juice is best, and healthiest in this recipe. Most traditional margarita recipes have some sort of orange liquor which packs in extra calories and sugar. So by replacing the liquor with fresh-squeezed orange juice, we effectively turn this into a “skinny” cocktail!

Agave Nectar – Another key component to this skinny strawberry margarita recipe. The agave nectar replaces simple syrup, with a very similar taste and sweetness! Though if you don’t have agave nectar, you can use honey or simple syrup to sweeten your drink instead.

skinny strawberry margarita in a glass with fresh strawberries and lime wedges on top.

Tips and Tricks

  • Craving a frozen strawberry margarita? Place all ingredients (strawberries, tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave nectar) in a blender with a small handful of ice! I love making a whole pitcher of frozen margs for friends and family on hot summer days.
  • If you don’t own a fancy-shmancy muddler, simply use the end of a mixing spoon to muddle your strawberries instead. Preferably one with a wide, flat end – but really anything that allows you to press and crush your strawberries will do!
  • Switch up this summer cocktail recipe however you’d like! Rim the glass with just salt, or just sugar, based on your preferences. You could even muddle in some fresh mint leaves to make it even more refreshing! Or for a skinny blackberry margarita, check out my recipe here.
overhead image of a skinny strawberry margarita in a glass.

Make It A Mocktail

For a virgin strawberry margarita, replace the tequila with 2 ounces of tonic or sparkling water!

skinny strawberry margarita in a glass with fresh strawberries and lime wedges on top.
3.75 from 4 votes

Skinny Strawberry Margarita Recipe

A lighter, but just as delicious skinny strawberry margarita! Shake up one of these ice cold cocktails at your next Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, or summer party. Made with fresh-squeezed juice, good quality tequila, and fresh strawberries for an incredibly light and refreshing cocktail!
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Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 serving

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • lime wedge
  • 3-5 strawberries, stems removed
  • 2 ounces tequila
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons agave nectar

Instructions

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

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal

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30 Minutes or Less

Perfect Aperol Spritz

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aperol spritz with fresh orange slices on the side.

The BEST summertime (or anytime!) cocktail – cool and refreshing Aperol spritz! Bubbly, citrusy, and never too sweet. Just three ingredients, and a white wine glass is all you’ll need to make this delicious drink.

aperol being poured into an aperol spritz.

Before diving into all things Aperol spritz, let me first introduce you to a “spritz Veneziano.” A spritz Veneziano is simply a wine-based cocktail containing prosecco, digestive bitter, and sparkling water. The digestive bitter in this particular spritz Veneziano is Aperol – which is where we get the name Aperol spritz!

What is Aperol?

Aperol is an Italia apéritif liquor. It’s bright orange with a citrus, slightly bitter flavor. It’s one of those things where on its own, it’s not so great, but when stirred into a spritz it’s INCREDIBLE. It offers a hint of orange flavor, without being overly sweet. It’s similar to Campari (if you’ve had that) but much less bitter!

Two aperol spritz in white wine glasses with a bottle of aperol on the side.

What You’ll Need to Make an Aperol Spritz

Aperol – The star of our show! Conflicting recipes will suggest different amounts of Aperol for your spritz. However, I’ve tested this recipe a TON of times, and found that two ounces of Aperol made for the perfect cocktail!

Prosecco – This Italian white sparkling wine is traditional to this Italian cocktail. In my opinion, Prosecco is a must for your spritz. I prefer and recommend La Marca Prosecco – it’s crisp and delicious! Also, for a single-serve spritz, I love their mini Prosecco bottles.

Sparkling Water – The amount of sparkling water is totally up to you. For a lighter, more bubbly cocktail, pour in up to 4 ounces of seltzer water. Or, for a deeper, more flavorful cocktail, finish it off with just one ounce of sparkling water!

two aperol spritz with orange slices on the side.

Tips and Tricks

  • Avoid over-stirring your drink. Intense stirring will result in a loss of carbonation. Therefore, your spritz won’t be nearly as bubbly and refreshing!
  • If you prefer the taste of a different aperitif liquer, feel free to use that instead! Campari, Contratto, or Lillet can all be used in place of the Aperol in this recipe.
  • For an extra cold drink, that won’t get watered down – slice, then freeze an orange before making. Then, use frozen orange slices as ice cubes in your Aperol Spritz. They’ll keep the drink cold, and will only add to its delicious, citrus flavor!

Want to keep the party going? Check out some of my other favorite Summer cocktails by clicking HERE.

close-up of holding an aperol spritz.
5 from 1 vote

Perfect Aperol Spritz

The BEST summertime (or anytime!) cocktail – cool and refreshing Aperol spritz! Bubbly, citrusy, and never too sweet. Just three ingredients, and a white wine glass is all you’ll need to make this delicious drink.
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Prep Time: 2 minutes
Total Time: 2 minutes
Servings: 1 drink

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces Aperol
  • 3 ounces Prosecco
  • splash of sparkling water
  • orange slice, for garnish

Instructions

  • Fill a white wine glass halfway with ice. Pour in Aperol, prosecco, and a splash of seltzer water, then gently stir to combine. Garnish with an orange slice and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal

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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!

frozen daiquiri with fresh limes on the side.
3 from 3 votes

Mom’s BEST Frozen Daiquiri

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.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes
Servings: 2 daiquiris

Ingredients

  • 4 ounces coconut rum
  • 2 ounces lime juice
  • 1 1/2 ounces simple syrup (or agave)
  • 2 cups ice

Instructions

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

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal

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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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