Spicy Margarita

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5 from 4 votes

Turn up the heat in your kitchen with this Spicy Margarita recipe, a classic margarita with a kick of jalapeno.

Prep Time5

Total Time5

Course: Drinks and Cocktails

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings: margarita

Calories: 306kcal

Author: Marianne Rogerson

Equipment

Margarita Glasses
Citrus Juicer
Double Jigger
Cocktail Shaker

Ingredients

2 ounces Tequila see note
1 ounce Cointreau see note
1 ounce lime juice freshly squeezed
2-3 slices jalapeno pepper see note
½ ounce sugar syrup or agave syrup optional - see note

To serve

Coarsely ground salt for the rim of the glass
Ice cubes
Slice lime
Slice jalapeno pepper

Instructions

To prepare your margarita glass
Coarsely grind some salt onto a plate or shallow bowl
Wipe the rim of the glass with lime juice (you can use a quarter of lime, or just use the shell of the lime you just squeezed for lime juice).
Dip the rim of the glass into the salt, rotating as you go, until it is fully coated.
To make the margarita
Measure the Tequila, Cointreau and lime juice into a cocktail shaker.
Slice the jalapeno pepper into discs and remove the seeds (or don't if you want it spicier). Add two or three discs to the shaker (I recommend starting with two slices).
Half fill the cocktail shaker with ice cubes. Tightly secure the lid and give it a good shake for at least 10 seconds.
Taste the margarita. Add a further disc of jalapeno if you want it spicier, and/or sugar syrup if you want it sweeter then shake again.
Fill your prepared margarita glass with ice cubes and use a cocktail strainer to strain the margarita over the ice.
Garnish with a slice of lime and a slice of jalapeno pepper.

Notes

1. Go for a good quality tequila. The best tequila is a blanco tequila made from 100% agave, as it is more pure in flavor. If you prefer something a bit more mellow, opt for a reposado, which has been aged in oak. Avoid gold tequila, which has added colors and caramel.

2. You can substitute Cointreau with another orange liqueur, such as Grand Marnier or Triple Sec.

3. I recommend tasting the margarita before adding sugar syrup. I prefer it without.

4. How many slices of jalapeno you use will depend on how spicy you like the margarita. I recommend starting with two and see how you like it. If you prefer it more spicy, you can add more and shake again. We use three slices in our house.

Nutrition