When it comes to National Margarita Day, we have a lot of ways to celebrate our favorite tropical cocktail. A lot. Like, so many recipes we’ll be well into August before we stop celebrating. Not that we’re complaining. But this year, this wonderful holiday falls on a Tuesday (February 22), so giving multiple cocktail recipes a shot (pun intended) means that Wednesday might be a little tougher than usual.
Fortunately, for those of us who do most of our celebrating on weekends, there’s a creative solution that allows us to have our margs and drink them, too. The fine folks from Ritual Zero Proof—an alcohol alternative created not to completely do away with spirits, but instead to find some all-natural replacements that still taste like the real things for when we can’t party hard—have developed these special alcohol-free and low-alcohol recipes for anyone still looking to enjoy a great National Margarita Day, but without the Wednesday morning headache.
The Classic Margarita
Ingredients (Non-alcoholic):
- 2 oz. Ritual Tequila Alternative
- 1 oz. orange juice
- 1 oz. fresh lime juice
- 0.5 oz. simple syrup
- Lime slice or wedge
How to Make It:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice. Shake, shake, shake. Pour into a cocktail glass, garnish with a lime slice or wedge.
The Heat Wave
Ingredients (Low-ABV):
- 2 oz. Ritual Tequila Alternative
- 1 oz. fresh lime juice
- 1 oz. triple sec
- 0.5 oz. agave nectar
- Half jalapeño pepper
- Basil Leaf
- Tajin or Valentina Seasoning (for rim)
How to Make It:
Pour Tequila Alternative over jalapeño and basil, sliced lengthwise, in a cocktail shaker. Let sit at room temperature for at least 15 minutes. The longer, the spicier. Add lime, triple sec, agave and ice. Shake, shake, shake. Pour over ice into a Tajin-rimmed glass. Garnish with jalapeño slices and basil.
The Pineapple Margarita
Ingredients (Low-ABV):
- 2 oz. Ritual Tequila Alternative
- 3 oz. pineapple juice
- 1.5 oz. fresh lime juice
- 1 oz. triple sec
How to Make It:
Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake, strain into a glass with ice and garnish with pineapple fronds and/or segments.
