Coconut, lime, and a little heat make for a really refreshing margarita. This is a delicious and fun take on a classic margarita.
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While a classic margarita is delicious just as it is, it's also pretty fun playing around with flavors in this Creamy Coconut and Lime Margarita. Such playing has led to drinks like the Fuzzy Navel Margarita, the Best Lemon Margarita, and the Grilled Pineapple Margarita!
In this particular margarita, I found inspiration in flavors found in Thai cuisine: lime, coconut, and a little sriracha. It has a balance of 4 taste experiences: sweet (coconut), salty (on the rim), sour (lime), and spicy (sriracha.)
Why you'll love this drink
The zingy lime juice is right at home in this margarita, making it so refreshing and blending very nicely with the cream of coconut.
It's hard to argue with just how delicious the combination of coconut and lime is. (Don't even try!) It's one of my favorites, as illustrated in desserts like this Lime In The Coconut Icebox Cake and Cocoa, Lime & Coconut Napoleon Bars.
On the rim of this margarita is a blend of dried makrut lime leaf and salt. Makrut lime leaf, a common ingredient in Southeast Asian cooking, has a mild lime flavor, floral notes, and an earthy, almost peppery taste. It's an ingredient worth exploring, but if you don't have any you can still make this cocktail—see my Notes below.
🔪 How to make a Creamy Coconut and Lime Margarita
Step 1: Blend the drink ingredients
In a cocktail shaker or large mason jar, combine the tequila, cream of coconut, lime juice, and sugar syrup. Shake to blend everything together. Add just a few drops of sriracha to this mixture and shake again.
Step 2: Coat the rims
Stir together the salt and makrut lime leaf powder in a shallow dish. Dip the rims of the glasses first in sugar syrup and then in the salt mixture.
Step 3: Make the drinks
Add ice cubes to the glasses without disturbing the rims. Pour the drink mixture into the glasses, and serve them immediately.
FAQs
Can I use coconut milk instead of cream of coconut?
I actually tried this, and found unfortunately that coconut milk curdles when combined with tequila—and that means unappealing curds will be floating in your drink! Cream of coconut blends smoothly and is a better choice for this cocktail.
Can I make this margarita mixture ahead of time?
When made in advance I find that the mixture separates, so for that reason I like to mix the cocktails just before serving.
Notes:
- Sweetened cream of coconut gives this cocktail sweetness and rich coconut flavor. Look for cream of coconut in the section where drink mixers are kept, in grocery stores or liquor stores. (This is not the same things as coconut cream or coconut milk.)
- Kaffir lime leaf powder can be found in spice stores online and in bulk spice sections of natural foods stores. If you don't have any you can use just salt on the rims, or blend salt with lime zest in a food processor.
- If you're like me and don't own any margarita glasses (who has the space to stash all those cocktail-specific bar glasses??) my go-to is always the pint-sized mason jars! I have a ton of them on hand and they're perfect for a small drink.
- Consider stashing your margarita glasses in the freezer ahead of time to get them really cold for your drinks.
- The recipe below makes two modest-sized margaritas. If you’re making drinks for more people or just second and third servings for yourself, you can double or triple the quantities listed.
I sure hope you like this creamy, coconutty margarita!
Find the recipe below. And then check out more margarita recipes here:
💬 What do you think of this margarita? Scroll down to leave a comment and a star rating!
Creamy Coconut and Lime Margarita
Ingredients
- 4 fluid ounces tequila, silver or blanca
- ⅓ cup sweetened cream of coconut, like Coco Real or Coco Lopez
- 2 fluid ounces fresh or quality, bottled lime juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar syrup, plus about ½ cup to ⅔ cup more for dipping the rims
- Sriracha hot sauce, 3-4 drops
- ¼ cup salt
- 2 teaspoons Makrut lime leaf powder
- Ice
Instructions
Blend the liquids:
- Pour the tequila, cream of coconut, lime juice, and 2 tablespoons of the sugar syrup in a cocktail shaker or large mason jar with a lid. Shake it well to combine everything. Then add in 3 drops of sriracha hot sauce, and shake everything together again.
- Dip a spoon in to taste the mixture. There should be just a little heat. If you want more heat you can add more sriracha a drop at a time.
Coat the rims:
- Combine the salt and makrut lime leaf powder in a shallow dish (wide enough to fit the rim of your margarita glass into.) Have another shallow dish ready with sugar syrup in it.
- Dip the rims of the glasses first in the sugar syrup and then in the salt-lime mixture, dabbing the rim until it has an even coating of salt on it.
Pour the drinks:
- Place ice cubes in each glass carefully so you won't knock salt off the rims. Pour the margarita mixture into each glass. Serve the drinks immediately.
Notes
- Cream of coconut gives this cocktail sweetness and rich coconut flavor. Look for cream of coconut in the section where drink mixers are kept, in grocery stores or liquor stores. (This is not the same as coconut cream or coconut milk.)
- I don't recommend coconut milk because I found that coconut milk curdles when combined with tequila - and that means unappealing curds will be floating in your drink! The sweetened cream of coconut blends smoothly and is why I chose it for this cocktail.
- Mix this margarita just before serving. The ingredients tend to separate when made in advance.
- Makrut lime leaf powder can be found in spice stores online and in bulk spice sections of natural foods stores. If you don't have any you can use just salt on the rims, or grind salt together with lime zest in a food processor.
- If you're like me and don't own any margarita glasses (who has the space to stash all those cocktail-specific bar glasses??) my go-to is always the pint-sized mason jars! I have a ton of them on hand and they're perfect for a small drink.
- Consider stashing your margarita glasses in the freezer ahead of time to get them really cold for your drinks.
Nutrition
This post was originally published in 2015. Recipe and post updated April 2020.
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