As a newly legal 21 year old, I am thrilled to share my first-ever cocktail recipe with you, right in time for Memorial Day Weekend! I took a classic margarita and elevated it with two of my all-time favorite flavors: fresh blackberries and thyme! The thyme even came straight from my rooftop garden. Steeping herbs into simple syrup is one of my favorite ways to add flavor to a cocktail, so if thyme isn’t your favorite, try this with any herb you like!
Blackberry Thyme Margarita
Servings: 1 drink
Ingredients
For the Thyme Simple Syrup:
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups water
- 8 sprigs fresh thyme
For the Lime Zest Salt Rim:
- ¼ cup flaky sea salt
- Zest of 1 lime halve and reserve lime for assembling the margarita later
For the Margarita:
- 8 fresh blackberries plus more for garnish
- Juice of 1 lime
- 3/4 ounce thyme simple syrup
- 2 ounces silver tequila
- 1/2 ounce Cointreau
- Sparkling water for topping (I used Topo Chico)
- Fresh thyme for garnish
Instructions
- To make the thyme simple syrup, add all ingredients to a small saucepot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Transfer to an air-tight container and cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least one hour.
- When you’re ready to make the margarita, add flaky sea salt and lime zest to a shallow bowl that’s slightly larger than your cocktail glass and mix with clean hands until well combined and fragrant. Rub a lime half around the edge of the glass, then dip into the salt mixture to coat to rim. Set aside while making the cocktail.
- In a cocktail shaker, muddle blackberries and lime juice until berries have broken down and released their juices. (If you don’t have a muddler, the handle of a wooden spoon or rubber spatula will work, too!) Add thyme simple syrup, silver tequila, cointreau, and ice. Shake for 30-45 seconds, or until well chilled. Pour through a strainer into your prepared glass. Top with sparkling water and garnish with extra blackberries, and thyme sprigs, if desired. Serve immediately.
- Note: the margarita ingredients make one cocktail, but the ingredients can easily be double or tripled in one shaker. The lime salt yields enough for about 4 cocktails, and the thyme simple syrup yields enough for about 16 cocktails. It keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
