Skinny Margarita vs Regular Margarita

Skinny Margarita vs Regular: What’s the Same?

Both alcoholic beverages use tequila as their base spirit and lime juice as the primary souring agent.

Store-bought mixes, homemade margaritas, and ones at a restaurant include a mixture of tequila, lime juice, and sweetener. You can order both on the rocks or frozen.

3 Differences Between a Skinny Margarita and Regular Margarita

The biggest differences between a classic margarita and a skinny one lie in the grams of sugar, calories, and grams of carbohydrates in each. Here’s a breakdown of a skinny margarita vs regular one.

1. Calorie count and sugar content: The main difference is the number of calories and the sugar content. A regular Margarita is higher in sugar from sweetened lime juice and orange liqueur. A Skinny Margarita uses natural sweeteners, fresh juice, and little to now orange liqueur to reduce the calorie count.
2. Taste: A Skinny Margarita will taste less sweet, but may have a fresher taste from the fruit juices.
3. Fresh ingredients: a Skinny Margarita uses a combination of fresh lime juice, fresh orange juice, or natural sweeteners.

Ingredients in a Skinny Margarita

• Tequila Blanco: This is the main ingredient in a Margarita. Distillers make Blanco tequila and bottle it immediately, without any aging.
• Fresh-Squeezed Lime Juice: Provides a sour flavor that balances the drink.
• Low-Calorie Sweetener: A small amount of agave nectar provides sweetness without adding extra calories.
• Orange Juice: Some recipes call for the addition of fresh orange juice to provide a hint of sweetness and acidity.
• Triple Sec or Cointreau: Some skinny margarita recipes call for a small amount of orange liqueur for added flavor, but it is optional.
• Salt: Rim the glass with a lime wedge and coarse salt to enhance the flavor.
• Ice: Blend or shake with ice to create a refreshing, chilled drink.

Natural and Low-Calorie Sweeteners For A Margarita

Using a low-calorie sweetener will result in a low-calorie margarita. Agave nectar is a popular choice when it comes to natural sweeteners, but stevia is a good choice too.

1. Stevia: A natural, calorie-free sweetener made from the leaves of the Stevia plant.
2. Monk Fruit Sweetener: This is a natural sweetener made from monk fruit. It’s much much sweeter than sugar but has zero calories.
3. Agave Nectar: this is a natural sweetener made from the agave plant and is lower on the glycemic index. It has a sweeter taste and a slightly lower calorie count.

How to Make a Skinny Version of a Traditional Margarita

After comparing a Skinny Margarita vs regular Margarita, here’s how to take your favorite margarita recipe and make it skinny.

• Leave out the orange liqueur or add a small splash instead.
• Use 1-2 teaspoons of agave nectar instead of a sour mix or simple syrup.
• Squeeze in fresh fruit juices, like orange juice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Our Favorite Margarita Tools

Here are our favorite products to stock in your pantry so you can make a killer margarita whenever the craving strikes. This section may contain affiliate links.

• Cocktail shaker for making a single serving.
• Large Pitcher if you’re making a batch of this delicious cocktail.
• Small plate or shallow bowl for making the salt rim.
• Mason jars, margarita glasses, or old-fashioned glasses for serving.

Margarita Recipes

Use fresh blood oranges, fresh lime juice, tequila, and triple sec to make the most refreshing blood orange margarita in 5 minutes.

These mango margaritas are naturally sweetened with agave and fresh mangos. Serve them on the rocks or frozen, or make them spicy with jalapeno. Similarly, this pineapple jalapeno margarita recipe features tropical fruit and fresh citrus (with a spicy twist).

The sweet floral flavor of this strawberry hibiscus margarita is made by shaking up hibiscus simple syrup with fresh lime juice, tequila, and triple sec. 

Make this easy (5-ingredient) cucumber margarita recipe with fresh cucumber, tequila, lime juice, triple sec, and agave. Add jalapeño to make them spicy or leave them as is for a refreshing cocktail.

This skinny spicy margarita is everything you think of when you picture a Cinco de Mayo-inspired cocktail. It has heat and spice, yet it’s cold and refreshing. It’s sweet, and it’s smoky, and it’s incredibly fresh.