limequat margarita in a glass.
My Curated Tastes is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.

I made my first limequat margarita one winter when I came across the fruit and started experimenting with it.  It is a citrus fruit with similar flavoring of a lime so I thought it would be perfect in a drink.  I wasn’t wrong.

You’ll want to start by making your limequat syrup.  This is basically a simple syrup flavored with the limequats.  When the sugar has completely dissolved in the water (stir it several times), you can take it off the heat and let it cool.  Then, just refrigerate the syrup with the limequats in the syrup.  You’ll use them to garnish.

Then, to make your drink simply follow these steps.

1. Salt the rims of 2 large margarita glasses. To do so, pour salt onto a small plate, moisten the rims of the glasses with a cut limequat and press the glass rims into the salt.

2. In a cocktail shaker 3/4 full of ice, combine tequila, Grand Marnier, Cointreau, limequat syrup and lime juice. Pour in sweet and sour mix until ice is covered. Shake vigorously and strain into glass.  Top with a couple of the candied limequat slices from the syrup.  Enjoy!

Do you like margaritas?  Be sure to try this frozen margarita recipe too.  Then, have some fun and try some of my other favorite, creative and fun cocktail recipes.

Sloe Gin Fizz

Starfruit Cocktail

Lemon Berry Freeze

New Orlean’s Style Hurricane

A Snowy Christmas

Save

Want to share this infographic?

Download the Image Now or Copy and Paste the code below!

Frequently Asked Questions

A limequat is a small hybrid citrus fruit — a cross between a Key lime and a kumquat. It has the tartness of a lime with a slightly sweeter, edible peel. Limequats are typically in season from fall through early spring and can be found at specialty grocery stores, farmers markets, and Asian supermarkets. They work beautifully in cocktails because you can use the whole fruit, including the skin.
A limequat margarita tastes similar to a classic lime margarita but with a more complex, slightly floral citrus flavor. The limequat adds a subtle sweetness from the peel that balances the tartness, making it a little more nuanced and less sharp than a standard lime margarita.
Yes, you can substitute regular limes if you can’t find limequats, but the flavor won’t be quite the same. Limequats have a sweeter, more aromatic quality from the edible peel. If substituting, use fresh lime juice and add a small strip of lime zest to the syrup to capture more of that fragrant quality.
Limequats are a specialty fruit and aren’t always easy to find at standard grocery stores. Check Whole Foods, specialty produce markets, Asian grocery stores, or farmers markets during their fall-to-spring growing season. Some online retailers also ship fresh limequats directly to your door.
Combine 2/3 cup water, 2/3 cup sugar, and a dash of salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Slice 8–10 large limequats very thin, removing the seeds (the seeds will make your syrup bitter). Add the slices to the boiling syrup, remove from heat, let cool completely, and refrigerate overnight. The limequats will candy in the syrup and double as a beautiful cocktail garnish.
Limequat seeds contain compounds that make the syrup taste bitter. Always remove them before adding the sliced fruit to your syrup. A sharp paring knife makes this easy — just pop them out as you slice.
Use a premium blanco (silver) tequila for this cocktail. Blanco tequila has a clean, crisp flavor that lets the limequat shine without overpowering it. Avoid aged reposado or añejo tequilas here, as their oak and vanilla notes can compete with the delicate citrus flavor.
Yes! If you’d rather keep things simple, you can use 1.5 oz of just one orange liqueur — Grand Marnier will give you a richer, slightly brandy-forward flavor, while Cointreau is cleaner and crisper. The combination of both is what makes this cocktail especially layered and special, but either one alone works perfectly well.
Absolutely. Scale all the cocktail ingredients proportionally and combine them in a large pitcher. Prepare the limequat syrup ahead of time (it keeps in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks), and stir the batch well before serving over ice. Salt the rims of glasses individually and garnish with the candied limequat slices.
Stored in an airtight container or jar, limequat syrup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. The candied limequat slices in the syrup also make a gorgeous garnish for the duration of that time. It’s a great make-ahead component for hosting.
Yes! Omit the tequila and orange liqueurs and replace them with equal parts sparkling water or a non-alcoholic spirit like Seedlip Spice 94. Use the limequat syrup, a squeeze of fresh lime juice, sweet and sour mix, and plenty of ice. Salt the rim just like the original for the full experience.
Limequat margaritas pair beautifully with Mexican-inspired food like tacos, guacamole, ceviche, and grilled shrimp. The bright citrus cuts through rich or spicy flavors really well. They’re also lovely alongside light appetizers, seafood, or anything with a bit of heat.
This recipe is slightly more spirit-forward than a simple two-ingredient margarita because it uses both tequila and two orange liqueurs. You can dial back the orange liqueurs or increase the sweet and sour mix if you prefer something a bit lighter. Either way, the fresh citrus flavor makes it very easy to drink!
limequat margarita in a glass.

Limequat Margarita

5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Course Drinks
Servings 1 Serve

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients
  

CANDIED LIMEQUATS:

  • 2/3 C Water
  • 2/3 C Sugar
  • Dash of salt
  • Around 8-10 large limequats
  • Bring water, sugar and salt to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar. Slice limequats very thin removing the seeds along the way (the seeds will make the syrup bitter). Add limequat slices to the boiling mixture and remove from heat. Let cool and then refrigerate overnight.

LIMEQUAT MARGARITA:

  • 1 Fluid Ounce Premium tequila
  • 3/4 Fluid Ounce Brandy-based orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier®)
  • 3/4 Fluid Ounce Cointreau
  • 3/4 fluid ounce Limequat syrup (see recipe above)
  • 1 Tbsp. Limequat juice
  • 1/2 Cup Sweet and sour mix

Instructions
 

  • Salt the rims of 2 large margarita glasses. To do so, pour salt onto a small plate, moisten the rims of the glasses with a cut limequat and press the glass rims into the salt.
  • In a cocktail mixer 3/4 full of ice, combine tequila, Grand Marnier, cointreau, limequat syrup and lime juice. Pour in sweet and sour until ice is covered. Shake vigorously and strain into glass.
Keyword classic cocktails, martinis
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!