Paleta Margarita Recipe

Make strawberry purée

Place the hulled strawberries, granulated sugar, lime juice, and 2 tablespoons water in a blender. Blend until smooth, about 20–30 seconds. Taste and adjust sweetness—add up to 1 tablespoon more sugar if needed.

Add texture (optional)

If you want fruit pieces in the paleta, fold the chopped strawberries into the purée with a spoon; do not blend them in.

Fill molds and freeze

Pour the purée into 6 popsicle molds (or small cups), leaving a little headroom for expansion. Insert sticks and freeze upright until solid, at least 4–6 hours or overnight for best texture.

Unmold

When frozen, briefly run the outside of the molds under warm water for 5–10 seconds to loosen, then gently remove the paletas and keep them frozen until ready to serve.

Chill and prepare rims

Place margarita or rocks glasses in the freezer for 10 minutes. Spread kosher salt or tajín on a small plate. Run a lime wedge around the rim of each chilled glass and dip rim into the salt/tajín. Return glasses to freezer or set aside with ice ready.

Mix the margarita

In a pitcher or cocktail shaker combine blanco tequila (1.5 cups), fresh lime juice (0.75 cups), triple sec (0.5 cups), simple syrup (0.5 cups) and cold water (0.5 cups). Stir or shake with a handful of ice to chill and slightly dilute, about 15–20 seconds. Taste and adjust: add more simple syrup if you prefer sweeter, or a splash more water for lower strength.

Serve on the rocks or blended

For on-the-rocks: Fill prepared glasses with ice and strain margarita over ice. For frozen style: Combine the margarita mix with 4 cups of ice in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour into prepared glasses.

Final assembly

Place one strawberry paleta into each glass either standing upright (for a novelty presentation) or laid across the top. Garnish with a lime wheel and a mint sprig if using. If serving blended, insert the paleta immediately so it stays solid for presentation.

Serve immediately with a small spoon to enjoy the melting paleta and sip the margarita. Recommend one paleta per margarita serving; if sharing, you can slice a paleta and float pieces in the drink.