Coconut Cherry Margaritas

This creamy Coconut Cherry Margarita is pretty in pink! Made with tequila, coconut milk, and a custom cherry simple syrup, the fresh and fruity flavors are totally irresistible.

This Coconut Cherry Margarita tastes like a pina colada had a baby with fresh summer cherries. It’s a refreshing, yet creamy cocktail you can make for parties, your BFF’s bachelorette, Cinco de Mayo, and more!

You’ll find all of the easy and classic margarita cocktail ingredients in this cherry margarita recipe. Every sip, however, contains a little extra paradise thanks to the addition of cherry simple syrup and coconut milk. The fruity qualities and lusciously creamy sips make it the perfect summer cocktail.

Recipe features

• It may be one of the prettiest margarita recipes ever.
• The custom cherry simple syrup is bursting with refreshingly tart and sweet flavors.
• The ingredients are simple, easy to find, and perfect for summer.

Ingredient notes:

• Cherry simple syrup - Homemade simple syrup is easy to make by simmering a 1:1 mix of water and sugar on the stove. In this recipe, frozen cherries are added to the syrup as it cooks. This way, the syrup ends up bursting with cherry flavors while the sweetness rounds out the other flavors.

• Tequila - Blanco tequila is my go-to choice in lighter margaritas, like a mango margarita or lavender margarita, because the mild flavors allow for the other ingredients to shine through. However, a reposado is the supreme choice here. Its longer aging process provides a deeper flavor profile, which pairs perfectly with the cherries.

• Cointreau - AKA orange liqueur. The tangy citrus adds to the refreshing qualities here, as well as helps balance the other flavors. If you can’t find Cointreau, use Triple Sec or orange juice instead.

• Coconut milk - Use full fat canned coconut milk rather than coconut milk from a carton so you really get that coconut-y flavor.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Make the cherry simple syrup. Add the cherries, water, and sugar to a small saucepan on the stove. Bring it up to a simmer and let it cook until the sugar has dissolved and the cherries have begun to break down (use a wooden spoon to break them apart).

Step 2: Strain the syrup. Take the saucepan with the syrup off the heat. Pour it through a fine mesh strainer to remove the large chunks of cherries, then leave the syrup to cool completely.

Step 3: Toast the coconut. While you wait for the syrup to cool, toast the shredded coconut in a small skillet on the stove. Stir it frequently so it doesn’t burn! Once it’s ready, transfer it to a small plate.

Step 4: Rim the glasses with coconut. Run a lime wedge around the rims of both cocktail glasses. Dip the wet rims in the toasted coconut. Fill the glasses with ice.

Step 5: Make the cocktails and enjoy. Add all of the margarita ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice and shake. Strain into your two rimmed glasses, then sip and enjoy!

Tips and FAQs

• Use frozen cherries to make the cherry simple syrup. You can use fresh cherries but they’ll need to be pitted first.
• Is your canned coconut milk clumpy? Make sure you shake the can really well before opening. Alternatively, pour the milk into a bowl and use a whisk to smooth it out before measuring and adding it to the cocktail shaker.
• If you plan on drinking cherry margaritas all summer long, I recommend doubling or tripling the simple syrup recipe. You can keep the leftovers in a sealed jar in the fridge.
• The toasted coconut rim is optional! Feel free to line the rim with salt or Tajin instead, or omit it entirely.

Can I make frozen margaritas instead?

Sure! Just blend all of the margarita ingredients in a blender with a handful of ice.

Do I have to use a cocktail shaker?

It helps, but you don’t have to own a cocktail shaker to make a coconut margarita. Instead, you can shake everything together in a sealed jar or blend the mixture.

How do you serve a large batch of cherry margaritas?

Double, triple, or quadruple the recipe depending on the number of guests you’re expecting. Stir all of the ingredients together in a large pitcher and keep it in the fridge until it’s party time. 

Give the large batch cocktail a good stir right before serving, then pour into glasses filled with ice. This way, all of your guests can enjoy a cherry margarita on the rocks!

More refreshing margarita recipes

• 3-Ingredient Hibiscus Margaritas
• Blackberry Thyme Margarita
• Cucumber Jalapeno Margarita

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!

UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in May 2016. It was updated with new text and photos in May 2022.