Frozen Prickly Pear Margarita
A vivid magenta frozen prickly pear margarita with tequila, prickly pear syrup and lime, sized for every Margaritaville machine.
Jump to recipe ↓Prickly pear cactus fruit is a Southwest favorite with a watermelon-meets-bubblegum flavor and a shocking pink color.
Bottled prickly pear syrup is the easiest way to get it into a frozen margarita.
Prickly Pear Margarita recipe
Ingredients (3 drinks)
- 4½ oz blanco tequila
- 1½ oz orange liqueur
- 3 oz fresh lime juice
- 2½ oz prickly pear syrup
- 1½ oz water
Plus: a full ice reservoir. Garnish: Lime wheel, sugar rim. Glass: Margarita glass.
Instructions
- Fill the ice reservoir.
- Add all ingredients to the jar.
- Run the cycle.
- Garnish with lime.
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 | 3⅓ oz | 4½ oz | 3 oz | 3¾ oz | 7⅔ oz |
| orange liqueur | 1 oz | 1½ oz | 1 oz | 1¼ oz | 2½ oz |
| fresh lime juice | 2¼ oz | 3 oz | 2 oz | 2½ oz | 5 oz |
| prickly pear syrup | 2 oz | 2½ oz | 1⅔ oz | 2 oz | 4¼ oz |
| water | 1 oz | 1½ oz | 1 oz | 1¼ oz | 2½ oz |
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
The syrup provides both sweetness and color, so no simple syrup is needed.
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
- Syrup brands vary in sweetness — taste.
- Fresh fruit must be peeled carefully (spines).
- A sugar rim suits it.
- Great for Arizona-themed parties.
- 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 lime wheel, sugar rim 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
- Prickly pear-lime soda: Top with soda.
- Mezcal: Use half mezcal.
- Prickly pear lemonade: Use lemon instead of lime.
Mocktail swap
Replace tequila and liqueur with 5 oz limeade.
Shop the ingredients
- 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.
Frequently asked questions
What does prickly pear taste like?
Like a cross between watermelon and bubblegum.
Where to buy syrup?
Southwest shops and online.
Fresh fruit?
Purée and strain 3–4 peeled fruits.
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.
