• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

The Toasty Kitchen

  • Home
  • Recipe Index
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Navigation Menu: Social Icons

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • FAQ

subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • FAQ

×
Home » Recipes » Cocktails

Grapefruit Margarita

Modified: May 30, 2025 · Published: Jun 15, 2017 by Heather · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 688 words. · About 4 minutes to read this article.

Jump to Recipe

Make a grapefruit margarita to celebrate Cinco de Mayo or for sipping poolside this summer. Fresh squeezed grapefruit juice makes this cocktail bright, tart, and refreshing!

Lowball glass filled with pink grapefruit margarita with a salted rim.

Recipe summary

Flavor: Refreshing, fruity, tangy

Key ingredients: Fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice, tequila, triple sec, and lime juice.

Makes: 1 drink

Similar to: Pineapple Margarita and Watermelon Cocktail

Jump to:
  • Recipe summary
  • Ingredients and substitutions
  • How to make a margarita
  • Tips and tricks
  • Frequently asked questions
  • Recommended
  • 📖 Recipe
  • Comments

Ingredients and substitutions

Ingredients on a counter top.
  • Grapefruit juice - Fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice adds a bright, fresh, tart flavor. I recommend freshly squeezed over bottled juices, which taste flat in comparison. One cocktail uses about half a grapefruit (depending on size). Want to make different fruit flavors? Try substituting with orange juice or pineapple juice.
  • Lime juice - You'll need about one lime per cocktail (depending on size). Buy a few extra if you'd like to garnish with lime wedges.
  • Tequila - Use your favorite tequila for this recipe. A bad-tasting or cheap tequila can ruin a perfectly good cocktail. Not sure where to start? Check out this article: Best Tequila for Margaritas. Tequila can also be substituted with mezcal for a smoky flavor.
  • Triple sec - Feel free to use any orange liqueur you have on hand, like Grand Marnier, Cointreau, or orange curaçao.

How to make a margarita

Making a grapefruit margarita in a cocktail shaker.
  1. Rub the rim of your glass with a lime or grapefruit wedge, then press into a thin layer of kosher salt in a shallow bowl to coat.
  2. Add ice to a cocktail shaker.
  3. Fill with margarita ingredients, cover, and shake until chilled and combined.
  4. Pour over ice in your prepared glass and serve.

Tips and tricks

Use a cocktail shaker - If you plan on making your own cocktails at home, I suggest investing in a simple cocktail shaker, like this cocktail shaker on Amazon. Add ice to a cocktail shaker, then add your cocktail ingredients. Shake until mixed and chilled, then pour over ice in a lowball glass.

Prefer a sweeter cocktail? - Add simple syrup or agave to your margarita as desired.

To make simple syrup - Add sugar and water at a 1:1 ratio (ex: ½ cup of sugar and ½ cup of water) in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 minute, or until all sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and allow your simple syrup to cool before adding to your cocktail.

Overhead closeup view of a grapefruit margarita with a salted rim and wedge of grapefruit.

Frequently asked questions

What ingredients go in a margarita?

A classic margarita is made with tequila, lime juice, and triple sec. Some margaritas also include simple syrup and other fruit juices for sweetness.

What garnishes can I add to a grapefruit margarita?

A lime wedge or slice, a grapefruit wedge, and a salt or sugar rim are classic margarita garnishes. You could also add a jalapeno slice, a sprig of mint, or a tajin rim.

What's the difference between a grapefruit margarita and a paloma?

Both cocktails are made with tequila and lime. A paloma is prepared with grapefruit juice and club soda, or a grapefruit soda, and has a light, effervescent quality. A grapefruit margarita is made with grapefruit juice and orange liqueur (like Cointreau or triple sec) for a stronger citrus flavor.

Recommended

  • Close up of cocktail in a highball glass, with mint leaves
    Watermelon Cocktail
  • Close up of pineapple margarita with tajin rim and pineapple garnish.
    Pineapple Margarita
  • Two glasses of pineapple rum slush on a white counter top.
    Pineapple Rum Slush
  • Stemless wine glass filled with wine and fruit.
    Tropical Sangria

📖 Recipe

Lowball glass filled with pink grapefruit margarita with a salted rim.
Pin Print Rate
5 from 11 reviews

Grapefruit Margarita

Make a grapefruit margarita to celebrate Cinco de Mayo or for sipping poolside this summer. Fresh squeezed grapefruit juice makes this cocktail bright, tart, and refreshing!
Prep Time5 minutes minutes
Total Time5 minutes minutes
Servings: 1 drink
Calories: 229kcal
Author: Heather

Ingredients

  • 3 ounces grapefruit juice
  • 1 ounce lime juice
  • 1.5 ounces tequila
  • ¾ ounce triple sec
  • 1 teaspoon simple syrup, or agave nectar, optional
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

  • Optional: Pour a thin layer of kosher salt into a shallow bowl. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glasses and dip into salt to coat. Set aside.
  • Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add grapefruit juice, lime juice, tequila, triple sec, and simple syrup. Shake until combined.
  • Fill glasses with ice. Pour margarita over ice and serve immediately. Garnish with lime or grapefruit wedge as desired.

Equipment Recommendations

  • Stainless Steel Double Jigger
  • Lowball Glasses
  • Lemon Juicer
  • Zwilling Pro Chef's Knife

Notes

  • Fruit: You'll need about half of one grapefruit and one lime per cocktail. 
  • Squeeze it fresh: Freshly squeezed juice has the best flavor. Bottled juices taste flat in comparison to the bright flavor of freshly squeezed juice.

Nutrition Estimate

Serving: 1drink | Calories: 229kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 8mg | Potassium: 138mg | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin C: 31.4mg | Iron: 0.6mg
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: American

More Cocktail Recipes

  • A coupe glass filled with bee's knees cocktail with a lemon peel garnish.
    Bee's Knees
  • A highball glass filled with bee's knees spritz with a lemon peel garnish.
    Bee's Knees Spritz
  • Closeup overhead view of an Irish buck in a highball glass with a lime slice on the rim.
    Irish Buck
  • Ginger ale cocktails decorative collage.
    25 Ginger Ale Cocktails

Share this post:

Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 11 votes (7 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  1. Terri Kellums

    May 26, 2025 at 7:32 pm

    This is such a refreshing summer cocktail. This is going on my favorites list! I used agave nectar instead of simple syrup and used fresh squeezed juice like the recipe recommends. Add this to your favorite margarita recipes!

    Reply
  2. Carrie Pasquale

    January 14, 2024 at 6:23 pm

    I cheated and used bottle grapefruit juice, but I love it!! Very refreshing and different!!

    Reply
  3. Cari

    March 10, 2023 at 10:26 pm

    Very refreshing margarita! Thank you!!

    Reply
  4. Amy

    June 19, 2020 at 9:29 pm

    These were great, so light and fresh!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Heather of The Toasty Kitchen

Hi, I'm Heather!

I love cooking with simple, everyday ingredients and want to help you make homemade meals with ease.

Read more

Reader favorites

  • A metal fork in a bowl of cheesy rice.
    Cheesy Rice
  • Whipped buttercream frosting recipe.
    Whipped Buttercream Frosting
  • Beef roast in a large slow cooker.
    Slow Cooker Beef Roast with Potatoes and Carrots
  • Pouring gravy over a bowl of mashed potatoes.
    How To Make Gravy Without Drippings

Parties & Potlucks

  • Two glasses of punch.
    Spring Party Punch
  • A mint chocolate chip mini cheesecake unwrapped on a cutting board.
    Mint Chocolate Chip Mini Cheesecakes
  • A stack of birthday cake rice krispies treats.
    Birthday Cake Rice Krispies Treats
  • A stack of birthday cookie bars.
    Birthday Cookie Bars

Footer

featured on:

decorative image of website logos.

Explore

  • Recipe Index
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Subscribe

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Image Copyright
  • Contact

Copyright © 2025 The Toasty Kitchen®

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




Let us know what you thought of this recipe:

This worked exactly as written, thanks!
My family loved this!
Thank you for sharing this recipe

Or write in your own words:

A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.