We swapped out tequila for rum in this easy 5-ingredient Rum Margarita. It's just as delicious as the original, with a refreshing citrus-forward flavor that pairs well with the tropical flair of rum!
We love margaritas, but we recognize that not everyone likes tequila.
We set out to make a rum margarita that still looks and tastes like the classic – and I have to admit, I didn't miss the tequila at all!
We opted to use an aged rum for extra flavor and a splash of orange juice for freshness to make our tequila free margarita. We think it's a fun, fresh take on the classic margarita, and best of all, it only takes about 5 minutes to bring together.
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Why We Love This Recipe
- Quick and easy: It only takes 5 minutes to whip up one of these 5-ingredient rum margaritas from scratch. It doesn't get any easier than that!
- Margarita heaven: We love margaritas (see Blueberry Margarita, Pineapple Coconut Margarita, Spicy Jalapeño Mango Margarita to continue the fun). They're refreshing, easy to make, and so versatile, and this rum margarita adds another option to your rotation!
- Twist on a classic: A classic margarita is made with tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice, usually with a salted rim. We've swapped out tequila for rum for a unique take on a classic cocktail, which helps to keep things fun and makes for an interesting cocktail to serve at your next party.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make this rum margarita:
Ingredient Notes
- Orange juice: Squeezing oranges is a bit of a hassle, so feel free to use store bought. If you've got the ambition to juice your own oranges, go ahead! It will really elevate the flavor of the cocktail.
- For a fun twist, try swapping regular oranges with freshly squeezed tangerine, clementine or blood orange juice. Each option will give you a slightly different flavor profile. I personally love blood orange in this Grand Marnier Margarita!
- Rum: We're using añejo rum in this margarita. It's been aged for a smooth, full flavor that has hints of oak and vanilla. If you can't find this rum, feel free to use any other silver/white rum of your choice. You could opt for dark rum, but your cocktail won't have that distinctive margarita color, and will have a bit of a smokier, bolder flavor.
- Orange liqueur: For this recipe, we're using Cointreau, but you can use any orange liqueur of choice, including Triple Sec or Grand Marnier.
- Lime juice: Freshly-squeezed lime juice will always taste best!
- Simple syrup: You can quickly make your own by combining equal parts white sugar and water, and cooking over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. However, agave is actually more traditional, and you can grab a bottle at pretty much any store!
- Salt + lime zest for the rim: This is totally optional, but we think it adds a lot to the flavor and aesthetic of the finished drink. We typically use kosher salt for a margarita rim.
How to Make a Rum Margarita
(1) Cut a slit into a wedge of lime, then run the lime around the rim of two cocktail glasses. Dip each cocktail glass into a shallow plate filled with salt (and optional lime zest for extra flavor).
(2) Pour the orange liqueur, rum, simple syrup, lime and orange juice into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice.
(3) Shake well to combine.
(4) Strain into your salt-rimmed cocktail glasses with crushed ice, and enjoy!
Make it for a Crowd
This rum margarita is perfect for entertaining. To make it for a crowd:
- Multiply the quantities in the recipe card by 8. This will yield about 60 fl oz of margarita, which should fit into a pitcher.
- Add everything to the pitcher (except the ice), and stir to combine.
- You can place the pitcher in the refrigerator until your guests arrive.
- When you're ready to serve, stir well, then pour into individual salt-rimmed and ice-filled glasses.
Variations
- Use dark rum: You can use a dark rum or a spiced rum to create a rum margarita with a bolder, more intense flavor and a darker color.
- Use a different juice: Instead of orange juice, you can try using your favorite fruit juice, including pineapple (this makes an awesome pineapple rum margarita), pomegranate, or even mango nectar.
- Make it frozen: To make a frozen margarita, add everything (including ice) to a blender and blend until combined.
- Try an infused rum: Check out this post to learn how to infuse any alcohol with various ingredients. We love making pineapple infused rum – it's great in margaritas!
- Try our jalapeño infused simple syrup in place of regular simple syrup/agave for a spicy twist!
Tips and FAQs
- Make ahead of time: You can make the entire cocktail (just leave out the ice), and refrigerate until you're ready to serve. Stir or shake well before pouring over ice.
- Don't skip the rim! It's super easy to make, is an essential part of a margarita, and adds extra flair and flavor. Lime zest and salt pair perfectly with the ingredients of the cocktail!
- Garnish: you don't need anything fancy to top off these rum margaritas, but we love using a simple slice of lime or orange to highlight the cocktail's ingredients.
A classic margarita will have tequila, lime juice, triple sec, and a salted rim.
Absolutely! All it takes is a simple swap and a little bit of tweaking to make sure everything's well-balanced.
We recommend using a silver/white/blanco rum in this cocktail, but you can also try using a dark or spiced rum. Basically, feel free to use whatever you have on hand, but we think an aged silver rum works best.
More Margaritas to Enjoy
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📖 Recipe
Rum Margarita
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 cocktails 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
We swapped out tequila for rum in this easy 5-ingredient Rum Margarita. It's just as delicious as the original, with a refreshing citrus-forward flavor that pairs well with the tropical flair of rum!
Ingredients
- 3 fl oz añejo rum
- 1 fl oz orange liqueur (Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Triple Sec)
- 1 ½ fl oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 ½ fl oz simple syrup or agave syrup
- ½ fl oz ounce orange juice
- Salt and lime zest (optional) for rim
Instructions
-
Cut a slit into a wedge of lime, then run the lime around the rim of two cocktail glasses. Dip each cocktail glass into a shallow plate filled with salt (and optional lime zest for extra flavor).
-
Pour the orange liqueur, rum, simple syrup, lime and orange juice into a cocktail shaker half-filled with ice.
-
Shake well to combine.
-
Strain into your salt-rimmed cocktail glasses with crushed ice, and enjoy!
Notes
Simple syrup: You can quickly make your own by combining equal parts white sugar and water, and cooking over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved. However, agave is actually more traditional, and you can grab a bottle at pretty much any store!
Make it for a crowd: Multiply the quantities in the recipe card by 8. This will yield about 60 fl oz of margarita, which should fit into a pitcher. Add everything to the pitcher (except the ice), and stir to combine. You can place the pitcher in the refrigerator until your guests arrive. When you're ready to serve, stir well, then pour into individual salt-rimmed and ice-filled glasses.
Rum: You can also use regular white rum or aged rum in this cocktail.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Category: Cocktails
- Method: Shaker
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 199
- Sugar: 17.8 g
- Sodium: 1164.4 mg
- Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 19.5 g
- Fiber: 0.1 g
- Protein: 0.2 g
NB says
This was refreshing and very tasty! I juiced a cara cara orange and used Grand Marier. We will make this again.
I also made a 2 2/3x (not as awkward a number as it sounds) recipe because I had exactly 1/2 cup of lime juice after juicing the bag and was serving guests. It worked well to make ahead of time, store in the fridge, and then add ice a little before dinner.