Frozen Spiced Pear Margarita
A frozen spiced pear margarita with blanco tequila, pear nectar, lime, ginger syrup and a pinch of cardamom — a Thanksgiving margarita sized for Margaritaville machines.
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Pears are at their best in November, and pear nectar is on the shelf year-round, which makes this an easy Thanksgiving margarita. It’s soft and floral, with ginger and cardamom warming the finish.
The color is a pale gold that looks great next to a cranberry drink, so it’s a nice second batch for a holiday crowd.
Spiced Pear Margarita recipe
Ingredients (3 drinks)
- 4 oz blanco tequila
- 1 oz orange liqueur (triple sec)
- 4½ oz pear nectar
- 2 oz fresh lime juice
- 1½ oz ginger syrup (paid link)
- 1 pinch ground cardamom or cinnamon
Plus: a full ice reservoir. Garnish: Cinnamon-sugar rim, pear slices, star anise. Glass: Margarita glass.
Instructions
- Rim margarita glasses with a lime wedge and dip in sugar mixed with a pinch of cinnamon.
- Fill the ice reservoir.
- Shake the pear nectar can or carton well, then add it to the jar with the tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, ginger syrup and spice.
- Run the cycle.
- Pour and garnish with a thin pear fan and a star anise pod.
How much to make in your machine
Every Margaritaville frozen concoction maker is designed around a particular volume of liquid — the shaver portions ice for it. The table scales this recipe to the margarita liquid volume printed in each model’s manual (Key West DM1000 / DM1946 3 × 12 oz drinks: 9.75 fl oz; Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM2000 3 × 12 oz drinks: 13 fl oz; Tahiti DM3000 per 24 oz jar: 8.67 fl oz; Bali DM3500 half chamber: 11 fl oz; Bali DM3500 full chamber: 22 fl oz). Amounts are rounded to the nearest ¼ or ⅓ oz.
| Ingredient | Key West DM1000 / DM19463 × 12 oz drinks | Bahamas DM0500 / Fiji DM20003 × 12 oz drinks | Tahiti DM3000per 24 oz jar | Bali DM3500half chamber | Bali DM3500full chamber |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| blanco tequila | 3 oz | 4 oz | 2⅔ oz | 3⅓ oz | 6¾ oz |
| orange liqueur (triple sec) | ¾ oz | 1 oz | ⅔ oz | ¾ oz | 1⅔ oz |
| pear nectar | 3⅓ oz | 4½ oz | 3 oz | 3¾ oz | 7⅔ oz |
| fresh lime juice | 1½ oz | 2 oz | 1⅓ oz | 1⅔ oz | 3⅓ oz |
| ginger syrup | 1 oz | 1½ oz | 1 oz | 1¼ oz | 2½ oz |
| ground cardamom or cinnamon | 1 pinch | 1 pinch | 1 pinch | 1 pinch | 1½ pinch |
Scaling is our calculation, not a manufacturer recipe. Fruit- and ice-cream-heavy drinks vary more; adjust with the Shave Only / Blend Only controls. The Key West DM1900 isn’t listed because we haven’t verified its manual yet.
Machine notes for this drink
- This batch uses about 13 fl oz of liquid for 3 drinks. If your drink comes out watery, the manuals’ first fix is to follow the recipe volumes or manually shave more ice; if it’s too stiff, add liquid and Blend Only.
Why this recipe works
Pear nectar is thick, so it gives body and fruit flavor without watering down the slush. Ginger syrup adds spice and sweetness in one ingredient, and lime keeps the pear from tasting flat. The liquid comes to 13 oz, the three-drink volume printed for the Bahamas and Fiji.
About frozen margaritas
A frozen margarita lives or dies on the balance of spirit, sour and sweet. Keep tequila to roughly a third of the liquid; much more and the shaved ice won’t set. Citrus should be fresh or a good bottled juice, and the sweet element — mix, syrup, agave or liqueur — needs to be slightly more generous than in a shaken margarita because cold dulls sweetness.
Tips for the best texture
- Look for pear nectar near the canned juices or in the Latin foods aisle.
- Cardamom is strong — a true pinch is plenty for a full jar.
- Fan a pear slice by cutting thin slices almost to the stem end and pressing them open.
- Brush garnish slices with lime juice so they stay pale.
- Never put anything but ice in the ice reservoir, and don’t fill the jar past its maximum line — both are warnings in every manual.
- Too thin? Hold the toggle in Shave Only for a few seconds, then Blend Only to mix it in. Too thick? Add an ounce of liquid and Blend Only.
Serving & make-ahead
Garnish with cinnamon-sugar rim, pear slices, star anise and serve in a margarita glass. Serve margaritas in chilled glasses with the rim prepared before you blend — salt for classic and citrus styles, sugar or tajín for fruit and spicy ones. For parties, pre-mix the liquid ingredients in a pitcher (everything except carbonated mixers) and keep it in the fridge; each batch then takes a ten-second pour and one button press. Set out lime wedges so guests can adjust tartness themselves.
Variations
- Pear brandy: Use 1 oz pear brandy in place of the orange liqueur.
- Vanilla pear: Add ¼ tsp vanilla extract to the jar.
- Cranberry pear: Replace 1.5 oz of the nectar with cranberry juice for a pink drink.
Mocktail swap
Skip the tequila and orange liqueur; use 7 oz pear nectar, 2 oz lime juice, 1.5 oz ginger syrup and 2.5 oz ginger ale poured in last.
Shop the ingredients
- Liber & Co. Fiery Ginger Syrup, 12.7 oz (paid link)
- Libbey Cancun Margarita Set — 6 margarita glasses + 89 oz pitcher (paid link)
- Stirrings Margarita Drink Rimmer (salt & sugar), 3.5 oz tins (paid link)
We link to mixers, syrups and juices only — alcohol isn’t sold through these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Shopping for a frozen-drink fan? See our Margaritaville machine gift guide.
Making this for a holiday party, or giving a machine as a gift? Our Margaritaville Machine Gift Guide 2026 covers every model plus mixers, rim salt and glassware.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use fresh pears?
Yes. Peel and core one very ripe pear, purée it, and use it in place of 2 oz of the nectar.
No ginger syrup?
Use simple syrup plus a few thin slices of fresh ginger, or ¼ tsp ground ginger.
Reposado or blanco?
Blanco keeps the pear fresh; reposado makes it rounder and more autumnal.
How much ice should I put in the machine?
Fill the ice reservoir with ice cubes — the machine shaves the amount it needs for the cycle (dial models size it to the 1, 2 or 3-drink setting). The manuals recommend ice that has been out of the freezer for 10–15 minutes.
Will this work in a regular blender?
Yes — add about 1½–2 cups of ice per 12 oz drink and blend until smooth. The texture will be coarser than shaved ice.
Please drink responsibly. Alcoholic recipes are for adults of legal drinking age (21+ in the US). Never drink and drive.
