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My healthier margaritas are just as simple to make as a regular margarita, but made with less sugar. All you need is fresh lime juice, honey, water and tequila! They’re still perfect for any occasion when you’d enjoy a regular margarita (Cinco de Mayo, taco nights, or just at the end of a really tough week!) — I just love that they’re a little lighter!
See recipe card below for full list of measurements, ingredients, and instructions.
A Note from Cheryl
When I gave up refined sugar for a while, I was seriously bummed at the prospect of missing out on my beloved margaritas for lack of simple syrup — and I really just can’t do the no-sweetener-at-all kind of margarita that some sugar-free people manage to enjoy. It turned out that the answer to my margarita cravings was honey! I put together a simple recipe that’s based on shot glasses full of each ingredient and used honey to sweeten. I’m not typically a huge fan of the honey taste, so I was thrilled when it just came off as sweeter, perfectly balanced with the tequila!
Why This Recipe Is So Good
- My healthy margaritas (okay… healthy-ish!) have all the classic flavor of your go-to margarita recipe, but because we’re using honey instead of simple syrup we’re not adding any more refined sugar. If it were not for the 1/2 shot of Triple Sec in there, they’d be totally refined sugar free. I tried it without, but then it wasn’t really a margarita. And life is all about balance and compromise, after all! They’re what I drank when I quit refined sugar, but tweaked to taste authentic.
- Just the right amount of water has been added to make a longer, more refreshing margarita than if you mixed it straight. Not only does this make the drink lighter, but it helps balance out the other flavors too.
What I Learned Testing This Recipe
- You need regular, grocery store honey in the squeezy bottle to make these margaritas. Make sure you’re buying one that is actually pure honey (not sugar syrup with flavoring added) but those thick fancy artisan jars of honey from the farmers market? They will not mix up into a good cocktail!
- To get that perfect salt rim without rolling the glass in simple syrup, use a lime wedge to create a suitable surface for the salt to stick to.
- Don’t serve these honey margaritas over crushed ice. With water in the cocktail mix, that is just too much dilution for a nice-tasting drink.
- If your honey won’t dissolve completely, for your next drink whisk the honey with the lime juice first to give it a helping hand.
Recipe Variations
Add a touch of spice: Either muddle a few slices of jalapeño in the bottom of the cocktail shaker before adding the rest of the ingredients (remember to then strain the drink into your glass to catch any bits!) or add a touch of TajÃn to the salt rim.
Make it a cucumber margarita: Chopping the cucumber up and muddling it as in the jalapeño variation above will make a super refreshing cucumber margarita with serious infused water vibes. You can also make it more refreshing by using coconut water instead of regular water.
Use mezcal: Using mezcal instead of tequila in your margarita will make the flavor a little more complex!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes — and I know some people prefer it. Use exactly the same amount as you would honey.
For pretty much any margarita recipe blanco / silver tequila works best as it has a clean flavor that pairs well with most fruits, and the essential lime juice!
I like kosher salt, but any fine or lightly flaky sea salt would also be a good choice.
More Easy Cocktail Recipes
- Fruity Frozen Margaritas
- Paleo Margaritas with Champagne Floater
- 3-Ingredient Watermelon Margarita
- Cucumber Margarita Pitcher Recipe
- Cranberry Margarita Pitcher
- Non Alcoholic Margarita Recipe
- Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita
- Mexican Beer Cocktail with Lime and Salt
- Lavender Lemonade Vodka Cocktail
- Easy Blueberry Mojito
- Smoked Margarita
Making changes to a recipe can result in recipe failure. Any substitutions or variations listed are simple changes that I believe will work in this recipe, but results are not guaranteed.
Healthier Honey Margaritas
Ingredients
- 1 shot fresh lime juice
- 1 – 1½ shots tequila depending on your preferred strenght
- ½ shot triple sec
- ½ shot runny honey
- 2 shots water
- ice
- kosher salt for an optional salt rim
- lime wedges for an optional garnish
Instructions
- If you’re rimming your glass with salt, make a small cut down the middle of a lime wedge and stick the wedge on the rim of the glass on this small cut. Rub the wedge around the entire rim and then dip into a shallow bowl filled with kosher salt.
- To make the margarita, combine all shots of liquid in a cocktail shaker with plenty of ice and shake very vigorously. Fill your glass with ice and strain into glass. Serve immediately.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
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This is now my go-to recipe for margaritas! We love them, and now use this recipe as the new standard to measure against the margaritas we get when we go out. They just don’t compare, most times. Why pay for an premium prices for an inferior drink when you can make better at home? We are spoiled now, for sure!