Margarita Pitcher Recipe (for a Crowd)
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This delicious Margarita pitcher recipe is perfect for a crowd. Like a cantina bartender, prep this easy mix in advance for Margaritas on the Rocks, or for blended (frozen) Margaritas. Simply mix, pour over ice, and let the fiesta begin! Ideal for large events like weddings, birthdays, Cinco de Mayo, 4th of July, and Game Day.
📌 Pin Margarita Pitcher Recipe
👩🏻🍳 Why This Recipe’s a Keeper
- Real Cantina Taste: During our college years, my husband helped prep Margarita mix for El Torito’s Restaurant (a big chain like Tequila Willies, On the Border, etc.). This big-batch Margarita mix tastes just like those from the big chain restaurants/bars. And because we now spend 6 months a year in Mexico, we know what good Margaritas taste like!
- Convenience: Big-batch Margaritas can be prepared in advance before guests arrive. This saves time and effort compared to making individual cocktails throughout the event. Everyone gets a drink when they want it without long waits.
- Time-Saving: Having premixed Margaritas allows the host to focus on other party preparations. And once guests arrive, the host can spend more time mingling, taking pictures, and enjoying the party and less time bartending.
- Easy to Scale Up or Down: This Margarita pitcher recipe was crafted for scalability. It can be adjusted to make more or less depending on the size of the crowd.
- Consistency: Mixing a large batch ensures uniformity in taste and strength across all servings, so everyone enjoys the same great flavor.
- Crowd-Pleaser: Classic Margaritas are a beloved and popular cocktail, appealing to a wide range of tastes. They’re a guaranteed hit at any gathering.
🔪 Tools and Garnishes
- High-Speed Blender: For making blended (frozen) Margaritas. For large parties, my husband pulls out our 2 Vitamix blenders and puts them to work.
- Jigger: This is a must-have bartending tool for measuring ounces.
- Drink Pitcher or Container: For large gatherings, I highly recommend a Mexican-style (5-gallon) plastic jug drink dispenser. Or for smaller parties, a 1-gallon drink dispenser that’s placed on a stand.
- Margarita Glasses: For large parties I recommend small, wide (disposable) plastic drink cups. For smaller gatherings, Margarita cocktail glasses are a very nice touch.
- Straws: I recommend wide straws for frozen Margaritas, and slender straws if serving Margaritas on the rocks. If you can’t find short straws, pre-cut long straws in half.
- Lime Wheels or Wedges: For large parties I prefer 1/8-inch lime wheels for garnishing as one large lime yields 6 to 7 lime wheels. If cutting wedges, each lime yields 4 wedges.
- Margarita Salt: At the market, look for this specialty item next to the cocktail mixes. When preparing for parties, pre-salt the rim of the cocktail glasses in advance, and arrange them on a tray ready to go – next to a container of straws and pre-sliced lime wheels.
🛒 Ingredients
- Frozen Minute Maid Premium Limeade: It provides the classic tartness and citrus flavor essential to Margaritas. It serves as the base for the drink’s flavor profile.
- Bottled Water: We use it to dilute the concentrated limeade, so that our Margaritas have the right balance of sweetness and tartness.
- Sauza Conmemorativo Anejo Tequila: Tequila is the base spirit of Margaritas. It provides the distinctive agave flavor and the kick of alcohol we expect from this cocktail. Añejo tequila, in particular, adds depth and complexity with its oak-aged character.
- Jose Cuervo Margarita Mix: Adds sweetness and enhances the citrus flavor of the limeade, ensuring a well-rounded and flavorful drink.
- Triple Sec: This orange-flavored liqueur complements the limeade’s citrus notes while adding sweetness and depth to the Margaritas.
- Orange Juice: Reinforces the citrus profile of the Margaritas.
- Presidente Brandy: Adds richness, depth, and complexity, complementing the flavors of the tequila and citrus while providing a subtle warmth to the cocktail.
- Grand Marnier: This premium orange liqueur intensifies the citrus notes in the Margaritas while adding complexity and depth with its cognac base.
- Ice: It’s essential for chilling the Margaritas and providing the desired frosty texture. It also helps to dilute the drink slightly as it melts, balancing the flavors.
📖 Margarita Pitcher Recipe
Note: We save and use the empty limeade can to measure out several of the other ingredients. This method is super easy, and there are less kitchen tools to wash. But if you’ve accidentally thrown the empty can away, no worries, you can use kitchen measuring cups instead: 1 empty 12-ounce limeade can = 1.5 cups.
- Empty the can of frozen Minute Maid Limeade into the blender. Save the empty limeade can. We’ll use it as our measuring cup.
- Fill the limeade can with water. Add it to the blender. Fill the limeade can with tequila. Add it to the blender. Fill the limeade can with Jose Cuervo Margarita Mix. Add it to the blender.
- Fill the limeade can 1/3 full with triple sec. Add it to the blender.
- Using a jigger, add 1-ounce orange juice to the blender. Add 1-ounce Presidente Brandy to the blender.
- Blend the ingredients on low speed. Pour the batch of Margarita mix into a drink container. For additional batches, repeat the above directions.
- See the instructions below for how to use this Margarita pitcher recipe to make Margaritas on the rocks, and blended (frozen) Margaritas.
🧊 Margaritas on the Rocks
- Salt the rim of a Margarita glass. Dip the rim into the Margarita mixture, then into the Margarita salt. Fill the glass 2/3 full of ice.
- Straight from the blender (or from a drink container), pour the pre-made Margarita mix over the ice.
- Drizzle Grand Marnier over the top.
- Garnish your classic Margarita with a wedge of lime and a straw.
🍹 Blended (Frozen) Margaritas
- Salt the rim of a Margarita glass. Dip the rim into the Margarita mixture, then into the Margarita salt. Then put the glass aside.
- Fill the blender with ice (until almost full) two inches from the top. Pour pre-made Margarita mix into the blender until the liquid is just slightly above the ice.
- Start blending at low speed – until the ice is crushed. Gradually increase the speed and blend until the desired texture is achieved.
- Pour the mixture into the salt-rimmed glass. Top with Grand Marnier. Garnish with a wheel of lime and a straw.
👨🏻🍳 More Mexican Margaritas
Living in Mexico 6 months a year – next to several all-inclusive beach resorts that churn out fantastic Margaritas all day long, my husband and I have had the opportunity to snag resort-drink recipes from professional bartenders we’ve befriended.
- Pineapple Margarita
- Spicy Strawberry Jalapeño Margarita
- Blue Margarita
- Frozen Cranberry Margarita
- Top-Shelf Cadillac Margarita
- Classic Lime Margarita Mix
Rate This Recipe ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Review from a flavor tester: “This Margarita Pitcher Recipe is an absolute game-changer for entertaining! It’s the perfect balance of tart and sweet, with just the right kick of tequila. I made these big-batch Margaritas for a wedding rehearsal dinner and they were a huge hit!”
If you agree this recipe’s a keeper, give it a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero. Share it with friends. 📌 Pin it to Pinterest.
Margarita Pitcher Recipe for a Crowd
- Total Time: 5 Minutes
- Yield: 20 Servings 1x
Description
This delicious Margarita Pitcher Recipe will quench your thirst and wow a crowd! Blend up a big batch in advance to keep the party going.
Ingredients
Margarita Pitcher Recipe
- 1 (12-ounce) can frozen Minute Maid Limeade, do not defrost
- 1 1/2 cups (bottled or purified) water
- 1 1/2 cups Sauza Conmemorativo Anejo Tequila
- 1 1/2 cups Jose Cuervo Margarita Mix
- 1/2 cup triple sec
- 1 ounce orange juice
- 1 ounce Presidente Brandy
For Serving
- Margarita salt
- Ice
- Grand Marnier, 1/2 ounce per cocktail
- Limes, sliced into wheels or wedges
Instructions
Margarita Pitcher Recipe
Note: We save and use the empty limeade can to measure out several of the other ingredients. This method is super easy, and there are less kitchen tools to wash. But if you’ve accidentally thrown the empty can away, no worries, you can use kitchen measuring cups instead: 1 empty 12-ounce limeade can = 1.5 cups.
- Empty the frozen limeade into the blender. Save the empty can. We’ll use it as our measuring cup.
-
Fill the limeade can with water. Add it to the blender. Fill the limeade can with tequila. Add it to the blender. Fill the limeade can with Jose Cuervo Margarita Mix. Add it to the blender.
-
Fill the limeade can 1/3 full with triple sec. Add it to the blender.
-
Using a jigger, add 1 ounce orange juice to the blender. Then add 1 ounce Presidente Brandy.
-
Blend the ingredients on low speed. Pour the batch of Margarita mix into a drink container. For additional batches, repeat the above directions.
👨🏻🍳 Use this Margarita pitcher recipe to make Margaritas on the rocks or blended (frozen) Margaritas. See the instructions below.
Margaritas on the Rocks
- Salt the rim of a Margarita glass. Dip the rim into the Margarita mixture, then into the Margarita salt. Fill the glass 2/3 full of ice.
- Straight from the blender (or from a drink container), pour the pre-made Margarita mix over the ice.
- Drizzle Grand Marnier over the top.
- Garnish your classic Margarita with a wedge of lime and a straw.
Blended (Frozen) Margaritas
- Salt the rim of a Margarita glass. Dip the rim into the Margarita mixture, then into the Margarita salt. Then put the glass aside.
- Fill the blender with ice (until almost full) two inches from the top. Pour pre-made Margarita mix into the blender until the liquid is just slightly above the ice.
- Start blending at low speed – until the ice is crushed. Gradually increase the speed and blend until the desired texture is achieved.
- Pour the mixture into the salt-rimmed glass. Top with Grand Marnier. Garnish with a wheel of lime and a straw.
Equipment
Buy Now → Notes
Drink Pitcher or Container: For large gatherings, I highly recommend a Mexican-style (5-gallon) plastic jug drink dispenser. Or for smaller parties, a 1-gallon drink dispenser that’s placed on a stand.
- Prep Time: 5 Minutes
- Cook Time: 0 Minutes
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Blending
- Cuisine: Mexican
Found this recipe on Pinterest and made them for a big family event. They were a huge hit! Tasted so amazing. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
I love these margaritas and so did the guests at our backyard gathering. Everyone agreed – this recipe is fantastic. Thank you!
What wonderful Margaritas! My husband who likes trying new recipes says this one’s the best he’s ever made. They taste just like the ones at our favorite Mexican restaurant.
This is 100% my new favorite recipe. This Margarita mix is so dang delicious! We served them on the rocks, which was perfect for our crowd. But next time we’ll try them blended/frozen. Yum.
I’ll have to show this to my husband – he LOVES making mixed drinks. This will be right up his alley :D
This pitcher recipe is off the charts! Friends agreed – these homemade Margaritas have the same taste as drinks ordered at the bar of a Mexican restaurant.
Everyone loves a good margarita!! And this one was it. I was in charge of the drinks for a taco bar. And with all the compliments, I felt like cocktail hero!
Thanks for this excellent recipe. It was such a lifesaver. And such a hit. Before the end of the party both batches of Margaritas were gone, and I was left with a cooler of soda and beer!
I wish the weather was warmer where I lived so I could drink these on the deck all year round!
My friend made a giant container of these Margaritas for a party. Everyone was asking for the recipe. I’m pinning it to Pinterest right now – I don’t want to lose it.
Grand Marnier is my favorite thing to add to a margarita!! I am going to have to try this recipe out tonight.
That margarita looks SO pretty!! You always have great tips with your recipes too. Love it!
Love, love this recipe. It was so easy to make, and all my guests could serve themselves. No more missing out on all the party fun making up drinks one by one. I wish I could give this a 10-star rating!!!
I love a good margarita (blended). My dad does them in the summer especially when we have bbq’s.
I had no clue it was margarita day!
And that guac looks amazing too.
–Melissa
http://www.melissamchee.com
Yay for margs! Love the pitcher and glasses set you featured.
This looks so good; I’m a sucker for a good Margarita every now and then! What a great idea for our next date night