A light and bright margarita recipe made with the St. Germain, an elderflower liqueur, this easy twist on a classic margarita is lightly floral and fabulously refreshing. And, as you will realize after your second round, (hear me now—there is no stopping at just one of these dreamy drinks), they are deceptively strong too.
What is St. Germain?
St. Germain is one of my absolute favorite cocktail additions. If you’ve never had it, it’s pleasantly sweet (though not excessively so), floral, and surprisingly versatile. I’m loathe to buy an entire bottle of fancy liqueur for a single cocktail recipe, which is another reason I adore St. Germain. Because it’s not too sweet and its flavor blends beautifully with a wide range of other ingredients, I find myself pulling it out again and again. Here are a few of my favorite ways to use it:
Today’s St. Germain Margarita (YES!) This Cranberry St. Germain Cocktail (a twist on a cosmo that’s a special favorite at the holidays) This DIVINE sparkling St. Germain Cocktail with Champagne, gin (or vodka), and lemon that tastes like an even better French 75. Topped with bubbly (put a teaspoon or so of St. Germain in the bottom of your champagne glass, then top with Prosecco, champagne, or any other dry sparkling wine). I also like to add a squirt of lemon
And of course, St. Germain Margaritas!
The idea of an elderflower margarita came to me a few weeks ago when I was craving a Skinny Margarita (are margarita cravings a thing in your life too?), then realized that I didn’t have any agave on hand. I could have made a batch of simple syrup to replace it, but that takes time and, hello, I was thirsty. The margarita could not wait. I opened our liquor cabinet (<—doesn’t it it sound fancy when I call it that? Between friends, it’s probably supposed to be a dish cupboard, but filling it with tequila is more exciting) to survey the options and spied the bottle of St. Germain. Since St. Germain is sweet, I decided to see if I could make a margarita using it in place of simple syrup or agave. WILD SUCCESS! The combo turned out exceptionally well balanced. The subtle floral undertones of the St. Germain paired beautifully with the citrusy lime, and the tequila gave the St. Germain cocktail just the right amount of backbone. (Another unexpectedly delicious margarita variation: an Italian Margarita!)
Recipe Adaptations
Like so many wonderful ideas, it turns out that my tequila St. Germain recipe is not the first St. Germain margarita to hit the menu. I found a few similar drinks online, the most common being a cocktail called the St. Rita. Here’s how to make it, and few other recipe variations too. After all, now that I’ve convinced you to buy that bottle of St. Germain, I know you are going to want to use it to its fullest…or should I say, it’s emptiest.
St. Rita Cocktail: Mix equal parts tequila and St. Germain; omit the lime juice and garnish with a lime wedge instead. St. Germain Mint Margarita: Muddle fresh mint leaves in the bottom of the cocktail shaker, then follow recipe below. Garnish with fresh mint. Elderflower Cucumber Margarita: Swap 1 ounce of the lime juice for 1 ounce cucumber juice (from a peeled, seeded, and pureed cucumber). Muddle cucumber in the bottom of the cocktail shaker. Garnish with a cucumber wedge. Tequila, St. Germain, Grapefruit: Use grapefruit juice in place of the lime juice.
Recommended Cocktail Tools
Cocktail shaker Jigger Citrus press (life changing!) Strainer Etched serving glasses
