Margarita Pitcher Recipe

By Becky Hardin

Updated Mar 21, 2025

This BEST MARGARITA RECIPE is the only recipe for margaritas you will ever need! This Perfect Margarita Pitcher Recipe is perfect for serving a crowd, made with simple and fresh ingredients, and utterly delicious. There has never been a more perfect margarita! We have written the margarita recipe to serve one or as many as 24. #thecookierookie #margaritas #cocktail - 2

best margarita recipe pinterest collage - 8

I absolutely love mixing up delicious cocktails for parties, and this Margarita Pitcher Recipe has been a longtime favorite in my rotation. It’s a recipe I developed with my mom years ago, and to this day, we both agree—it’s hands-down the best pitcher cocktail we’ve ever made.

5-Star Review

“LOVE this recipe! It’s my go-to margarita recipe – everyone loves it! I completely agree the Reposado, makes all the difference! -Sarah

I love serving these bright, crowd-pleasing margaritas at family gatherings or when friends come over. They’re made with simple, fresh ingredients and always disappear fast! One of my favorite things about this recipe is how easy it is to scale—whether you’re making drinks for 2 or 24, the recipe card shows you exactly how to do it. It is super smooth, so watch out!

Tips for Beginners

Choose a good-quality Reposado tequila (I find this is absolutely key!) for the smoothest, best-tasting margaritas.
I like to keep my tequila in the freezer to create the coldest margarita recipe possible with the least amount of ice. I don’t want to water this deliciousness down!
You can batch these margaritas a day early, but it’s important to shake the margaritas before serving. Add 2-4 servings to a shaker with ice right before serving, and repeat for each serving. This makes all the difference.

Ingredients1x2x3x

For Individual (One, 4.5-ounce) Serving

▢ 1 ounce Cointreau sub for grand marnier or triple sec
▢ 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice key to a delicious margarita—add a splash of freshly squeezed orange juice for more flavor
▢ 2 ounces Reposado Tequila* 100% pure de Agave Tequila
▢ ⅓ ounce Agave syrup (2 teaspoons) I use Tres Agaves, Agave Nectar – organic
▢ 1 cup ice

For 13 (4-ounce) Servings

▢ 1½ cups Cointreau
▢ 1½ cups freshly squeezed lime juice
▢ 3 cups Reposado Tequila
▢ ½ cup Agave syrup
▢ 12 cups Ice

For 18 (4-ounce) Servings

▢ 2¼ cups Cointreau
▢ 2¼ cups freshly squeezed lime juice
▢ 4½ cups Reposado Tequila
▢ ¾ cup Agave syrup
▢ 1 bag ice

For 24 (4 ounce) Servings:

▢ 3 cups Cointreau
▢ 3 cups freshly squeezed lime juice
▢ 6 cups Reposado Tequila
▢ 1 cup Agave syrup
▢ 1 bag ice

Video

Instructions

If making for a crowd (13, 18, or 24 servings)**

In 2-quart pitcher, combine all ingredients, except the ice. Keep the margarita mixture refrigerated until ready to serve.
When ready to serve, rim the glasses with salt (if desired) and fill each with ice. To salt the rims, cover the bottom of a small plate with margarita salt. Rub the rims of the glasses with a lime wedge, dip the rims in the margarita salt, and set the glasses upright to dry a tad before filling them with ice.
Fill a cocktail shaker ¾ of the way with ice. Add enough prepared margarita mixture to the top of the ice. Cover tightly and shake vigorously 10-15 seconds. Pour into prepared glasses and serve immediately. Drain excess water from the shaker. Repeat for the additional servings, adding more ice as needed.
Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.

For Individual Servings

See above if salting the rim of the glass.
Fill the shaker about halfway with ice and add all other ingredients. Shake vigorously 10-15 seconds. 1 ounce Cointreau, 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice, 2 ounces Reposado Tequila*, ⅓ ounce Agave syrup, 1 cup ice
Immediately pour into the prepared glass and garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.

Equipment

Pitcher
Cocktail Shaker

Becky’s Tips

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

How to Make a Margarita Pitcher (24 Servings) Step by Step

stirring margarita mixture in a pitcher with a wooden spoon. - 10

Mix the margs: In a 2-quart pitcher, combine 3 cups of Cointreau, 3 cups of freshly squeezed lime juice, 6 cups of Reposado Tequila, and 1 cup of Agave syrup. Keep the margarita mixture refrigerated until ready to serve.

filling a salt-rimmed glass with ice. - 11

Prep the glasses: When ready to serve, rim the glasses with salt (if desired) and fill each with ice.

To salt the rims, cover the bottom of a small plate with margarita salt. Rub the rims of the glasses with a lime wedge, dip the rims in the margarita salt, and set the glasses upright to dry a tad before filling them with ice.

shaking individual margaritas in a cocktail shaker. - 12

Shake individual servings: Fill a cocktail shaker ¾ of the way with ice. Add enough prepared margarita mixture to the top of the ice. Cover tightly and shake vigorously for 10-15 seconds. Pour into prepared glasses and serve immediately. Drain excess water from the shaker. Repeat for the additional servings, adding more ice as needed.

garnishing a margarita with a lime wedge. - 13

Garnish and serve: Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.

Variations on Margarita Pitchers

Mezcal Margaritas: Swap the Reposado tequila for your favorite brand of Mezcal for smoky margaritas.
Spicy Margaritas: Muddle a few jalapeño slices in the bottom of each glass before pouring in the margarita, or add some chili powder to the salt rim.
Skinny Margaritas: Follow my skinny margarita recipe !
Virgin Margaritas: Swap the tequila for sparkling water and the Cointreau for orange juice. Batch these mocktails without the sparkling water (it’ll cause your shaker to leak), then top them off with sparkling water just before serving.

How to Store

I store leftovers tightly covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours. Shake individual drinks over ice in a cocktail shaker just before serving.

Serving Suggestions

Enjoy these with some friends and a batch of my chicken nachos . Or keep it simple with homemade tortilla chips and blender salsa .

MORE MARGARITA RECIPES TO TRY!

Spicy Mango Margarita Recipe

two watermelon margaritas with sliced watermelons on top of the glasses - 17

two watermelon margaritas with sliced watermelons on top of the glasses - 18

Watermelon Margaritas Recipe

orange margarita next to cocktail shaker - 19

orange margarita next to cocktail shaker - 20

Orange Margaritas

Strawberry Basil Margarita

Pitcher Margarita Recipe

Equipment

Pitcher
Cocktail Shaker