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fresh cherry margarita

Fresh Cherry Margarita

Muddled sweet cherries add a burst of bright color to the classic Mexican cocktail. Look for agave nectar at the supermarket near the honey and maple syrup.

Need more drink ideas? Visit our Drinks Guide for hudreds of recipes for fun mixed drinks as well as classic cocktails.

Serves one.

12 fresh sweet cherries, pitted
1-1/4 fl. oz. (2-1/2 Tbs.) tequila, preferably blanco 100% agave
1 fl. oz. (2 Tbs.) fresh lime juice
3/4 fl. oz. (1-1/2 Tbs.) agave nectar, preferably dark
1/2 fl. oz. (1 Tbs.) maraschino liqueur
1 fresh sweet cherry with stem, for garnish

Put the cherries in a cocktail shaker and mash them with a muddler or the end of a wooden spoon until well crushed, about 1 minute. Add the tequila, lime juice, agave nectar, maraschino liqueur, and 8 large ice cubes. Cover the shaker and shake vigorously for 30 seconds. Immediately strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice. Garnish with the cherry.

nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 270; Fat (g): 0; Fat Calories (kcal): 0; Saturated Fat (g): 0; Protein (g): 1; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 0; Carbohydrates (g): 46; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 0; Sodium (mg): 0; Cholesterol (mg): 0; Fiber (g): 0;
photo: Scott Phillips
From Fine Cooking 105 , pp. 80
April 30, 2010


user reviews

Star Star Star Star Star Too sweet at proportions in recipe. Agree with previous reviewer about increasing the tequila and decreasing the agave. Definitely use a blanco tequila. Very, very yummy! I like to leave in some of the smashed up cherries.
Star Star Star Star Star Much too sweet for our taste. Great idea, but I would increase the tequila to 2 oz. and decrease the agave syrup by at least 1/4 oz. for a more traditional tasting margarita. If you love the sweet ones at restaurants, leave it just as is.
Star Star Star Star Star I had just purchased a pound of fresh cherries at a festival and could not wait to try this. I could not find the maraschino liquer to save my soul, so I substituted Pomegranate liquor. I used key lime juice and was able to find the Agave Nectar at Trader Joe's. Since I was making this for 4 people, I did not have the fortitude to muddle all those cherries by hand. I just popped everything into the blender, and then added a few ice cubes to make a semi-frozen one. I served them in Margarita glasses rimmed with vanilla sugar. They were so refreshing! Not too tart or too sweet. It also yielded 8 servings instead of 4, which was an added bonus!
Star Star Star Star Star I had to mail order the maraschino liqueur, and I had to wait until the first cherries came to the store, but now that I am sipping my cocktail while I am writing this review, I am so happy! Not too sweet and not too boozy...just right.