Amaretto Margaritas (with homemade sweet-and-sour mix)

Let’s lessen the blow of Monday with margaritas, shall we? There’s a reason Margarita Mondays exist, after all. I did not invent them. I just fall in line when they seem necessary.

And right now, I deem a Margarita Monday necessary.

This week is my first week back at work after maternity leave. I went in for one day last week to ease myself in, but this week is the real deal. Lucky for me, I’m only working three days a week. Unlucky for me, maternity leave is too short! WAH! I am super grateful for the time off I was granted (it’s more than many women get!) and the accommodations my company is making for me to go part time, but stillllll….leaving a 3-month-old at home is HARD.

I WILL say this: it was nice to leave the house on my own for once…AND with make up on my face. Given that I pretty much existed solely in yoga or sweat pants and dealt with a less-than-stellar shower schedule these past few months, leaving the house looking like a functional grown up is HUGE. And a great feeling. The trade-offs are missing my darling little boy (sniffle sniffle), a crappy commute, and adjusting to real adult life again. Not fun.

So, for this week of half celebration, half coping, I made margaritas! With a twist! I’m calling these “wintertime margaritas” because they include the warm, intoxicating flavor of amaretto. Yup. Amaretto and tequila go together surprisingly well. Who knew? Amaretto definitely belongs in wintertime cocktails.

Don’t get me wrong. You could definitely make these year round, just like regular margaritas, but there’s something quite cozy about amaretto, and I thought adding it to a margarita seemed a tad more seasonally appropriate. I mean, the temperature DID dip into the single digits this past week. I made these last Friday for my husband and me. It was kinda comical, actually, because we were both wrapped up in blankets and curled up by the fire as we drank those margs. Kinda ridiculous. Sun, sand, chips, and guacamole are the usual accompaniments for margaritas.

These wintertime margs are soooooooo tasty, though! My hubs isn’t the biggest fan of tequila, and he’s really picky about his margs. This one not only passed the test but warranted him having THREE total. So yeah. These are husband approved, for sure. I think it has something to do with the homemade sweet-and-sour mix I used. I am not really a fan of margaritas mixed with the neon-green premade stuff. I mean, I’ll DRINK THEM (I’ve never been known to turn one down, after all), but I much prefer margaritas made with fresh ingredients. Plus, making the mix yourself is so freaking easy. You can make a big batch and just keep it in the fridge, using it as needed. It’s easily doubled or even tripled…I’ll give you major cred if you can juice that many lemons and limes, though.

Combine the fresh tartness of the mix with the warmth of amaretto, and you’ve got a winner winter cocktail. I mean it. These ROCK.

And are oh so necessary today.

Amaretto Margaritas (with homemade sweet-and-sour mix)

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• Yield: makes 2 cocktails (easily multiplied) 1x

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Ingredients

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For the Sweet-and-Sour Mix:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup fresh lime juice
• ⅔ cup fresh lemon juice

For the Sugar-Salt Rim:

• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• Zest of 1 lime
• Zest of 1 lemon

For the Margaritas:

• 3 oz silver tequila
• 2 oz triple sec or Grand Marnier
• 2 oz amaretto liqueur
• 3 oz sweet-and-sour mix
• Lime wedges, for garnish
• Ice

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Instructions

For the Sweet-and-Sour Mix:

1. Combine the sugar and water in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Boil for 1 minute and then remove from heat and cool completely. Once cool, stir in the fresh lime and lemon juices. Chill until ready to use.

For the Sugar-Salt Rim:

1. Combine all ingredients in a shallow bowl or rimmed plate. Lightly moisten the rims of the serving glasses with lime juice and then dip in the salt-sugar mixture. Fill the glasses with ice.

For the Margaritas:

1. To a shaker filled with ice, add the tequila, triple sec, amaretto, and sweet-and-sour mix. Shake vigorously. Pour the mixture into the prepared glasses, garnish with fresh lime wedges, and serve immediately!