Strawberry Basil Margarita

Sweet and spicy, this cocktail is perfect for an early spring happy hour. Photo by Justin Snavely.

Makes 1 cocktail

Ingredients

For strawberry basil simple syrup

1 cup water

1 cup demerara sugar

2 cups strawberries, finely chopped

7 basil leaves

For cocktail

1 lime wedge

Sugar and Tajín for rim

1-1/2 ounces tequila

1/2 ounce orange liqueur

3/4 ounce lime juice

1/2 ounce Strawberry Basil Syrup

Ice

Instructions

To make simple syrup: Bring water and sugar to a quick boil but do not allow it to caramelize or burn. Place strawberries in 16-ounce mason jar. Place basil leaves on top of strawberries and ladle in hot simple syrup. Allow to cool completely and place in refrigerator to steep for a minimum of 24 hours to steep. For more prominent herb flavors, allow to sit for 48-72 hours.

After steeping, pulse-blend ingredients for 5 seconds in a standard blender and strain immediately. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To make cocktail: Run lime wedge around edge of glass. Combine sugar and Tajín in shallow bowl, then dip the edge of the glass in sugar-Tajín mixture. Add remaining ingredients to cocktail shaker and shake 15 seconds. Strain over fresh ice inprepared glass.