Fresh lime and tequila, icy and tart, with none of the sugar that turns a restaurant margarita into a slushie. I started making this years ago when I realized a frozen margarita out could carry more sugar than a dessert, and I refused to trade my progress for a cocktail. What I figured out is that the sweetener has to dissolve cold, so I use one that does, and the blender does the rest. Frozen or on the rocks. 0g net carbs and 145 calories.
I started making this margarita years ago when I realized every frozen version at restaurants was basically a sugar slushie. Premade mixes, triple sec, simple syrup on top of that. One drink could hit 24 grams of sugar, and I refused to blow my progress for a cocktail.
This is what I landed on after a lot of trial and error. The ratio of lime juice to sweetener matters more than you’d think. Too much lime and the whole thing tastes bitter. Too little sweetener and it’s harsh. I went through probably a dozen batches before I locked in the measurements that actually taste balanced, and now I don’t change a thing.
The orange extract is the key. Traditional margaritas get that citrus depth from triple sec, but triple sec has about 11 grams of sugar per ounce. Orange extract gives you the same warm citrus note for zero carbs. It’s a tiny amount (half a teaspoon), but take it out and you’ll notice something’s missing.
I make this every time we have people over in the summer. The recipe doubles and triples easily, so I just multiply everything, blend in batches, and pour into a pitcher with extra ice. It holds for a couple hours, and nobody has to wait while I play bartender. For a crowd, I’ll do a triple batch and set out the salt and lime wedges so people can rim their own glasses.
The monkfruit sweetener dissolves better than you’d expect in a cold drink. I’ve tried erythritol and stevia in this too, and they all work, but monkfruit gives the cleanest taste with no cooling aftertaste. Powdered dissolves faster than granulated, so if you have the option, go powdered.
If you’re looking for more low-carb cocktails, I have a whole lineup. My keto mojito is what I reach for when I want something with mint. The strawberry daiquiri is my go-to when I want fruit without the sugar. And for something tropical, try the pina colada.
This keto margarita pairs with anything Mexican. I serve it alongside cilantro lime chicken or just chips and salsa when we do taco night. The lime cuts through rich, spicy food in a way that beer never does.
If you’ve never made one of these before, start here. Seven ingredients, no bar experience required, and you’ll stop ordering the sugary version for good.
Sugar Free Margarita
Margaritas are my go-to summer cocktail, especially blended. The problem? Most restaurant versions use premade mixes loaded with corn syrup, sugar, and simple syrup. One frozen margarita from a bar can hit 24 grams of sugar per serving. That’s more than most people’s entire carb budget for the day.
Those carbs add up fast, and I refuse to throw away progress for a drink. But you deserve a cocktail with friends on Cinco de Mayo or a random Tuesday. This version has zero net carbs, so you can actually enjoy yourself without stressing about it.
The whole thing takes five minutes. Dump everything in a blender and hit go. No making simple syrup ahead of time, no fancy bar tools. I double or triple the batch when we have people over so I’m not playing bartender all night.
Stick to the measurements here. Too much lime juice makes it bitter, and too much sweetener throws off the balance. I tested this enough times to know that the ratio in this recipe is the sweet spot. For the rim, run a lime wedge around each glass, then dip into a plate of margarita salt. The lime juice makes the salt stick perfectly.
I make these every Cinco de Mayo and any time we’re grilling. Have two. They’re zero carbs. Serve them frozen or on the rocks, whatever you prefer. Your friends won’t believe there’s no sugar in these.
Traditional margaritas use triple sec, which is basically orange-flavored sugar syrup. I swap in orange extract and lime juice instead, giving you the same citrusy flavor for zero carbs. These pair with any Mexican spread. I love serving a pitcher alongside keto mole or really anything with heat. The lime in the margarita cuts right through spicy food.
What Goes in a Traditional Margarita?
A classic margarita is tequila, triple sec, lime juice, and sugar. Between the triple sec and added sweetener, some recipes pile on even more with simple syrup or orange juice. A typical frozen margarita from a restaurant has around 24 grams of sugar per serving. This version? Zero. I stripped out everything that adds carbs and replaced it with zero-carb alternatives that taste just as good.
What is Triple Sec and is it Low Carb?
Triple sec is a citrus-infused sweet liquor. On its own, it tastes like syrup with orange flavor. It contains about 11 grams of sugar per ounce, making it one of the worst offenders in a traditional margarita. That’s why I use orange extract instead. You get the citrus flavor without any of the sugar.
How to Make This Sugar Free Margarita
Seven ingredients total: ice, tequila, lime juice, orange extract, and monkfruit sweetener go in the blender, plus lime wedges and margarita salt for the rim. That’s it. The monkfruit and orange extract replace the triple sec and sugar from a traditional recipe, giving you the same flavor without the carbs. Powdered erythritol or stevia work too if that’s what you have.
No making simple syrup ahead of time like other recipes ask for. I just blend and pour.
Blended or On the Rocks
I prefer mine frozen, but on the rocks works great too. Just use a cocktail shaker instead of a blender. This is a good option if your blender struggles to crush ice. Both ways taste the same, it’s totally personal preference.
If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, you can make your own by using two glasses.
How Many Carbs are in Tequila
Good news: tequila has zero carbs. It’s one of the best spirits for keto. Drink it straight, mix with sugar-free mixers, or blend it into a cocktail like this one. Look for 100% agave blanco tequila. The cheaper mixto brands sometimes add sugar during production, and they taste harsher too. I use whatever mid-range 100% agave I can find, and it works great.
Variations
I’ve tried so many variations of this. Throw in strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries for a fruit version. Try my cucumber lime margarita for something lighter, or the hard seltzer strawberry slushy for a different frozen option. You could also go a completely different direction with a vodka lemonade if tequila isn’t your thing.
For a spicy version, muddle 2-3 jalapeno slices in the bottom of your glass before pouring. I’ve been doing this all summer and the heat pairs perfectly with the lime. Just stick with sugar-free ingredients and zero-carb spirits and you’re good.
Squeeze the juice from a lime wedge around each rim of your margarita glass. Flip the glass over and dip the rim of the glass in margarita salt. Twist to ensure proper salting of the rim.
2
Add ingredients to blender
Add ice, tequila, lime juice, orange flavor extract, and monkfruit sweetener to a blender.
3
Blend and pour
Blend until smooth and ice is fully crushed. Pour into salt rimmed margarita glasses.
Nutrition
Calories
145
Fat
0g
Protein
0g
Total carbs
0g
Net carbs
0g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I make a pitcher of margaritas for a crowd?
I triple the recipe and blend in two batches since most blenders can't handle that much ice at once. Pour everything into a large pitcher with extra ice and set it on the table. I put out lime wedges and a plate of margarita salt so people can rim their own glasses. It holds well for a couple hours before the ice starts to water it down.
What is the best tequila for this margarita?
I always grab 100% agave blanco tequila. The cheaper mixto brands sometimes add sugar during production and they taste harsher in a blended drink. You don't need to spend a fortune though. I usually pick up whatever mid-range 100% agave is on the shelf and it works perfectly.
What is a skinny margarita and is it keto?
A skinny margarita typically swaps the triple sec and sugar for fresh lime juice and a lighter sweetener, but most restaurant versions still use agave nectar or simple syrup. I take it further by cutting all sugar completely. I use orange extract for that citrus note and monkfruit for sweetness, so you end up with zero net carbs instead of just 'fewer' carbs.
Can I make a spicy version?
I've been doing this all summer and it's become my favorite variation. Muddle 2-3 fresh jalapeno slices in the bottom of your glass before pouring the margarita over them. The heat builds as you drink it. If you want it spicier, leave the seeds in. I pull them out because my tolerance isn't what it used to be.
Which sweetener dissolves best in cold drinks?
I've tested monkfruit, erythritol, and stevia in this recipe. Monkfruit dissolves the smoothest with no cooling aftertaste, which is why it's my first choice. If you use granulated erythritol, blend for an extra 10-15 seconds at the end. I learned the hard way that undissolved sweetener settles as grit at the bottom of the glass.
How many carbs are in a regular restaurant margarita?
A typical frozen margarita from a restaurant has around 24 grams of sugar per serving, mostly from the triple sec and premade mix. I was shocked when I first looked it up. That's why I built this recipe from scratch. Same flavor profile, zero carbs.
Can I make this margarita non-alcoholic?
I've made a virgin version by swapping the tequila for sparkling water or sugar-free lemon-lime soda. You still get the lime and orange flavor, just without the alcohol. I add a little extra ice to keep it thick since the tequila normally adds body to the blend.
Every time I make this, I think about a specific deck in 2019. My sister’s house, full summer, margaritas every Saturday afternoon. Went keto eventually and stopped expecting that to come back. The lime and monkfruit together, I honestly can’t explain it. Just works. First batch I made, I texted her the recipe. Zero net carbs still doesn’t feel real. She’s already planning to make it for her birthday.
My blender died last week and I’ve got a cookout Saturday I was planning to serve these at. Would an immersion blender handle the 2 cups of ice well enough, or would I need to crush it first before adding everything? I’ve used mine for smoothies but not sure if it’s the same situation with a full frozen drink.
Crush the ice first. Immersion blenders can handle smoothie ice because the fruit softens everything, but 2 full cups of solid cubes will probably stall out the motor. I’d grab a bag of crushed ice from the gas station for a cookout batch and it should come together fine.
I make these on repeat all summer. The orange extract is what makes people think there’s triple sec in it – doesn’t taste like a diet drink at all. Hope you love it, Chelsea.
Froze half the lime juice into cubes the night before instead of just using plain ice, and the difference it makes in the glass is kind of unreasonable. More lime in every sip, holds its slush way longer on a hot day. You can actually taste what the orange extract is doing instead of it getting buried under dilution. Did this for a pool afternoon Saturday and had to run two back-to-back blender rounds because the first batch went faster than I accounted for (zero carb margaritas that genuinely taste like margaritas will do that). The monkfruit held up through the whole afternoon sitting out, nothing got weird or artificial-tasting the way I’ve seen other sweeteners go in the heat. Also started doing a tajin and salt mix on the rim instead of straight margarita salt and now I can’t go back, the smokiness plays really well with the lime. Worth trying the lime cube method if you’re making a pitcher, just freeze them the evening before.
Emily, I’ve been defaulting to straight margarita salt every time and now I’m annoyed I haven’t tried the tajin combo sooner. The smokiness with lime is so obvious in retrospect. Two batches is always the correct pool math.
Made these last weekend and my sister-in-law, who is nowhere near keto, kept asking what brand of mix I used. I told her it was five ingredients from the blender and she wouldn’t let it go. The orange extract is the part I was most skeptical about (seemed too simple to stand in for actual triple sec), but it just works. Making a double batch for Memorial Day.
I was skeptical that orange extract could actually stand in for triple sec, but it lands exactly right. This beats every low-carb margarita I’ve ordered out trying to find a decent one.
The orange extract skeptics are always the most satisfied by the end. Next time try it spicy, 2-3 jalapeno slices muddled in the glass before you pour.
I’ve tried four or five ‘keto margarita’ recipes and they all taste like glorified limeade. This one finally got it right. The orange extract is the whole thing (that tiny bit of citrus is what makes it taste like an actual margarita instead of a sad substitution). Blended smooth in under a minute and I’m already thinking about making another batch this weekend.
Made these Friday evening and my husband grabbed one before I said a word about it being keto. Drank the whole thing, then held up the glass and squinted at it like something was off. Nothing was. He just couldn’t figure out why a margarita tasted that good without the next-morning headache. Four stars only because now I have to make these every single weekend.
Made this for the first time last night and the orange extract surprised me. I was expecting it to taste like candy but it just rounds out the lime without any weird artificial sweetness. This is going in the rotation.
Really refreshing, and way simpler than I expected with just the one blender. I’d dial back the monkfruit next time (mine came out a touch sweet), but the lime-to-tequila balance is spot on.
Figured out last week that if you premix everything except the ice, it keeps in the fridge for at least four days. The monkfruit dissolves just as cleanly blending from cold. Add ice, blend, done. I made a double batch Sunday night and it’s almost gone, which tells you everything you need to know.
Made keto margaritas for years and they always came out thin and watery. I kept skipping the orange extract thinking it was optional. Turns out it’s doing all the work. Adding it back is what finally made this taste like an actual frozen margarita instead of a tequila slushie. Still a bit too icy, but that’s probably my blender.
I’ve made probably four different keto margarita versions and they all had this flat, one-note thing going on. The orange extract sounds weird on paper but it’s exactly what was missing. Tastes like an actual margarita, not a lime slushie.
The lime slushie thing is real. I went through so many batches before I figured out the extract was what was missing. Half teaspoon sounds like nothing but it completely changes it.
My husband took one sip and started interrogating me about what gives it that orange note, which, for someone who typically just says ‘yeah it’s good,’ was practically a rave review.
That’s the orange extract. Half a teaspoon sounds like nothing but without it the whole thing just tastes like frozen limeade. Worth the interrogation.
First time making a keto cocktail and this worked. The orange extract does more than you’d expect for a half teaspoon. Does it matter if you let the monkfruit dissolve before blending, or just throw everything in at once?
Just throw it all in. The blender takes care of it, and I actually blend an extra few seconds at the end to make sure there’s no grit at the bottom of the cup.
I’ve got Grand Marnier leftover from the holidays and want to use it instead of orange extract, but the carbs… would reducing the monkfruit balance that out, or does it mess with the sweetness too much?
Grand Marnier has real sugar in it so those carbs aren’t going anywhere, just heads up. But since it’s already sweet, definitely cut the monkfruit back. I’d start with 1 tablespoon instead of 2 and taste before you blend more in. It won’t be zero-carb anymore but it’ll taste great.
