Ingredients
- Lime wedge and coarse salt
- ¾ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 2 ounces pineapple juice
- ¾ ounce orange liqueur
- 1½ ounces blanco tequila
- Ice
- Pineapple wedge for garnish
Instructions
- Run the lime wedge around the rim of the glass and dip the glass in the salt. Set aside.
- In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice, pineapple juice, orange liqueur, and tequila.
- Add ice and shake to chill.
- Strain into the prepared glass, filled with fresh ice.
- Garnish with the pineapple wedge.
Variations and Substitutions
Want to jazz up your pineapple margarita? Give these substitutions and variations a try:
- Add a few jalapeño slices to the cocktail shaker for a spicy pineapple margarita.
- Replace the blanco tequila with coconut or pineapple flavored tequila.
- Muddle some mango or papaya and fresh pineapple with the orange liqueur before adding the other ingredients.
Garnishes
A traditional garnish would be a pineapple wedge and salt rim, but you can add more:
- Use the lime wedge you used to rim the glass as a garnish along with the pineapple wedge.
- Add some tajin to the salt for a spicy rim.
- Rim the glass with coconut sugar.
- Make this a proper umbrella drink by plopping in a fancy paper umbrella.
About the Pineapple Margarita
If you've never tried pineapple in your margarita, you're in for a treat. The tropical fruit adds a little something special to the lime/orange/tequila flavor of the classic margarita. The sweet-tart notes of pineapple don't overwhelm what's already a nicely balanced cocktail. Likewise, one of the great things about adding pineapple to a margarita is it makes a beautiful base to also add some heat or spice that won't overwhelm. So if you like a spicy margarita, try some habanero slices (or an even hotter chili), and the sweet-tart tropical pineapple notes will stop it from setting your tongue aflame. If you don't like heat, then simply enjoy the juicy pineapple flavor all by itself. Sometimes simplicity is perfection.
The New Pineapple of Your Eye
The pineapple margarita is hardly the new kid on the block, but it may be new to you. With its juicy, sweet-tart, tropical flavors, it's sure to become a favorite whether you're drinking it for the first time or the 50th.
