Recipe Background

Margarita Float combines tequila and ice cream for a fizzy retreat reward.
The first time I made a Margarita Float was during a weekend getaway with friends to celebrate our shared milestone: surviving a grueling year at our first jobs. We had rented a quirky little cabin by the lake, with creaky floorboards and mismatched furniture. One evening, beneath the soft glow of fairy lights, inspiration struck. I remembered spotting a tub of vanilla ice cream in the freezer and some leftover tequila from a hastily organized margarita night. With a mischievous grin, I grabbed those essentials and gathered everyone around the kitchen island.
Rubbing lime on the rims of glasses, I felt a spark of creativity. I salted the rims, then plopped generous scoops of ice cream into each glass. It felt slightly rebellious, mixing dessert with drinks, like splashing through puddles in your best shoes. As I vigorously shook the cocktail shaker, I noticed my friends’ intrigued smiles, their eyes following the rhythmic clink of ice. I poured the smooth concoction over the ice cream, watching it create fizzy clouds as it mingled with lemon-lime soda. We toasted to unexpected experiments and the refreshing reward of those tequila-etched moments.
A dash of coarse salt really brings out the zesty lime notes, I remember thinking. The key is making sure the lime juice and tequila are perfectly chilled. That evening, the cabin's soundtrack was laughter and the gentle lapping of water against the dock. That little concoction became our signature, a bubbly testament to newfound freedom and endless possibilities.

Ingredients

  • 2 lime wheels optional
  • coarse salt optional, to taste
  • 2 scoops vanilla ice cream softened
  • 2 ounces tequila
  • 4 tablespoons lime juice
  • ice to taste
  • 2 cups lemon-lime soda

Directions

  • Using one of the lime wheels, rub the rim of the glasses.
  • Pour the coarse salt onto a plate.
  • Place the lime-coated rims into the salt to coat.
  • Scoop the ice cream evenly into each of the glasses.
  • Combine the tequila, the lime juice, and the ice in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously to combine.
  • Evenly strain the tequila-lime mixture into the prepared glasses over the ice cream.
  • Top each cocktail evenly with the lemon-lime soda, garnish with more of the lime wheels, and serve.
×