Green Goddess Margaritas
These craft margaritas are a fresh and delicious take on a classic favorite. The secret is using fresh cucumber juice and cilantro simple syrup, which only take a little extra prep time, but elevate this drink to something really special. It also uses less alcohol than a typical margarita, so it's perfect for serving at dinner parties when guests may need to drive home at the end of the night.
Yield: 8 cocktails
Ingredients
For one cocktail
- 3 oz cucumber juice
- 1 oz cointreau
- 1 oz tequila
- 2 oz freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1/4 tsp matcha powder
- 1 oz cilantro simple syrup
For the cucumber juice (enough for 8 cocktails)
- 3 English cucumbers
For the cilantro simple syrup (enough for 8 cocktails)
- 1 cup of granulated white sugar
- 1 cup of water
- 1 bunch of cilantro (about 1 cup), optionally coursely chopped
Method
For the cucumber juice
Juice the cucumbers in a juicer. If you don't have a juicer, chop them into large chunks and blend until smooth. Strain the blended mixture through a fine mesh strainer and store in a pitcher in the refrigerator until ready to use. This is best done within 24 hours of serving your margaritas. 3 English cucumbers will yield enough juice for 8 cocktails.
For the cilantro simply syrup
Coursely chopping the cilantro will strengthen the flavor of the syrup, but this step is optional. Combine sugar and water in a sauce pan over low-medium heat, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and add cilantro to the syrup. Let steep for 10-15 mins, then strain through a fine mesh strainer. Store in a bottle or small container in the refrigerator until ready to use. This can be made several days in advance. This recipe yields enough syrup for at least 8 margaritas. If you have extra, add it to lemonade, limeade, fruit salad, salsa, or in other cocktails, like mojitos or gin & tonics.
For one cocktail
Add ice to a rocks or large coupe glass. Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker and then fill with ice. Shake vigorously for 15 seconds, and then strain into the glass. Garnish with a thinly sliced lime. For a more spirit-forward cocktail, feel free to tweak this recipe by reducing the amount of juice and/or adding an extra splash of tequila. Enjoy!