This frozen banana margarita recipe combines the tropical sweetness of ripe bananas with the tangy kick of lime and tequila. It's a game-changer of a cocktail that tastes like the best tropical vacation ever.
Whether you’re lounging by the pool or hosting a party, this drink will make every occasion feel like a vacation!
Table of Contents
- 🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- 🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
- 📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- 🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
- 🥫 Leftover love: how to store banana margaritas
- Marye's Tip o' the day
- 💭 Insider tips: things to know
- 👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
- 📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
- 📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
- 📖 Recipe
- ✍🏻 A note from Marye...
- 💬 Comments
Save this recipe by clicking on the ❤️ heart on the right-hand side of the screen or in the recipe card.
🗝️ Key takeaways: why this recipe is your new favorite
- I love me a good margarita but this one takes everyone by surprise with its creamy texture and unique flavor.
- It's perfect for a casual evening on the porch watching fireflies or a rowdy backyard cookout. Either way it's a winner.
- Try garnishing with the cute dolphin garnishes from this banana daiquiri.
🧾 Gather your ingredients: what you'll need
This is an overview of the ingredients. You'll find the full measurements and instructions in the green recipe card (printable) at the bottom of the page.
📖 Make it your own: yummy variations
- Add a splash of coconut milk for a creamy twist.
- Blend in some fresh strawberries or pineapple for a fruity mix.
🤫 Marye's secret for zhuzhing it up -
Add a dash of vanilla extract to enhance the banana flavor and give your margarita a smooth, luxurious taste.
zhuzh: verb. To make something more interesting or attractive
🍴Must have tools: essential equipment
- blender
- measuring cups and spoons
- margarita glasses
- saucer
🥫 Leftover love: how to store banana margaritas
Unlikely that you'd have leftovers but if you do just put in a sealable pitcher in the refrigerator. It will be delicious for a couple of days.
Marye's Tip o' the day
Corn syrup works better than water to "glue" the ground chile to the rim. Many people prefer water because it doesn't add extra sweetness.
💭 Insider tips: things to know
- Use ripe bananas for the best flavor and natural sweetness.
- If you prefer a less sweet drink, adjust the simple syrup to taste.
- Dip banana chunks in lemon juice to ensure they don't change color and brown.
- Whether or not you add simple syrup to this cocktail depends a lot on your preference for sweet and how ripe the banana is. I'd make the cocktail without it and then add it last if it was necessary.
👩🍳 Let's answer those questions: FAQs
Have other questions? Ask me in the comments!
Sure replace the tequila, banana liqueur, and triple sec with coconut milk.
You can use a banana syrup (like Monin or Torani), usually available on Amazon and in some high end grocers.
⏲️ Marye's time saving hacks -
Pre-make the margarita mix and store it in the freezer. When guests arrive, just blend with ice for a quick and delicious drink.
📚 More Southern comfort: related recipes you'll love
📞 Wrapping it up: the last word
You will need to plan ahead for this because the bananas need to be frozen. I like to take my almost-too-ripe bananas and toss them in the freezer. That way I have them whenever I want something banana-y. You don't even have to peel them.
You can run a little warm water over the frozen banana to make it easier to peel, then cut it in chunks.
I know I am showing this with a straw but if you sip it from the glass you get all kinds of cool textures and flavors swirling around your mouth.
There's sweet, creamy, smoky, spicy, hot, cold, rough, smooth.... I like to think of it as a thesaurus in cocktail form.
The rim is easy to do. It's ground up chipotle peppers mixed with an equal amount of sugar.
You just dip your fingers in water, run them around the rim, and then dip the rim in the sugar and chipotle mixture. You can use commercial powdered chipotle but I like the texture and color that occurs when I grind it myself and leave it kind of coarse.
If you click on the number of servings in the recipe card you can adjust the measurements up or down for the exact number of servings you need.
If you love this recipe please comment below and give it 5 stars! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
📖 Recipe
Frozen Banana Margarita with Sweet Chile Rim
Print Save Recipe Rate RecipeIngredients
- 1 banana, very ripe and frozen
- 2 ounces tequila
- 2 ounces banana liqueur
- 1 ounce Triple Sec
- ½ ounce lemon juice
- ½ ounce lime juice
- 3 ounces orange juice
- ½ ounce simple syrup, to taste
- ¾ cup ice
- 1 tablespoon chipotle powder, a dried chipotle ground in the blender works best visually
- 1 tablespoon sugar
Instructions
- Mix the chipotle powder and sugar together in a saucer.
- Wet the rim of your glass with a little water or egg white.
- Dip the glass into the chipotle mixture and twirl it to coat the rim.
- Set aside to dry.
- Peel and cut the banana in chunks.
- Add to the blender.
- Add the tequila, banana liqueur, Triple Sec, lemon juice, lime juice, orange juice, simple syrup, and ice.
- Blend until smooth and slushy.
- Pour carefully into prepared glass and garnish with citrus as desired.
Nutrition Facts
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This recipe has been tested several times. If you choose to use other ingredients, or change the technique in some way, the results may not be the same.
First published Feb 14, 2015. Last updated Aug 19, 2024 for improved readability and more information.
✍🏻 A note from Marye...
I know y'all don't always like the stories bloggers tell so when I have one I try to put it at the very bottom so you can read or skip as you like.
Perfect for you weekend staycation, this frozen topical margarita recipe is a combination of banana, orange, lemon, and lime with a sweet-smoky chipotle rim. When you sip the sweet slush you get the cool creamy goodness followed by a smack of chipotle sass.
I never traveled until my husband and I got together around five years ago. One of the first things he did was to take me on a cruise to the Caribbean and of course we stopped in Cozumel.
I am all about the restaurants when we travel and he is all about the shopping so Cozumel was a great stop. We were sitting in this little Mexican place all romantic and relaxed, street musicians playing a song for us, and smiling at each other like you do when you are first together. The food smelled amazing.
When the server brought us our chips and dip I was off in my own fluffy pink fantasy land of my happily ever after, you know? I barely glanced at it because, hey, I'm Texan... we have the whole Mexican food thing down.
I dipped my warm chip deep into the bright orange queso and took a big bite.
The next thing I knew I was gasping for air and gulping down water because Hell had touched my throat -- the burning fires of eternal damnation were dancing on my tongue and creating an uproar in my stomach.
Sweat broke out on my forehead and I remember thinking that it was good that Mexico is a largely Catholic country because I was pretty sure I was going to need an exorcism... or maybe last rites. Being a protestant I wasn't sure how that worked.
You see, the queso was not queso. It was a local salsa made from habenero peppers that were cooked down to a thick, intense paste.
This frozen, tropical margarita would have come in handy to quench the fire, you know? Your mouth does not have to be burning to enjoy this delicious cocktail but if you ever do go to Mexico make sure you know what's in the dish, y'all.
Kristin says
OMG, I was just going over past linkups and how did I not see this?!?! This looks so amazing!! Thanks so much for linking it up with us!!!
Alice says
This sounds awesome! I love the "chipotle sass" 🙂 how fun is that?? This is going on my to-make list for sure!
Sheri Ann Richerson says
Hi. I found your blog today and shared this recipe. We have a friend who loves Margarita's so I am excited about this recipe. I intend to make it the next time he comes to visit.
Kristen says
it is like minus 20 where I live and this just reminds me of summer. Love this recipe. I need to try this.
Shanna @ pineapple and coconut says
Ohhh I love the chile rim on these and I am a sucker for mango margaritas. I might have to make these later today!!