Made with fresh pineapple, tequila, triple sec, agave, and lime juice, this margarita (with both frozen and on the rocks variations) is fresh, delicious, and perfect for a hot summer day! If you’re looking for more margarita recipe inspo, check out our full catalog of margaritas.
Many fruity margarita recipes call for a few too many ingredients, but we think that the beauty of a really good cocktail (or meal, for that matter!) is in the simplicity of the ingredients used. Simple recipes always taste the freshest and yummiest, and this pineapple margarita recipe is no exception!
What is a margarita?
A margarita is a citrusy tequila-based cocktail that can be served frozen or on the rocks (liquid over ice cubes). While there are a TON of really fun margarita variations (like this tamarind margarita), a good ole classic margarita is always a safe bet!ย
Tips for the Best Pineapple Margarita
Below, youโll find a few of our best tips and tricks for pineapple margarita making!
- Use a silver (or blanco) tequila – when it comes to margaritas, we recommend using a silver (or blanco) tequila. Golden tequilas tend to be the most revered (and expensive), but because youโre using it in a margarita (and not for sipping on its own), we think the mild flavor profile of a silver tequila works best!
- Use fresh pineapple or pure pineapple juice – if youโre making a frozen margarita, we recommend grabbing your own pineapple from the grocery store (or farmerโs market) and cutting it yourself. This will give the most robust pineapple flavor! Simply freeze the pineapple after chopping and before margarita-ing! If you’re making a pineapple margarita on the rocks, we recommend looking for the purest pineapple juice you can find (with the fewest ingredients possible).
Ingredients Needed
Below, you’ll find everything you need to make a pineapple margarita (on the rocks or frozen). Find exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card.
For a Margarita on the Rocks
- Tequila
- Lime Juice
- Pineapple Juice
- Agave Nectar
- Pineapple Wedges
- Chili Lime Salt (for dipping the pineapple in)
For a Frozen Margarita
- Lime Juice
- Triple Sec
- Tequila
- Frozen Pineapple Chunks
- Agave Nectar
- Pineapple Wedges
- Chili Lime Salt (for the dipping the pineapple in)
How to Make Pineapple Margaritas (2 Ways)
On the Rocks
Grab all of the ingredients, add them to a mason jar, and either stir or shake everything together! Pour into serving glasses, garnish with a chili-lime salt dusted pineapple wedge, and enjoy!
Frozen
To make frozen pineapple margaritas, youโll just need to add the ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the frozen margs into serving glasses, garnish each with a chili-lime salt dusted pineapple wedge, and enjoy!
How to Make Pitcher Pineapple Margaritas
Looking to serve a crowd? We’ve got you. This recipe was written to make two margaritas, but it can absolutely be adapted to serve more.
- For 12 servings: 3 cups tequila + 1 1/2 cups lime juice + 3 cups pineapple juice + 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons agave
- For 16 servings: 4 cups tequila + 2 cups lime juice + 4 cups pineapple juice + 1/2 cup agave
Add the ingredients to a large pitcher, stir to mix, then pour and serve as desired!
How to Serve
You have a few options when it comes to rimming your margarita glass…
- Leave it as is – we actually decided to serve our pineapple margarita in a โnakedโ glass (meaning that the rim doesnโt have anything on it) because there is enough acid in the pineapple to really not need anything extra on the glass.
- Chili salt the rim – we chili salted the rim of our mango margarita, and while we donโt feel like itโs needed for this recipe, you could totally go that route if you want to!
- Salt the rim – keep things classic and salt your glass! Again, the pineapple has so much flavor, acid, and depth, so salting isnโt necessary, but it wouldnโt hurt either!
How to Make a Salt Rim
- Prep the rim โ rub a lime wedge around the rim of the glass to coat it (so that the salt sticks).
- Dip in the salt โ add a couple of tablespoons of salt (or salt mixture) to a saucer. Tilt your glass and dip the outside edge of the glass into the salt. Rotate to coat the outside edge, making sure you donโt get too much salt on the inside of the glass that would get into your drink.
- Add ice (optional) โ if serving your margaritas on the rocks, gently add ice to your glass. The best way to do this is to scoop the ice into the glass so that you donโt knock all the salt off.
- Pour โ pour the margarita into your glass.
- Serve and enjoy!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is tequila?
Tequila is a distilled spirit made from the blue agave plant.
What’s the best kind of tequila for margaritas?
There are several different kinds of tequila, but we stick to a pretty simple, mild silver (or blanco) tequila for this margarita recipe. The quality of tequila does make a difference, so we recommend reaching for at least a mid-priced tequila – our favorites areย Espolonย andย Casamigos!
What’s the best liqueur for a frozen margarita?
While there are several orange liqueur options, our preference for frozen margaritas (and the preference of our many margarita taste testers) is Triple Sec. If you have a tried and true orange liqueur that you love using for your cocktail recipes, though, feel free to use that one! This part is totally up to personal preference.
Is a margarita shaken or stirred?
When it comes to a margarita on the rocks, you can stir or shake it to mix together the ingredients. Both work great!
Are margaritas served over ice?
Yes, a margarita “on the rocks” is served over ice. A frozen margarita, on the other hand, is more of a “slushy” and is not served over any extra ice cubes.
More Favorite Margarita Recipe
- The BEST Peach Margarita
- Margarita Jello Shots Recipe
- Mezcal Margarita
- Cadillac Margarita
- Grand Marnier Margarita
- Blood Orange Margarita Drink
- Smooth Coconut Margarita
- Tamarind Margarita
- Mango Margarita Recipe
The Best Pineapple Margarita
Ingredients
For a pineapple margarita on the rocks:
- ยฝ cup tequila
- ยผ cup lime juice
- ยฝ cup pineapple juice
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar optional
- Pineapple wedges for serving
- Chili lime salt for dipping the pineapple in
For a frozen pineapple margarita:
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup triple sec
- 1/2 cup tequila
- 3 cups frozen pineapple chunks
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar optional
- Pineapple wedges for serving
- Chili lime salt for dipping the pineapple in
Instructions
For a pineapple margarita on the rocks:
- Add the ingredients to a cocktail shaker or mason jar and stir or shake to combine, then pour into glasses over ice. Garnish with a chili-lime salt-dipped pineapple wedge.ย
For a frozen pineapple margarita:
- Add the ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth. Use up to a 1/4 cup of water to thin the margarita if needed. Garnish with a chili-lime salt-dipped pineapple wedge.
Recipe Notes
-
- For 4 servings: 1 cup tequila + 1/2 cup lime juice + 1 cup pineapple juice + 2 tablespoons agave
- For 8 servings: 2 cups tequila + 1 cup lime juice + 2 cups pineapple juice + 1/4 cup agave
- For 12 servings: 3 cups tequila + 1 1/2 cups lime juice + 3 cups pineapple juice + 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons agave
- For 16 servings: 4 cups tequila + 2 cups lime juice + 4 cups pineapple juice + 1/2 cup agave
If you wanted to make this recipe nonalcoholic, what would do?
For the pineapple margarita on the rocks, you can replace the tequila with sparkling water – that would be so yummy! For the frozen, just omit the tequila and add water to thin out as needed – it’ll be like a pineapple smoothie!
I’m sorry, but I don’t see how much frozen pineapple is needed for the frozen version of the margaritas???
Oops! So sorry about that, Andrea. It’ll be 3 cups – the recipe for a frozen pineapple margarita is in there now!
These are THE BEST pineapple margaritas!!! These will be my go to recipe for pineapple margaritas forever now! I want to try with other fruit and see if they are as good!!!
That’s so great to hear, Andrea! Thank you so much for sharing this with us!