I absolutely love to create delicious cocktail recipes for parties, and this big-batch Margarita pitcher recipe has been one of my favorites for years and years! I developed it with the help of my Mom, and we both agree it’s the best pitcher cocktail we’ve ever tried. I love serving these crowd-friendly margaritas at family functions and for groups of friends. It’s made with simple and fresh ingredients, and it’s utterly delicious. What I really love is that it’s scalable– I’ve made it for as few as 2 people and as many as 24. The recipe card will explain how to make it for a few or a lot!

margaritas on a brown backdrop

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I love this batch margarita pitcher recipe because it tastes fresh, isn’t too sweet, and it’s made with simple ingredients. It is super smooth, so watch out! It works great as a single serving, or as an entire pitcher. You’re going to love this!

What’s in my Margarita Recipe?

  • Cointreau: This orange liqueur is a staple in margaritas. I prefer Cointreau over triple sec, but either will work.
  • Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice is the key to a delicious margarita. Don’t use bottled lime juice; it just won’t taste the same!
  • Tequila: Choose a good-quality Reposado tequila (I find this is absolutely key!) for the smoothest, best-tasting margaritas.
  • Agave Syrup: Agave nectar is a great all-natural sweetener. Use more or less depending on your tastes.
  • Ice: Chills down individual servings and keeps them cool all day long.
side image of margaritas with salt rim
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Tips for Success

  • Batch these margaritas early in the day, but shake up individual drinks just before serving for the best taste!
  • 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!
  • If you want an even fresher taste, you can add a splash of freshly squeezed orange juice!
  • These Margaritas are not very sweet. If you would like them sweeter, just add more agave syrup to taste.
  • If you want salted glass 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 with ice.
  • 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. Makes all the difference. Your guests will thank you! 

How to Store

I store leftover pitcher margaritas 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. In the recipe card, you can find a link to my favorite shakers!

overhead image of margaritas

Serving Suggestions

I think that a pitcher of margaritas is the best easy cocktail for Cinco de Mayo celebrations. Serve them up with Baked Chicken Tacos, White Queso, Mexican Street Corn Dip, Chicken Nachos, or Homemade Tortilla Chips and Salsa.

Recipe Card

Pitcher Margarita Recipe

4.62 from 802 votes
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 0 minutes
Total: 5 minutes
Servings: 1 drink
Author: Becky Hardin
margaritas on a brown backdrop
This recipe resulted in the quest to find the Perfect Margarita Pitcher Recipe. The hunt for the ultimate Cinco de Mayo drinks and snacks begins early…usually on May 6th of the previous year.
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Ingredients 

For Individual (One, 4.5-ounce) Serving

  • 1 ounce Cointreau
  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2 ounces Reposado Tequila 100% pure de Agave Tequila
  • ounce Agave syrup (2 teaspoons) I use Tres Agaves, Agave Nectar – organic
  • 1 cup ice

For 13 (4-ounce) Servings

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

For 18 (4-ounce) Servings

  • cups Cointreau
  • cups freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 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

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.
    stirring margarita mixture in a pitcher with a wooden spoon.
  • When ready to serve, rim the glasses with salt (if desired) and fill each with ice.
    filling a salt-rimmed glass 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.
    shaking individual margaritas in a cocktail shaker.
  • Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel.
    garnishing a margarita with a lime wedge.

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.

Video

Becky’s Tips

  • 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.
Serving: 1drinkCalories: 255kcalCarbohydrates: 19gProtein: 0.2gFat: 0.1gSaturated Fat: 0.03gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.04gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.01gSodium: 16mgPotassium: 43mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 14IUVitamin C: 10mgCalcium: 11mgIron: 0.1mg

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

Did you make this? Leave a comment!

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

Mix the Margs: In 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.

stirring margarita mixture in a pitcher with a wooden spoon.

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

filling a salt-rimmed glass with ice.

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 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.

shaking individual margaritas in a cocktail shaker.

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

garnishing a margarita with a lime wedge.

More Margarita Recipes To Try

What is the 321 margarita rule?

An easy way to remember how to mix a classic margarita is to memorize the ratio 3-2-1: three parts tequila, two parts triple sec, and one part lime juice. I changed up the ratios a bit in this recipe, and I think it’s even better this way, but you be the judge!

How many people does this Margarita Pitcher Recipe serve?

I have written the recipe below for just 1 serving and also for 24 servings in a large pitcher. You decide if it’s worth sharing with friends. This is one I might just keep all to myself.

What is the best tequila?

When making margaritas, I always opt for one that isn’t the most expensive and isn’t the cheapest. You want a quality tequila that is smooth and well made, but there’s no reason to break the bank when you’re not sipping it straight. For these Pitcher Margaritas, I recommend using a Reposado Tequila which is typically smoother than a Blanco or Anejo Tequila. Once I made that change in this recipe, it made all the difference.

Are Triple Sec and Cointreau the same thing?

Cointreau is a brand of Triple Sec, so technically yes. Cointreau is a trusted brand from France and their Orange Liqueur is delicious! I find some Triple Sec has a bitter or fake taste, but not Cointreau.

Meet Becky Hardin

Becky Hardin is a wife and mother living in Saint Louis Missouri. She founded The Cookie Rookie in 2012 as a creative way to share recipes. Now, she is a trusted resource for easy cooking around the world, being featured in Taste of Home, The Kitchn, ABC’s Home and Family, and more. Here at The Cookie Rookie she is the editor in chief of all recipes and continues to enjoy sharing her passion for cooking for busy families. She has since founded two additional food blogs, Easy Chicken Recipes and Easy Dessert Recipes.

4.62 from 802 votes (754 ratings without comment)
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131 Comments
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Cindy
Cindy
May 28, 2023 2:52 pm

Very yummy recipe!5 stars

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Samantha Marceau
May 30, 2023 9:17 am
Reply to  Cindy

Looks great!

Frederick
Frederick
May 4, 2023 10:06 pm

This recipe is awesome. Madison & her friends are amateurs trying to play in the big leagues.5 stars

Amy
Amy
May 3, 2023 4:12 pm

Excellent! I tend to pour with my heart so this recipe is right up my alley!5 stars

Samantha Marceau
May 3, 2023 4:45 pm
Reply to  Amy

Love that, enjoy!

Sarah W
Sarah W
March 23, 2023 2:01 pm

Excellent margarita recipe! I LOVE that you use reposado – it’s my favorite! And the lime flavor is simply perfection! Quick question though, if I need to only mix up two drinks, is there any reason why I can’t just double the recipe and pour all of it in the cocktail shaker to mix up at once? Or is it better to make them individually? Thank you!! This is going on my regular drink menu!5 stars

Samantha Marceau
March 23, 2023 2:10 pm
Reply to  Sarah W

You could definitely put both in one shaker. We wouldn’t do more than 2 at once, though, as it may overflow!

Amy
Amy
March 18, 2023 2:55 pm

We’re hosting a birthday party next weekend and I’ve been on the hunt for a really good large batch margarita recipe. Has anyone used Triple Sec instead of Cointreau and if so how did it turn out? Thanks!

Samantha Marceau
March 20, 2023 9:13 am
Reply to  Amy

It should work just fine!

Patty
Patty
March 3, 2023 7:02 pm

I wanted to try this for girl’s afternoon. Soo amazing! Just the right amount of sweetness. I don’t like sweet drinks. It will knock your socks off, in a good way! LOL I will tell you 2 is all I can do! So glad everyone is in walking distance do 3/4 houses. The best Margarita I have had in a long time. Thank you5 stars

Danielle
Danielle
February 26, 2023 8:31 pm

My God, probably the best margarita recipe I’ve came across. Hosted a retirement party last night for my father. I had to make 3 batches throughout the night because everyone LOVED THEM! thank you for sharing your recipe! 10/10 recommend5 stars

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Karen
Karen
November 14, 2022 5:42 am

Didn’t take a picture but they were amazing! How long the leftovers last in the fridge?5 stars

Samantha Marceau
November 14, 2022 1:02 pm
Reply to  Karen

You can keep this pitcher in the fridge for up to 3 days!

Andrea
Andrea
September 3, 2022 6:42 pm

Love this recipe! My friends have termed it Murder Margs because they go down easy and fast—the alcohol definitely sneak attacks!5 stars

Gretha
Gretha
August 4, 2022 4:31 pm

Mmmmm! Made these last night for a little party on the front lawn. I made the 13 serving size ahead of time and did not include the Cointreau because I wanted to serve a Agave Margarita for something a bit different. I used Herradura Reposada tequila, it was delish and worth the expense!! I took your advice and shook the margaritas with ice before serving each one. Everyone loved them. Thanks for the instructions for a pitcherful.5 stars