pineapple margarita

This pineapple margarita recipe will transport you to an island vacation! The sweet, tropical flavors are deliciously balanced with a splash of Cointreau, earthy tequila and a salty lime rim. 

Make sure to use the best pineapple juice you can find for the most aromatic and flavorful cocktail. The good news is you don’t need a blender or juicer here: just throw it all together in a cocktail shaker and enjoy!

Keep reading to get inspired with a ton of flavor variations (pineapple mango margarita! spicy jalapeno margarita!), salt rim options, and tips on how to adapt this recipe with fresh pineapple, make it frozen, or scale it for a crowd.

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pineapple margarita ingredients

Tip: Use best pineapple juice you can find (we love R.W. Knudsen pineapple juice). Or make your own fresh pineapple puree for an even more intense tropical flavor and rich texture.

how to make a pineapple margarita on the rocks:

1. Make lime salt (or pick a favorite salt rim flavor below!)
2. Rim the margarita glass and fill with ice.
3. Shake pineapple juice, tequila, lime juice and Cointreau with ice.
4. Pour into prepared glass and enjoy!

Garnish tip: I love to garnish these margaritas with edible flowers (like violas or pansies) and a few snipped leaves from a fresh pineapple!

make a fresh pineapple margarita:

• Blend up ¼ of a fresh pineapple until very smooth.
• Strain the puree to remove any pulp, or leave it in for more texture. Up to you!
• Use in pineapple puree in place of pineapple juice in the recipe (you'll need 2 oz/ margarita).

make it a pitcher:

Mix up a large pitcher and keep it chilled in the fridge. When ready to serve, salt the rims of your margarita glasses and fill them with ice. Pour in the margarita mix and enjoy!

• 2 cups pineapple juice
• 1 ½ cups blanco tequila
• ¾ cups fresh squeezed lime juice
• ½ cup Cointreau

Note: Scaling up cocktails is more of an art than a science. When we shake a margarita with ice, a small amount of dilution occurs that isn’t present in the large batch. Taste the pitcher batch and if it's too boozy, mix in 2 oz water or extra pineapple juice to compensate (equal to an extra ¼ oz per serving). Chill it well in the fridge, then rebalance it with a touch more water or juice when cold, if needed.

make it a frozen pineapple margarita:

Combine the pitcher recipe above in a blender with 2 cups of ice and process until smooth and frosty.

flavor variations:

• Spicy pineapple margarita: Muddle in a few slices of jalapeno, serrano or habanero peppers in the cocktail shaker, before adding ice. 
• Grilled pineapple margarita: Grill ¼ of a fresh pineapple, roughly chop it and blend it up until very smooth. Use 2 oz of this sweet, caramelized pineapple puree in place of the pineapple juice.
• Pineapple mango margarita: Swap half the pineapple juice with mango juice (not mango nectar).
• Smoked pineapple margarita: Substitute mezcal for tequila and use a smoked salt rim.
• Pineapple orange margarita: Swap half the pineapple juice with fresh squeezed orange juice. Rim the glass with an orange zest-salt blend.
• Blueberry pineapple margarita: Muddle ¼ cup fresh blueberries in the cocktail shaker.
• Add herbs: Muddle 8-10 sprigs of mint, basil or cilantro in the cocktail shaker before adding ice.
• Top with a float: Float with a coconut rum, dark aged rum, or your favorite orange liqueur.

salt rim tips:

• Use a spice grinder to quickly pulse up lime sugar, but don’t grind it too fine. A mix of big and small salt crystals is key to getting an even coating on the glass. You can also use a mortar and pestle!
• Moisten the glass with lime juice, rather than water, to help the salt stick.
• Press the moistened rim into the salt firmly, without rotating, to get a solid coating of salt.
• Make it optional: Only dip one side of the glass in salt, so your guests have the choice to opt-out of the salt. This also looks so modern and beautiful!

salt rim variations:

• Chipotle salt:  ¼ cup kosher salt + 1 tsp chipotle powder
• Smoked salt: adds a complex smoky note!
• Orange salt: grind up ¼ cup kosher salt with zest of half an orange
• Tajin: use this chili lime salt just as it comes for a flavorful rim
• Edible flower salt: ¼ cup kosher salt + 1 tbsp dried edible flowers

more tequila cocktail and margarita recipes to try!

mango margarita

hibiscus margarita

blood orange margarita

cucumber mint margarita

spiced tamarind margarita

mezcal sour with strawberries and ginger

mezcal negroni

mexican mule (tequila ginger beer cocktail)

spicy margarita

cantarito

tequila sour

ranch water

strawberry margarita

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