Spooky Black Margarita

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5

Total Time: 5

Servings: person

Calories: 276kcal

Author: AGT Editorial Team

This black margarita is made with activated charcoal to give it its deep black color. It's a deliciously spooky cocktail that is perfect for serving at your Halloween bash this year!

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Equipment

1 Cocktail Shaker

Ingredients

2 oz. Tequila Blanco White Tequila
1 ½ oz. Cointreau or Triple Sec
1 oz. Freshly squeezed lime juice
½ ounce Agave syrup *Optional
¼ teaspoon Activated Charcoal Powder food-grade; read the medication warning in Notes
honey + margarita salt or black lava salt for the rim
lime or orange wedges optional, for garnish

Instructions

Prepare one glass per serving, choosing glasses large enough for the cocktail plus ice with room at the top. Dip each rim into honey, then into margarita salt or black lava salt. Chill the glasses until ready to serve.
Add lime juice, Cointreau or triple sec, agave (if using), tequila and activated charcoal to a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake vigorously for 20–30 seconds. When making multiple servings, shake in batches so the shaker is not overfilled.
Add fresh ice to the prepared glasses, leaving space for the cocktail. Strain the margarita into the glasses, dividing it evenly among the number of servings shown above. Garnish with a lime or orange wedge, if desired, and serve.

Notes

Activated charcoal and medications: Activated charcoal may reduce the absorption and effectiveness of medicines taken by mouth, including birth-control pills and blood-pressure medicines. If you take any oral medication, check with your pharmacist or clinician before consuming this drink. Let guests know it contains charcoal, and offer a charcoal-free option. Read WebMD’s overview of activated charcoal uses and risks.

Charcoal: Use only activated charcoal intended for food use. A little goes a long way for color. This is the Viva Doria charcoal I use from Amazon.

Charcoal-free option: Omit the activated charcoal and add McCormick black food coloring a drop at a time until you reach the color you want. Use plain margarita salt for the rim, since black lava salt contains charcoal.

Glass size: Each serving contains about 5 US fl oz of liquid with agave, or 4½ US fl oz without it, before shaking adds dilution. Allow extra space for ice rather than using a 4–6 oz glass.

Nutrition: Estimates are per cocktail made with 80-proof Patrón Silver tequila, Cointreau and lime juice. They exclude the optional agave, honey/salt rim and garnish. Different triple sec brands and added sweeteners will change the values.

Nutrition