My main goal when I host a get-together, is to serve the most delicious food and drink imaginable that can be made ahead of time. These Frozen Grapefruit Margaritas are exactly that. And if it’s 80 plus degrees outside, as it was on Wednesday evening when I made these for a friend’s birthday gathering, all the better! Hand someone a slushy grapefruit margarita on a hot night and you’ll be rewarded by smiles of happiness and appreciation. Frozen margaritas are a perfect celebratory spring/summer cocktail. I love that they can be made the day before and kept, covered in the freezer. In fact they get even better overnight, because they become super slushy. When you’re ready to serve, rim the glasses, scoop in the margaritas, and enjoy!
I’ve been looking forward to this long weekend for weeks and plotting delicious things to barbecue, and I’ve listed some of my favorite recipes below. So if your weekend BBQ menu is still undecided, maybe I can help.
I hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend with lots of time to relax and enjoy great food and drink, friends and family!
Here are some of my favorite festive recipes for the grill:
FESTIVE APPETIZERS & SNACKS FOR THE GRILL
INDONESIAN GRILLED GREEN BEANS WITH LEMON AIOLI DIPPING SAUCE
GRILLED FIGS, PROSCIUTTO AND BURRATA
GRILLED ARTICHOKES WITH LEMON AIOLI
ROASTED TOMATOES AND MUSHROOM WITH GRILLED BREAD
GRILLED ZUCCHINI CAPRESE SALAD STACKS
FESTIVE MAIN DISHES FOR THE GRILL
KOREAN BBQ BURGERS with PICKLED ONIONS RADISHES and MISO MAYONNAISE
MEXICAN SPICED GRILLED CHICKEN WITH NECTARINE SALSA
GRILLED SKIRT STEAK WITH CHIMICHURRI SAUCE
FESTIVE SIDES TO GO WITH BARBECUE
THREE BEAN SALAD WITH CREAMY LEMON DRESSING
Here’s the recipe for Frozen Grapefruit Margaritas. If you make them I hope you’ll come back and leave a comment to let me know what you think.
- For The Margaritas
- 1 cup ruby red grapefruit juice
- 1 cup white tequila (I used Espolon Tequila Blanco)
- 1 cup Cointreau (or substitute Triple Sec)
- ½ cup fresh squeezed lime juice (4 juicy limes) or bottled pure lime juice not from concentrate
- 2 cups of ice
- For the Rim:
- 2 tablespoons white sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 lime, zested and cut into wedges, divided
- Garnish:
- Lime wedges or triangular slices of fresh grapefruit
- Make the Rim: Pulse sugar, salt and lime zest in a small food processor or spice grinder until fully blended. Spread mixture out on a small plate, making sure it's spread wider than the diameter of your glass.
- Make the Margaritas: Combine everything in a blender: grapefruit juice, tequila, cointreau, lime juice and ice. Puree until smooth. Pour into a pitcher and serve or pour into a plastic container and freeze until ready to serve. These are great to make ahead. They get nice and slushy if you leave them in the freezer overnight. Just stir, scoop and serve.
- To Serve: Make a little cut in a lime wedge, push it down over the rim of a glass, and run it around the perimeter to wet the edge. Press the moistened edge into the rimming mixture. Give the margaritas a good stir before serving. Pour or scoop into rimmed glasses. Garnish with lime wedges or grapefruit slices.
I got wonderful recipe inspiration from many sources for this post: Cooking Light, Barefoot Contessa, and Food Network Kitchen
Delish! So good and not too sweet as some drinks can be. Really refreshing and fun.
Thanks Donna!!
Lisa, I’m not much of a cocktail-maker and always enjoy a good one. So I’ve decided to try to up my game – a decision I just made after reading this post. Now just have to run out to get the makings for this fabulous margarita. On another, more personal note – just had a wonderful time laughing with Allison Sofer over your longstanding connection and our many connections. Now you must come to DC so we can hug in person and break bread (or more importantly, sip margaritas) together:)!
I hope you enjoyed the margaritas Laura… and you’ve just convinced me that it’s time to plan a trip to DC. I’m going to look at my calendar and be in touch!
Hey girl – you are so speaking my language. I love a good frozen margarita!!! The grapefruit is a great twist…and those rims!!! So refreshing.
Thanks Allie!