Watermelon Margarita Recipe

We love a cocktail. There's a reason we have so many of them on the menu at our Grind cafés. This year, our seasonal summer drinks menu debuted a Sea Salt Watermelon Margarita. We fell in love with it, and so did our customers.

The good news for you is that you can recreate this summer cocktail at home with ease. It’s a real crowd pleaser—you’ll be the most popular person at the party when you bring these out—and it’s perfect for warmer days.

Fresh watermelon gives this margarita a natural fruity sweetness, whilst fresh lime juice gives it a citrussy, tart finish. If you want to make frozen watermelon margaritas, just pop your watermelon in the freezer the night before.

Watermelon Margarita Ingredients

Makes 4 servings:

800g watermelon, cut into cubes
125ml tequila
75ml triple sec
250g ice
2 limes, zested and juiced
2 tsp honey
4 tsp sea salt flakes
2 tsp caster sugar
¼ chilli flakes (optional)

How to Make a Watermelon Margarita

A simple step-by-step guide:

Step 1

Add the watermelon, tequila, triple sec, lime juice, honey, and ice to a food processor or blender and blitz until smooth.

Step 2

Prepare the garnish for the glass rims by combining the sea salt flakes, sugar, chilli flakes, and lime zest in a small bowl.

Step 3

Run a lime wedge around the rims of four glasses and dip into the garnish mix. Pour the drink into the glasses and serve immediately.

How to Make the Best Watermelon Margaritas?

Our top tips:

Don't skip the garnish. The salt rim on a margarita glass is an essential part of the cocktail.
Try a little spice. We suggest adding ¼ tsp of chill flakes to the salt rim in this recipe, but you can tailor this to your spice preferences. If you want a spicy watermelon margarita, combine the tequila with half a thinly sliced jalapeño and let it sit for 15-30 minutes before making your cocktail.
Make it a frozen watermelon margarita. Just cut and freeze the watermelon in advance and blend it as usual (without needing to add ice).
Make it your own. Try adding a little extra honey for some more sweetness, or extra lime for more tartness. If it’s too strong, try adding a little watermelon juice or sparkling water to balance the alcohol.