The Key To Lighter Frozen Margaritas Is Your Favorite Bottle Of Bubbly

There are few things as universally beloved as a classic margarita. In fact, it's the most popular cocktail in the United States. The traditional margarita is made up of lime juice, triple sec, and tequila served with a salt rim. And although we love a classic margarita on the rocks, we still find ourselves yearning for the frozen blended version. Frozen margaritas make for a deeply refreshing treat, like a boozy slushie. But they aren't always everyone's go-to drink order, even if they're making up a batch at home. 

Frozen margaritas come with a couple of disadvantages, which might be why they aren't the default serving option. They can become cloyingly sweet because they require more sugar syrup than classic margs, as this enables a smooth texture. In turn, that makes them feel a bit heavy to drink down, and the balance of the tequila and triple sec can be harder to detect. But one ingredient can solve all of these issues: sparkling wine. Be it prosecco, Champagne, cava, or whatever else you've got on the bar cart, this bubbly addition makes for a superior frozen, blended margarita. 

Using a bottle of bubbly helps lighten up a margarita both texturally and flavor-wise. By adding sparkling wine, you'll introduce effervescence to the somewhat sticky sweet OG margarita recipe. This is basically the equivalent of adding seltzer or club soda, but it won't water the mixture down, which frozen margaritas are already prone to thanks to the small ice particles. Sparkling wine, on the other hand, adds a nice depth of flavor that sits in perfect balance with the lime juice and sugary notes. Thanks to its bubbly nature, sparkling wine can prevent the sugars and ice from freezing and clumping together, which makes for smoother sipping. 

So, if the frozen margarita too closely resembles something you'd slug down at a movie theater, try using a splash of whatever bubbly you have on hand. Blend your margarita as normal, then top it off with a splash of sparkling wine. Be sure you're using super chilled wine, or you might melt the lovely frozen crystals of the margarita. Also, keep in mind the sweetness of the sparkling wine you're using. For a crisp, bright sparkling frozen margarita, opt for a dry or brut wine. If you only have sweet wines like sparkling Moscato on hand, be careful not to add too much, or the margarita can quickly become sickeningly sugary.