I can’t drink tequila, which is a little ironic since my husband and friends keep asking me to make this prickly pear margarita for them.
But my stomach decided long ago that it couldn’t tolerate tequila or schnapps, so I finally listened a few years back, although I still have a sip of everything I make to check that it is actually a great cocktail worth sharing with you all. S
o far, my stomach isn’t too mad about that, although my taste buds sure are since I can’t have more than a few sips.
My Prickly Pear Cactus Margarita cocktail recipe (basically a prickly pear margarita) is built on a classic margarita base with prickly pear syrup, which gives it a deep pink or orange color (depending on your fruit) and a flavor that sits somewhere between watermelon and kiwi.
This is one fruity drink my husband actually asks for (he’s more of an herb-and-spice guy), so it must be good.
What Makes a Prickly Pear Margarita Different
A classic margarita is tequila, lime, and orange liqueur. Simple and perfect.
This version swaps out regular simple syrup for prickly pear, which adds that pink color and a subtle earthy sweetness that works well with the citrus without taking over the drink.
It looks like you put in more effort than you actually did, which is always a win.
About Prickly Pear
Prickly pear (also called cactus fruit or tunas) is the fruit from those paddle cacti you see all over the Southwest and throughout Southern California.
The flesh is usually bright magenta, sometimes orange. The flavor is hard to describe until you’ve actually tried it — sort of like watermelon and kiwi with a little earthiness underneath. It’s not a strong flavor, which is why it works so well here.
If you can find fresh prickly pear at your grocery store or farmers market, make your own syrup. Simmer the fruit with equal parts sugar and water, strain out the seeds, and you’re done. I store mine in these 4 oz glass jars in the freezer so I have some ready to go year-round.
Fair warning: those thin, hair-like needles on prickly pear fruit are nearly invisible and they will end up in your hand. I spent days picking them out after grabbing one bare-handed. Use thick gloves or a towel you don’t care about.
Can’t find fresh fruit? Good-quality prickly pear syrup is easy to order online. Cheri’s Desert Harvest makes one that isn’t too sweet.
Margarita Glasses
Traditional margaritas go in a wide, shallow margarita glass (also a lowball glass), but I usually reach for rocks glasses instead.
They’re easier to hold, you get more ice in there, and the color shows up just as well. Rocks glasses also get used for so many other cocktail recipes, so they’re worth having around. I like these lowball glasses and these rocks glasses.
Add a Jalapeño Twist
Add two thin slices of fresh jalapeño to your shaker before anything else goes in.
The heat and the sweet prickly pear work really well together. Use fresh jalapeño, not pickled, and adjust the amount based on how spicy you want it. Two slices is a good starting point.
How to Make it a Mocktail
Skip the tequila and use sparkling water with a splash of fresh orange juice instead.
The prickly pear and citrus are doing most of the flavor work here, so the mocktail holds up well. I make it for daytime get-togethers and nobody misses the alcohol as much as you’d think.
If you want something with a bit more body, Ritual Zero Proof makes a non-alcoholic tequila alternative that’s a decent stand-in.
Which Tequila to Use
Blanco (silver) tequila. It’s unaged, so you get that clean agave flavor that goes well with citrus and prickly pear. Reposado or añejo have too much wood and will fight with the other flavors.
My husband usually reaches for Espolòn, Cimarron, or Olmeca Altos. All three are solid without being expensive.
Fresh Lime Juice
Don’t use bottled lime juice. Fresh lime makes a noticeable difference — brighter, cleaner, better acidity. You need about two limes per drink. A citrus juicer speeds things up if you’re making a big batch.
Note: Do not use an auto-juicer on citrus unless you remove the pith and peel. This pith makes the lime juice very bitter.
Orange Liqueur Options
Cointreau is pretty much the standard for orange liqueurs and is used in many cocktail recipes. It’s clean, not too sweet, and has good orange flavor.
Triple Sec works and costs less, while Grand Marnier is Cognac-based and adds more richness, but it will shift the flavor, so keep that in mind if you use it.
For the mocktail, fresh orange juice is the easiest swap.
Storage and Making a Batch
Prickly pear syrup keeps in the fridge for about a week.
To make it last longer, freeze your syrup in silicone ice cube trays and pull out a cube when you need one. I also freeze extra in 4 oz glass jars for bigger batches.
If you’re making these for a group, mix everything except the ice in a pitcher, refrigerate, and shake each drink when you’re ready to pour. This is much easier than making them one at a time during the party.
Garnish
A lime wheel is the easiest option. A thin jalapeño slice works if you went the spicy route.
I also like using dehydrated lime slices as cocktail garnishes — they store well and make a cocktail look way nicer than if it is left alone.
Find more garnish ideas in our cocktail garnish guide.
Mezcal Swap
If you want to try something different, swap the tequila for mezcal.
The smokiness actually plays well with the prickly pear sweetness. It’s a different drink that can be overpowered by a super-smoky mezcal, but it’s worth a try.
Find more ideas over in my mezcal and tequila cocktail recipes section.
If you like talking while you sip as much as making cocktails, my podcast Twist Happy Hour covers both.
Tools You Need
A good bartender kit will cover most of what you need. The basics are a Boston shaker, a fine-mesh strainer, and a citrus juicer.
If you do citrus twists or peels for garnish, add a channeling knife to that list.
Everything I use is in my shop.
More Cocktails Using Prickly Pear Syrup
- Cactus Cooler Collins – Vodka, prickly pear, pineapple, and lime with soda water.
- Prickly Pear Moscow Mule – Use prickly pear in place of simple syrup.
- Desert Bloom Vodka Soda – Vodka, prickly pear syrup, and soda water over ice.
- Prickly Pear Lemonade – A non-alcoholic use for the syrup, or add vodka for a light cocktail.
- Prickly Pear Daiquiri – White rum, lime, and prickly pear shaken and served up.
- Prickly Pear Paloma – Tequila, grapefruit soda, lime, and prickly pear.
The full simple syrups collection has more ways to put homemade syrups to work. Prickly pear is one of my go-tos, but there are plenty of others worth trying.
Want an autumn margarita? Try my Spiced Apple Cider Margarita.
How to Make a Prickly Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 oz blanco tequila
- 1 oz prickly pear syrup
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- ½ oz orange liqueur (Cointreau or Triple Sec)
- Ice
- Coarse salt for rim (like this)
- Lime wheel for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Start with the salt rim. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your rocks glass, then dip it in coarse salt.
- Add to you Boston shaker the tequila, prickly pear syrup, lime juice, and orange liqueur.
- Add ice.
- Shake hard for about 15 seconds until the shaker is ice cold on the outside.
- Fill your prepared glass with fresh ice and strain the margarita over it. Garnish with a lime wheel.
