Grand Marnier Margarita

Spice up your drink with this margarita recipe from Grand Marnier! The taste is full-bodied with a touch of sophistication.

What’s the best way to make a margarita? We’re here for all margarita variations: fruity, sweet, spicy and smoky. But one of our best ways to add a little class? The Marguerite Grand Marnier. Also called Cadillac, this variant uses high-end models everything: Tequila Reposado for a nuanced and mature taste, Cointreau for the orange scent and Grand Marnier for hints of vanilla and oak. There are so many flavors you could make this your usual margarita… period.

Ingredients of a Grand Marnier Margarita

The margarita is one of the most classic cocktails, invented in the 1930s. This popular sour is on the International Bartender Association’s list of official IBA cocktails, meaning there is an ‘official’ definition. . The classic margarita is just tequila, Cointreau (or triple sec), and lime juice. This Grand Marnier Margarita just lets the premium liqueur float all over it! Here’s what you need:

• tequila
• lime juice
• Cointreau Orange liqueur
• Grand Marnier

What if you don’t have a Cointreau? It’s good too. You can make a Grand Marnier Margarita by simply substituting Grand Marnier for Cointreau in the recipe below (so skip the fluttering!).

What is Grand Marnier? How is it different from Cointreau?

Grand Marnier is a brand of French liqueurs best known for the Cordon Rouge bottle (Cordon Rouge means “red ribbon”). This French orange liqueur is a blend of Triple Sec and Cognac, giving it a richer and more complex flavor than other orange liqueurs. Its taste is like an orange schnapps with hints of vanilla and oak.

What is the difference to Cointreau? Well, Cointreau is also an orange liqueur. It has a milder flavor than Grand Marnier and is more commonly used in classic cocktails. Grand Marnier is slightly more expensive with an even more complex taste, a mix of triple sec and cognac.

Why Use Rested Tequila?

You can use any type of tequila in your Grand Marnier Margarita! But we like to use reposado tequila or aged tequila. Why?

• Rested tequila is an aged tequila that has a shelf life of 2 to 12 months. It has a nuanced flavor with hints of oak and vanilla. The Reposado goes well with the woody and vanilla notes of the Grand Marnier!
• white tequila is unaged and has a simpler flavor and the typical tequila burn. If you only have tequila blanco, you can use that too!

How to Make a Grand Marnier Margarita: Unique Drink

The Grand Marnier Margarita is just like any other margarita: make a rim of salt, mix or shake the ingredients and serve! But you need the finishing touch: Floating Grand Marnier on top. Here are the basic steps (or go straight to the recipe):

1. Rim the glass with salt. Instead of wetting your finger, cut a notch in a lime wedge and slide it around the rim of the drink. It’s quick and easy (and more hygienic!).
2. Shake in a shaker OR stir in a mixing glass. Both work here! Shake the ingredients with ice in a cocktail shaker (or use a mason jar with a lid) – or stir in a mixing glass until chilled.
3. Strain into a glass and let the Grand Marnier swim. Pour into a glass and serve with ice!

Or make a margarita pitcher!

Would you like to serve a crowd with this Grand Marnier Margarita? You can make a pitcher instead! The pitcher method allows you to replace Grand Marnier with Cointreau, you need to add a certain amount of ice to dilute the drinks to the right level. For a pitcher of Grand Marnier Margarita for 8, add:

• 1 1/2 cups of tequila
• 1 cup Cointreau
• 1 cup lime juice
• 3 handfuls of ice cream
• 1 cup of Grand Marnier for the swimmer (optional simply replace with Cointreau)

Add ice and stir until cool. Pour into individual glasses. When ready to serve, add the Grand Marnier Float (1 ounce per drink or 2 tablespoons).

That’s it! Let us know what you think of this delicious cocktail in the comments below. Do you prefer it over the classic Marg?

More margarita recipes

We’ve made more margaritas than we can count! Here are all of our favorite margarita recipes to try:

• Go for the absolutely classic margarita
• Opt for Skinny Margarita
• Cool off with a frozen margarita
• Choose spicy or smoky with Jalapeño Margarita or Mezcal Margarita
• Discover fruity flavors with strawberry, pineapple, mango, pomegranate, watermelon, orange, cranberry, peach, blood orange, blueberry, cucumber, cucumber jalapeno or grapefruit margarita

When to serve a Grand Marnier Margarita

The Grand Marnier Margarita is designed to impress! It works like:

• Happy hour drink
• Drink at dinner
• Late night drinks
• Evening drink between boys or between girls
• Aperitif at aperitif time