The most refreshing Cucumber Margarita made with fresh-pressed cucumber juice, smoky mezcal, and lots of lime juice. Make a big pitcher next time you are serving a crowd!
Right now as you are reading this my family and I are riding in our tiny car across the state of Minnesota (or Wisconsin, depending on the hour).
It is August and that means…..roooaaaadddd trip!
We are taking an epic family road trip (cue the sandwich dance) to Lake Michigan that will include a ferry ride, lots of beach time, all the Italian Ice we can possibly handle, and very little sleep.
I’m buying Armando a Member’s Only jacket just for the trip, so follow along on Instagram for all the latest updates.
the ultimate cucumber margarita
Today will be our longest driving day, maxing out at 10 hours (if all goes well) so that means someone better have a Big Gulp-sized margarita for me when we stop.
This cucumber version first caught my eye when Kasey wrote about having them in Tulum; the bright green color, smoke from Mezcal, and fresh-cut grassiness of it just screamed summer.
Seems to me like this has got to be up there as one of the best mezcal cocktails!
what you need
To make this refreshing cocktail you can opt to go all the way and buy a juicer (if you don’t already have one) or keep it simple with a blender, cucumbers, lime, and good mezcal. Either way here’s what you’ll need:
ingredients
Cucumber. I like to use the long English cucumbers.
Mezcal. Scroll down for my favorite brands. You could also make this with silver tequila.
Limes. 4 of them if making a pitcher, plus a few more for rimming the cocktail glasses and garnish.
Grand Mariner. This is my preferred brand of orange liqueur.
Agave Syrup. Or homemade simple syrup would be good too.
equipment
Juicer. This makes the purest, fresh-pressed cucumber juice but if you don’t have one and don’t want to buy one use a blender.
Blender. Instead of the juicer combine the cucumber and mezcal in a blender until finely pureed.
Fine Mesh Strainer. Strain the blended mixture through a strainer. If using a juicer, you can skip this step.
Pitcher. For making a big-batch cocktail.
Wooden Spoon. For stirring!
what’s the best mezcal for cocktails?
Lucky for us Mezcal has boomed in popularity, which means it is much more widely available than even a few years ago.
If you are unfamiliar with mezcal, it is a liquor distilled from agave similar to tequila. The agave for mezcal is roasted before it is distilled which gives it a smoky flavor.
Check out this article over on Salt and Wind for more info on the differences between tequila and mezcal.
My favorite mezcals for mixing up cocktails are:
how to make cucumber mezcal margaritas by the pitcher
They looked so good that, guess what? I made a pitcher!
You can cut the recipe down to only make one or two drinks or but why would you go through the trouble of hauling out the juicer for one measly drink?
That being said, you certainly don’t have to make these cucumber mezcal margaritas with a juicer.
You can also chop up the cucumbers and blend them with the mezcal in a blender, then strain out any bits that might be left over through a fine mesh strainer—or leave them in (fiber!).
Combine the cucumber juice with the remaining ingredients in a pitcher and stir to combine.
Invite some friends and make a round, just don’t drink them while you’re driving and stuff.
how to make one or two drinks
If you want to make this margarita recipe just for yourself, you can absolutely do that too. Here’s how:
- Make the cucumber juice like described above.
- Rim your cocktail glass by rubbing a lime wedge around the edge of a rocks glass or margarita glass and dipping it in kosher salt.
- Combine 1/2 cup of the cucumber juice, 1/4 cup mezcal, the juice of 1 squeezed lime, 1 tablespoon orange liqueur (like triple sec or my favorite, Grand Mariner), and 1 teaspoon agave syrup in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
- Shake vigorously for at least 15 seconds then pour into the prepared glass. Garnish with cucumber slices and enjoy!
- Save any leftover cucumber juice covered in the refrigerator for another cocktail, green juice, or smoothie. It will last 2-3 days.
more summer cocktail recipes to try!
- Strawberry Pink Peppercorn Margarita
- Tequila Sunrise with Homemade Grenadine
- Blackberry Limonada Margarita
- Tequila Libre Cocktail
- Pineapple Hibiscus Margarita
- Fresh Tomato Michelada with Tamarind
- Strawberry Hibiscus Paloma
make a pitcher for cinco de mayo
These Cucumber Mezcal Margaritas are the best for parties like Cinco de Mayo because it makes a whole pitcher!
Please let me know when you make them by snapping a pic and tagging me on Instagram @holajalapeno and #holajalapeno so I can see or leave me a comment below (don’t forget to leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating) !

Cucumber Mezcal Margaritas
A refreshing pitcher of cucumber mezcal margaritas made from cold pressed cucumber juice, smoky mezcal, orange liqueur, and lime juice.
Ingredients
- 1 medium English cucumber, plus 1 more thinly sliced for garnish
- 1 cup (8 ounces) mezcal, see post for my favorite brands
- 4 limes, (juiced), plus 2-3 more for serving
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) Grand Marnier
- 1 tablespoon agave syrup
- kosher salt, for rimming the glasses
- ice, for serving
Instructions
Juice the cucumber. Put 1 cucumber through a juicer, or puree with the mezcal in a blender, then strain out the juice through a fine mesh strainer.
Prepare the glasses. Cut one of the extra limes into wedges and pour about 1/4 cup of the kosher salt on a small plate. Run the lime wedges around the edge of each rocks glass, then gently dip the edges in salt.
Stir together. Combine remaining ingredients, plus cucumber juice in a pitcher with ice and stir vigorously until everything is mixed and thoroughly chilled. Slice 1 of the limes into thin slices. Pour the margarita into salt-rimmed glasses and garnish with cucumber and lime slices and serve.
Notes
To make the drink ahead: Follow the instructions as directed but don't add the ice. Cover and refrigerate the cocktail until ready to serve. Add ice to each glass instead of the pitcher before serving.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 18Total Fat: 0gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 2mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g
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Holy moly. This looks amazing! What I wouldn’t do for a glass of this!
Thanks Cathleen, you’re so sweet!
Looks so gorgeous, Kate! xo aida
Thank you Aida! They taste pretty darn good too!
After a couple of visits to Oaxaca, I got a real taste for mezcal, but haven’t tinkered with it at home. Can’t wait to try these. Beautiful photos, by the way!
Thank you Katie! I love the smoky taste of mezcal.
We got some mezcal from Mexico last summer and I think we’ll finally try it with this recipe! mezcal margaritas sounds delicious!
I just pinned this recipe Kate! I love the way you garnished these margaritas. I’m already working in this year’s Margarita Week and mine will be smoked! Cant’ wait!
What a delicious twist to the Margarita recipe! I will be making lots of pitchers!
I love it! Let me know how it goes!
What a great flavor combination for a margarita, I will try it next time I drink mezcal, love your pictures!
Que belleza de decoración de estas margaritas, se me antojan de inmediato! Interesante combinación de mescal con pepino, debe ser super refrescante. Peligrosamente refrescante diría yo! Jajaja
¡Jajajaaja! Peligroso de hecho!
Excellent! I love mezcal in this cocktail, but tequila is good too!
Se me antojo demasiado amo esas margaritas exóticas! Perfectas para un brunch en casa tengo q prepararlas ame tus fotos
Gracias! Sí son perfectas para brunch!