The classic margarita from my book “Freezer Door Cocktails” calls for four things — tequila, orange liqueur, sugar and lime. This variation, inspired by a cocktail at Bitter & Twisted in Phoenix, keeps the key flavors, but gets to the finish line a little differently.
Italian limoncello — a sweet, boldly lemony Italian liqueur — provides most of the sugar and all of the citrus. To give the cocktail creamy tropical notes that play perfectly with the limoncello, we use coconut oil to fat-wash the tequila. The result is wildly refreshing and tropical.
Starting with a full bottle of tequila? Pour off 7½ ounces (225 ml), use the remaining for this recipe, and store the final product in the tequila bottle.
Amalfi Lemon Margarita
Makes: 5 to 7 Cocktails
Ingredients
17 ½ ounces blanco tequila
2 ounces coconut oil, melted
5 ¼ ounces limoncello
1 ounce agave or simple syrup
Crushed ice, to serve
Directions
In a liquid measuring cup with at least a 4-cup (1-quart or 1-liter) capacity, stir together the tequila and coconut oil. Let sit at room temperature for 5 minutes, stirring often. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
Strain through a cheesecloth-lined mesh strainer into a 750-milliliter bottle; discard the solids. Add the limoncello and syrup.
Cap the bottle securely, then shake well to mix. Store in the freezer. To serve, pour into a coupe filled halfway with crushed ice.
The Associated Press contributed to this article