The Secret Ingredient For Perfect Frozen Margaritas Is Hiding In The Baking Aisle

Homemade frozen margaritas are always a sign of a good time, especially if they're paired with a backyard bonfire and a few friends. However, they're often different from what you get at a bar or restaurant, and with an icy texture that's closer to a spiked smoothie. Sometimes they also separate, leaving a watery layer on the top and all the solids at the bottom. We're not here to judge a homemade version of the drink; it's a perfectly passable margarita as long as it has tequila, right? But there is a secret ingredient that'll take care of the texture issue. If you want silky smooth homemade frozen margaritas, take a walk down the baking aisle in the grocery store and pick up some xanthan gum.

You may be wondering: What is xanthan gum and why is it in my drink? It's a powdered emulsifier that, among other uses, thickens and stabilizes foods and drinks, from sauces and yogurt to coffee beverages and more. It keeps all the ingredients blended, too, so you won't have to deal with separation and floating ice chunks in a watery margarita. Only a little bit is needed — just 1 teaspoon of xanthan gum for a pitcher (or blender-full) of margaritas.

Pro tip: Health experts and some over-sharers on Reddit say xanthan gum can cause bloating, gas, and other digestive issues in people with sensitivities, or if you consume more than 15 grams of xanthan gum per day. But with 1 teaspoon weighing 3.1 grams, you'd have to drink about five pitchers of frozen margaritas by yourself to get close to that limit.

A great frozen margarita doesn't just happen. Professional bartenders use all kinds of tricks to generate a consistent slushy texture and vibrant flavor for the drink. Some make margaritas by the cocktail instead of by the pitcher (use ⅛ teaspoon of xanthan gum per drink) to shorten the time in the blender and prevent melting. Some swear adding ice last makes a frozen cocktail stay cold longer, too. If you try this method, use small chunks of ice that are on the dry side, and opt for pebble ice if you can. The finer texture of pebble ice is easier on your blender blades and stays cold longer.

Traditionally, frozen margaritas are made with simple syrup as a sweetener, but some experts use dry sugar instead to lower the amount of overall water in the blender. The sugar should be the first thing you add to the blender for this technique; after that, mix in the liquids and xanthan gum and then blend again, adding the ice last. Every ingredient should be ice cold when it goes into the blender to keep it from becoming watery.

Some margarita-obsessed Redditors ditch the ice altogether and instead use frozen fruit to create a smooth consistency and intense flavor. Others use ice made from limeade, but one Redditor went the extra mile. "I make mine in the ice cream maker," they wrote. "It takes longer than the blender, of course, but you get that great slushie consistency and it stays frozen wayyyyy longer."