Keto Margarita

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 12/3/21
Keto Margarita
The Spruce / S&C Design Studios
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Cool: 30 mins
Total: 55 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
138 Calories
0g Fat
13g Carbs
1g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 138
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 65mg 3%
Total Carbohydrate 13g 5%
Dietary Fiber 2g 8%
Total Sugars 2g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 26mg 132%
Calcium 25mg 2%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 96mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

There's no need to skip margaritas when you want to cut sugar and calories from your diet. Instead, mix up this refreshing keto margarita. It's the same tequila cocktail you know and love, just without the excess of sugar.

Cocktails on the keto diet (or any other that reduces sugar and calories) are tricky because sweeteners—including syrups and liqueurs—are essential elements. Triple sec is the offending ingredient in margaritas, and the orange liqueur is full of sugar. To get around that, this keto margarita recipe starts with a homemade low-sugar orange syrup. The sugar substitute of choice is an allulose monk fruit blend because it's the best sweetener for a keto simple syrup. Adding the combination of fresh-squeezed orange juice and orange peel gives it a bitter citrus flavor that's reminiscent of triple sec. Each cocktail should have about 1 gram of sugar from the juice.

The syrup part of this recipe makes about 2/3 cup; it's enough for five margaritas and useful in other triple sec cocktails, like the cosmopolitan. It stores well in the fridge and, once you adjust it to your personal taste, it's easy to increase for a larger batch. The margarita can be served up, on the rocks, or you can toss it in the blender. It's also an inspiration for other diet-friendly flavored margaritas.

Ingredients

For the Keto Orange Syrup:

  • 1 orange

  • 1/2 cup water

  • 1/2 cup granulated allulose monk fruit sweetener

For the Keto Margarita:

  • 1 1/2 ounces reposado tequila

  • 1 ounce keto orange syrup

  • 3/4 ounce lime juice

  • Lime wedge, for garnish

Steps to Make It

Make the Keto Orange Syrup

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for a Keto Margarita
    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  2. Using a vegetable peeler or paring knife, cut two pieces of orange peel that are about 2 inches long. Juice the orange and strain through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the pulp.

    Orange Peel and Fresh-Squeezed Orange Juice
    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  3. In a small saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Whisk in the sweetener until dissolved.

    Sugar-Free Simple Syrup
    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  4. Reduce to a simmer and add juice of 1/4 orange and the orange peels. Simmer for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat to cool completely before removing the peels and discarding. Store the syrup in a sealed bottle in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

    Making Sugar-Free Orange Syrup for Keto Margarita
    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Make the Keto Margarita

  1. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour the tequila, orange syrup, and fresh lime juice.

    Mixing a Keto Margarita
    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  2. Shake well.

    Shaking a Keto Margarita
    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  3. Strain into a chilled margarita or cocktail glass.

    Straining a Keto Margarita
    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

  4. Garnish with a lime wedge. Serve and enjoy.

    Keto Margarita
    The Spruce / S&C Design Studios

Tips

  • Adjust the syrup to taste: add more orange juice for extra citrus flavor. If you include some of the white pith on the peel, it will add to the bitterness.
  • Top-shelf tequila makes a better margarita. While reposado tequila is suggested because the aging adds a nice oakiness to the margarita, a blanco (or silver) tequila works just fine.

Recipe Variations

  • If the margarita is a little too tart, add a bit more syrup next time.
  • Make the syrup with orange extract instead of fresh orange juice and peel. Let it cool completely, then add about 1/4 teaspoon of orange extract, taste, and add more if needed.
  • To serve the margarita on the rocks, strain it over fresh ice into a cocktail, margarita, or old-fashioned glass.
  • For a frozen margarita, add the ingredients to a blender with 1 cup (about 5 or 6 average-sized cubes) of ice and blend well.
  • Add fruit to your margarita. The easiest way is to muddle fresh fruit in the shaker before adding the other ingredients. For instance, add 2 sliced strawberries, muddle well, then continue making a keto strawberry margarita.

How Can I Make a Keto Margarita Mix?

This orange syrup is the perfect base for a custom keto margarita mix that just needs tequila. All you need to do is add lime juice to the syrup. It would be best to start small—maybe 1/2 ounce lime for 1/2 cup of syrup—then shake 1 3/4 ounces with a shot of tequila to see how it tastes. Add a little more lime to boost the tartness, or some of the leftover orange syrup for extra sweetness. Make notes of your adjustments so you can duplicate your ideal margarita mix. If you were to switch to a combination of lemon and lime, you'd have a low-sugar sour mix.

How Strong Is a Keto Margarita?

Eliminating the triple sec also lightens up the margarita. Rather than a 54-proof drink, this keto cocktail has an alcohol content of 34 proof (17 percent ABV). That's a big difference and makes this margarita just a little stronger than a glass of wine.