Jalapeño Margarita Recipe

Fun fact: margaritas are my favorite cocktail. I love the refreshing nature of the drink, and ever since I learned how to make one without margarita mix, I've never looked back.

But what's a way to add a kick to your classic margarita? Check out our jalapeño margarita recipe below to find out!

Ingredients for a Jalapeño Margarita

The ingredients for a jalapeño margarita can vary, but there is typically some mixture of these:

• Tequila - While any variety of tequila will work, I recommend using a blanco tequila that's made of 100% agave.
• Triple sec - An orange-flavored liqueur, triple sec is a staple in margarita recipes.
• Lime juice - Fresh lime juice is always best, but bottled lime juice will also work.
• Sweetener - There are a few sweeteners that you may see in spicy jalapeño margaritas, but simple syrup and agave nectar are the most common. However, alternatives you may also see include honey and pure maple syrup.
• Jalapeños - And of course, you have to have jalapeños in a jalapeño margarita!

How to Make a Jalapeño Margarita

Making a spicy jalapeño margarita is easier than you may think! For a plain margarita, you simply shake all of the ingredients together with ice and strain into a glass. For a jalapeño margarita, you can either add jalapeño slices to the mix and shake away, or you can muddle some jalapeño slices with your sweetener and lime juice prior to adding the other ingredients and shaking. You will get a spicier flavor by muddling your jalapeño first as it releases its juices into the cocktail, so if you like more heat, muddling is your friend.

How to Make a Margarita Spicy Without Jalapeños

A spicy margarita without jalapeños? If you don't enjoy the classic pepper, you can certainly swap it out for a pepper of your choice to keep the heat. However, if you don't want to use any peppers, jalapeño or otherwise, you can add an ounce of your favorite hot sauce before shaking the drink. In fact, that's exactly what we did for our spicy jalapeño margarita recipe below!

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