I absolutely love to create delicious cocktail recipes for parties, and this big-batch Margarita pitcher recipe has been one of my favorites for years and years! I developed it with the help of my Mom, and we both agree it’s the best pitcher cocktail we’ve ever tried. I love serving these crowd-friendly margaritas at family functions and for groups of friends. It’s made with simple and fresh ingredients, and it’s utterly delicious. What I really love is that it’s scalable– I’ve made it for as few as 2 people and as many as 24. The recipe card will explain how to make it for a few or a lot!
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I love this batch margarita pitcher recipe because it tastes fresh, isn’t too sweet, and it’s made with simple ingredients. It is super smooth, so watch out! It works great as a single serving, or as an entire pitcher. You’re going to love this!
What’s in my Margarita Recipe?
- Cointreau: This orange liqueur is a staple in margaritas. I prefer Cointreau over triple sec, but either will work.
- Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice is the key to a delicious margarita. Don’t use bottled lime juice; it just won’t taste the same!
- Tequila: Choose a good-quality Reposado tequila (I find this is absolutely key!) for the smoothest, best-tasting margaritas.
- Agave Syrup: Agave nectar is a great all-natural sweetener. Use more or less depending on your tastes.
- Ice: Chills down individual servings and keeps them cool all day long.
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Tips for Success
- Batch these margaritas early in the day, but shake up individual drinks just before serving for the best taste!
- I like to keep my tequila in the freezer to create the coldest margarita recipe possible with the least amount of ice. I don’t want to water this deliciousness down!
- If you want an even fresher taste, you can add a splash of freshly squeezed orange juice!
- These Margaritas are not very sweet. If you would like them sweeter, just add more agave syrup to taste.
- If you want salted glass rims, cover the bottom of a small plate with margarita salt. Rub the rims of the glasses with a lime wedge, dip the rims in the margarita salt, and set the glasses upright to dry a tad before filling with ice.
- It’s important to shake the margaritas before serving. Add 2-4 servings to a shaker with ice right before serving and repeat for each serving. Makes all the difference. Your guests will thank you!
How to Store
I store leftover pitcher margaritas tightly covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours. Shake individual drinks over ice in a cocktail shaker just before serving. In the recipe card, you can find a link to my favorite shakers!
Serving Suggestions
I think that a pitcher of margaritas is the best easy cocktail for Cinco de Mayo celebrations. Serve them up with Baked Chicken Tacos, White Queso, Mexican Street Corn Dip, Chicken Nachos, or Homemade Tortilla Chips and Salsa.
Pitcher Margarita Recipe
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Ingredients
For Individual (One, 4.5-ounce) Serving
- 1 ounce Cointreau
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 ounces Reposado Tequila 100% pure de Agave Tequila
- ⅓ ounce Agave syrup (2 teaspoons) I use Tres Agaves, Agave Nectar – organic
- 1 cup ice
For 13 (4-ounce) Servings
- 1½ cups Cointreau
- 1½ cups freshly squeezed lime juice
- 3 cups Reposado Tequila
- ½ cup Agave syrup
- 12 cups Ice
For 18 (4-ounce) Servings
- 2¼ cups Cointreau
- 2¼ cups freshly squeezed lime juice
- 4½ cups Reposado Tequila
- ¾ cup Agave syrup
- 1 bag ice
For 24 (4 ounce) Servings:
- 3 cups Cointreau
- 3 cups freshly squeezed lime juice
- 6 cups Reposado Tequila
- 1 cup Agave syrup
- 1 bag ice
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
If making for a crowd (13, 18, or 24 servings)
- In 2-quart pitcher, combine all ingredients, except the ice. Keep the margarita mixture refrigerated until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve, rim the glasses with salt (if desired) and fill each with ice.
- Fill a cocktail shaker ¾ of the way with ice. Add enough prepared margarita mixture to the top of the ice. Cover tightly and shake vigorously 10-15 seconds. Pour into prepared glasses and serve immediately. Drain excess water from the shaker. Repeat for the additional servings, adding more ice as needed.
- Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.
For Individual Servings
- See above if salting the rim of the glass.
- Fill the shaker about halfway with ice and add all other ingredients. Shake vigorously 10-15 seconds.1 ounce Cointreau, 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice, 2 ounces Reposado Tequila, ⅓ ounce Agave syrup, 1 cup ice
- Immediately pour into the prepared glass and garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- Mezcal Margaritas: Swap the Reposado tequila for your favorite brand of Mezcal for smoky margaritas.
- Spicy Margaritas: Muddle a few jalapeño slices in the bottom of each glass before pouring in the margarita, or add some chili powder to the salt rim.
- Skinny Margaritas: Follow my skinny margarita recipe!
- Virgin Margaritas: Swap the tequila for sparkling water and the Cointreau for orange juice. Batch these mocktails without the sparkling water (it’ll cause your shaker to leak), then top them off with sparkling water just before serving.
Nutrition Information
How to Make a Margarita Pitcher (24 Servings) Step by Step
Mix the Margs: In 2-quart pitcher, combine 3 cups of Cointreau, 3 cups of freshly squeezed lime juice, 6 cups of Reposado Tequila, and 1 cup of Agave syrup. Keep the margarita mixture refrigerated until ready to serve.
Prep the Glasses: When ready to serve, rim the glasses with salt (if desired) and fill each with ice.
Shake Individual Servings: Fill a cocktail shaker ¾ of the way with ice. Add enough prepared margarita mixture to the top of the ice. Cover tightly and shake vigorously 10-15 seconds. Pour into prepared glasses and serve immediately. Drain excess water from the shaker. Repeat for the additional servings, adding more ice as needed.
Garnish and Serve: Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.
More Margarita Recipes To Try
- Orange Margaritas
- Spicy Blackberry Margaritas
- Azul Margaritas
- Beer Margaritas
- Watermelon Margaritas
- Strawberry Basil Margaritas
- …Browse All Of Our Margarita Recipes!
An easy way to remember how to mix a classic margarita is to memorize the ratio 3-2-1: three parts tequila, two parts triple sec, and one part lime juice. I changed up the ratios a bit in this recipe, and I think it’s even better this way, but you be the judge!
I have written the recipe below for just 1 serving and also for 24 servings in a large pitcher. You decide if it’s worth sharing with friends. This is one I might just keep all to myself.
When making margaritas, I always opt for one that isn’t the most expensive and isn’t the cheapest. You want a quality tequila that is smooth and well made, but there’s no reason to break the bank when you’re not sipping it straight. For these Pitcher Margaritas, I recommend using a Reposado Tequila which is typically smoother than a Blanco or Anejo Tequila. Once I made that change in this recipe, it made all the difference.
Cointreau is a brand of Triple Sec, so technically yes. Cointreau is a trusted brand from France and their Orange Liqueur is delicious! I find some Triple Sec has a bitter or fake taste, but not Cointreau.
I had a large party 45 guests and followed the recipe for 24 (I actually doubled it) and it was a hit! Everyone loved the margaritas.
Can I mix all the ingredients except the ice and store in the freezer for a day or two?
Hi Tiffany, you could store the mix in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks!
Do you need to do the “shake” part? I’m wondering for a big crowd how to get that accomplished?? Also, has anyone blended these? To make a “slush” margarita! Thanks for the help!
Hi Ann, shaking the individual servings is what sets this recipe apart from others!
Had probably four of these today – they are that good!
Love to hear it, Sarah! Cheers!
LOVE this recipe! It’s my go-to margarita recipe – everyone loves it! I completely agree the reposado makes all the difference!
We’re so happy to hear you love this recipe, Sarah!
We’re sorry to hear you didn’t enjoy this recipe, Victoria!
We’re sorry to hear this recipe wasn’t to your tastes, Teresa!
Hello! Can you link a good low ball glass to use? I am hosting a party of 20-25 people and think those might be better than margarita glasses.
That’s so fun! I love these and think they’re so fun and cute.
Made a batch for a party and got rave reviews! This will be our new go-to recipe- thank you!
Quick and easy recipe and very yummy! I’m glad we tried this one.
So glad you enjoyed it, Cindy!