These Jalapeño Margaritas are an easy spin on classic margaritas, and a cocktail that you are sure to fall in love with! Not too spicy, not too strong, absolutely perfect!
One of the things I miss most of all right now, is date nights. There is something about leaving the house with my great husband and forgetting about our responsibilities for a few hours that seems . . . necessary.
When we go out on dates, one of my favorite places to go is this great taco place that makes a good margarita. But! When they put fresh jalapeños in it, it magically becomes a great margarita.
As you may know, I have a KILLER margarita recipe that has been my go to for years. It is easy to make, but cannot be beat.
I used that as the foundation for this Jalapeño Margarita and it is the cocktail you absolutely need in your life.
Refreshing, a really delightful twist on the good original Margarita!!
Thanks for the recipe!!
THE KEY TO GOOD MARGARITAS
In my humble opinion, what you need for a really good margarita, is simple: Homemade Sweet and Sour Mix
Homemade Sweet and Sour Mix is essentially just simple syrup plus lemon and lime juice.
It is the perfect balance of sweet and sour that makes these margaritas winners. Plus, it freezes well and can be used in lots of other great cocktails.
I will list the recipe below, but feel free to check out the post I linked above to learn the other ways you can use it.
MARGARITA INGREDIENTS
After you have made your Homemade Sweet and Sour Mix, the rest of the margarita comes together very simply. You need:
- 2 parts Tequila
- 2 parts Sweet and Sour Mix
- 1 part Triple Sec or Cointreau
This simple formula can be used to make 1, 2, or 6 margaritas easily.
HOW TO MAKE JALAPENO MARGARITAS
There are two ways to make Jalapeño Margaritas. One is simple, one takes more time. One leads to a small kick, one leads to a big kick.
- METHOD ONE: Add fresh jalapeño slices to your margarita.
- METHOD TWO: Infuse your tequila with fresh jalapeños.
I tend to go with method one more often because it gives just this very subtle spicy smoky taste that I like. Its not too spicy, it’s just right. And it is really easy.
HOW TO INFUSE TEQUILA
Infusing alcohol is really simple and fun! You can do it with so many different things. I have a Jalapeño Infused Vodka recipe that is great in a lot of different cocktails.
- Pour 1 cup tequila into a glass jar.
- Add in 1 sliced up jalapeño.
- Shake to combine and let it sit for 8 to 24 hours.
- The longer the tequila sits the more potent it will become with jalapeño flavor.
If you are making a pitcher of Jalapeño Margaritas in the near future and want to use Jalapeño Infused Tequila, I suggest that you try my recipe for a single margarita with it first. This is a great way to figure out how spicy you like your Jalapeño Margaritas.
OTHER GREAT TWISTS ON MARGARITAS
I love the flavor of margaritas, and if you do too, you will love some of these other great cocktails:
If you make this Jalapeño Margarita recipe or any of my other cocktails, come back and let me know what you think!
Jalapeño Margarita
Ingredients
One Margarita
- 1 1/2 oz tequila
- 1 1/2 oz sweet and sour
- 3/4 oz triple sec
- 3 fresh jalapeño slices (see notes for spicier margarita)
- 1 lime wedge for garnish
- kosher salt
Pitcher of Margaritas (6 margaritas)
- 1 1/4 cup tequila
- 1 1/4 cup sweet and sour mix
- 1/2 cup trip sec
- 2 fresh jalapeños sliced
- 6 lime wedges for garnish (1 lime will work)
- kosher salt
Sweet and Sour Mix (makes 3 1/2 cups, enough for two pitchers)
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice about 5 – 7 small limes
- 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice about 2 medium lemons
Instructions
To Make Homemade Sweet and Sour Mix
- Simmer 2 cups of water and 1 cup of granulated sugar over medium heat until it is fully dissolved. Pour it into a jar and let it come to room temperature.
- Add 1/2 cup of lemon juice and 1/2 cup lime juice to the cooled sugar mixture.
- Store it in a sealed container for a week or for up to a month in the freezer.
To Make a Pitcher of Jalapeño Margaritas
- Combine all ingredients in a large pitcher and serve over ice.
- Either cut up the jalapenos and add them to the pitcher, or serve them on the side and put them in individual glasses. (See notes for a spicier version.)
To Make a Single Jalapeño Margarita
- Pour the ingredients over ice and stir gently.
- Add in the slices of jalapeños. To make it a little spicier, muddle the jalapeños into the drink.
How to Garnish a Margarita Glass
- Cut a small slice in a lime wedge and rub it gnerously around the edge of the glass.
- Pour kosher salt onto a plate and dip the glass, and the upper edge of the sides of the glass in the salt.
Notes
- Pour 1 cup tequila into a glass jar.
- Add in 1 sliced up jalapeño.
- Shake to combine and let it sit for 8 to 24 hours.
- The longer the tequila sits the more potent it will become with jalapeño flavor.
Rachel Willis says
Oh my, you are brave! I shy away from spice in my drinks, but this looks fab, and I love margaritas! You’re coaxing me out of my ‘drink box’!
Julie Evink says
My birthday is coming up and we are leaving and going overnight…that is crazy! We never do this stuff post child :)
Cathy Trochelman says
Next time I see you I WANT one of these!! Dates?! What are those??
Lyuba @ Will Cook For Smiles says
I looove margaritas and these sound like they had an awesome kick!
Heather Kinnaird says
you are the queen of cocktails Lisa! LOVE it
Cindy Eikenberg, Little Miss Celebration says
Lisa, this sounds totally delicious!! It IS tough to find “date” time when the children are little, though it is important to do! Thanks for sharing this margarita and pinning! Happy Friday!
Evelyn Osborn says
Oh yes, I just pinned this!!
Dorothy @ Crazy for Crust says
I love date night. I wish we could do it out more often, ours are often after bedtime. I love the idea of this drink – spicy and drunk! :)
Christie Daruwalla says
I would just love this margarita. We are very lucky my parents live 15 minutes away! We get date night once a week in the summer and once a month when school is in. This would make a great drink for date night.
Christie Daruwalla says
I almost forgot, this recipe will be a feature on Thursdays Treasures this week.