Enjoy the vibrant taste of summer with this twist on the classic margarita, featuring fresh, juicy peaches.
Aged tequila adds a subtle hint of caramel and toffee, perfectly complementing the fruit, while peach schnapps enhances the stone fruit flavor. Lime zest provides a citrusy lift to the salted rim.
Ideal for a poolside afternoon, a backyard barbecue, or while manning the grill, this refreshing drink helps you stay cool no matter where you are.
What’s a Margarita?
A margarita is a cocktail composed of tequila, triple sec, and lime juice, traditionally served in a salt-rimmed glass.
Over time, the classic margarita has evolved with various ingredients and serving styles. Additions such as mango, strawberry, melons, and in this case, peaches, bring a sweet and fruity twist to the drink.
The margarita can also take on savory and spicy characteristics with ingredients like cucumber or jalapenos. Fresh herbs such as basil or cilantro can enhance the experience. The popular frozen margarita blends ingredients with ice for a refreshing slushy treat.
An Ode to Peaches
Although Georgia is famous as the Peach State, New Jersey, where I live, also produces excellent peaches. Some reports even rank the Garden State as the third-largest producer.
If you find yourself with an abundance of ripe peaches, using them for peach margaritas is a delightful way to enjoy them. Keep these tips in mind for a superb peach margarita:
- You can use peaches with small bruises since they will be muddled.
- The cocktail is strained, so there’s no need to peel the peaches.
- Muddle the peaches thoroughly to release all the juice.
- Expect some pulp in the drink, but it should not be more pulpy than fresh orange juice if muddled well.
All About Tequila
Tequila is an essential ingredient in margaritas, made from the distilled juice of the agave plant, predominantly sourced from Jalisco, Mexico. It comes in three main types: Blanco, reposado, and añejo.
The difference lies in the aging process: Blanco is unaged, reposado is aged in oak barrels for 2 months to 1 year, and añejo is aged for 1 to 3 years.
Other variations include joven, a blend of Blanco and aged tequila, and extra añejo, aged for over 3 years. To delve deeper into tequila, explore our guide for in-depth knowledge!
A Note About Peach Schnapps
Instead of the usual triple sec, I opt for peach schnapps to intensify the stone fruit flavor and add sweetness to the cocktail.
In Europe, schnapps is typically a brandy distilled from fermented fruit juices and bottled without added sugar, highlighting the fruit’s natural flavor. Stateside, schnapps typically involve fruit steeped in alcohol and sweetened, making it ideal for cocktail mixing.
Margarita Garnish Options
I prefer a partially salted rim for a balanced flavor with every sip. However, feel free to salt the entire rim if that’s your preference. You can also skip the lime zest in the salt if desired.
The fresh lime juice in the cocktail will still provide a citrusy taste. Many bars rim only the top of the glass, which is straightforward to do. A technique I use to avoid salt in the drink is to moisten the outer rim below the glass and then dip into salt.
How To Make a Peach Margarita
Crafting a peach margarita is quite simple.
- Muddle a peach in a cocktail shaker
- Add tequila, lime juice, schnapps, and ice
- Rim the glass with salt and fill with ice
- Strain the drink over the ice in the glass
- Enjoy your refreshing cocktail!
How To Scale the Cocktail
Because the muddled peaches occupy significant space in the shaker, prepare one drink at a time for small gatherings.
For larger groups, scale up the ingredients and blend them for convenience. Serve in a pitcher or pour directly over ice for quick and easy serving.
More Margarita Recipes
Cook Mode
(Keep screen awake)
-
1 lime
-
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
-
1 medium ripe to slightly over-ripe peach
-
2 ounces añejo tequila
-
2 ounces peach schnapps
-
Ice
-
Zest and juice the lime:
Use a microplane to zest the lime onto a small plate. Halve and juice the lime into a pourable container, like a Pyrex measuring cup.
-
Make the lime zest salt:
Mix 1/4 teaspoon of lime zest with salt using your fingers.
-
Rim the rocks glass:
Rub lime juice just below the rim of the glass, then press into lime salt so it sticks to the rim.
-
Muddle the peach:
Halve and pit the peach, slice into eight pieces, and muddle in a shaker until smooth.
-
Add the spirits and lime juice:
Add tequila, peach schnapps, and 1 ounce of lime juice to the shaker, fill with ice, and shake for about 20 seconds to chill.
-
Serve the cocktail:
Fill the prepared glass with ice and strain the cocktail into it, ensuring to move the strainer to let all the liquid through.
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 329 | Calories |
| 1g | Fat |
| 43g | Carbs |
| 2g | Protein |
×
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 1 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 329 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| 1g | 1% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 0% |
| 0mg | 0% |
| 635mg | 28% |
| 43g | 16% |
| Dietary Fiber 6g | 21% |
| Total Sugars 29g | |
| 2g | |
| Vitamin C 49mg | 244% |
| Calcium 55mg | 4% |
| Iron 1mg | 7% |
| Potassium 424mg | 9% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) indicates how much a nutrient in a serving contributes to a daily diet. A 2,000-calorie-per-day diet is standard for most guidelines. | |
Nutrition details are estimates based on ingredient database calculations. When options are presented, the first ingredient is used for analysis. Optional garnishes and alternative ingredients are not considered in the calculation.
