Frozen Margarita

Salty, boozy, and tart, classic margaritas are a great drink for a hot summer day. The only thing better? When they’re blended with ice. The best frozen margarita recipe, however, is tailored to your taste. Blanco tequila has the mildest, most refreshing flavor; go with reposado for a richer drink. This recipe yields very dry margaritas, so if you like your drinks a little fruitier or sweeter, increase the sugar or orange liqueur (Grand Marnier or Cointreau, or another triple sec, all work) to taste. There’s no need to fuss with simple syrup here—plain granulated sugar will dissolve fine in the blender, but you can substitute agave nectar, or another sweetener, to lean into that flavor further.

A few tips on mixing frozen drinks: To impede meltage on a hot day, prep the liquid mixture and chill it in the freezer for an hour or two before blending. If you’re working with a worn-down or low-powered blender, crush the ice cubes first. Blend until the drink reaches a slushy consistency, adding more ice as necessary. You can also blend batches in advance: Stash them in the freezer for up to 6 hours (any longer and the lime will start to lose its edge) and reblend just before serving.

Once you’ve mastered the basic formula, feel free to customize: Add fresh or frozen strawberries or other types of citrus, like blood orange. Switch out the salt rim with sugar for sweetness or Tajín for a hint of spice—or leave the rim of the glass bare and just tuck in a lime wedge to garnish.