How to Make a Spicy Margarita

This refreshing and slightly spicy skinny jalapeño margarita recipe has arrived just in time for warmer weather. Made on the rocks with fresh lime juice, agave syrup, and plump jalapeño peppers, this healthy-ish margarita is on the "lighter side" and sure to be a hit all summer long!

This Jalapeno Margarita Recipe is Refreshingly Spicy

We're a huge fan of fun homemade cocktails here at The Fit Peach. This trendy chocolate espresso margarita, my super popular blood orange sangria, and these boozy ice pops are also some of my favorite cocktails!

But it's hard to beat a fresh margarita at happy hour. Especially one that's skinny, spicy, and a little smokey. I like to call it the triple "S" trifecta! And with Cinco de Mayo just around the corner, a spicy cocktail was only fitting. It's tart with a little heat and the perfect balance of natural flavors. I have a few margarita tips and tricks I'm dying to share too - including different ways to customize your margarita and how to get a beautifully salted rim!

Jalapeno Margarita Ingredients

My spicy jalapeño margarita recipe uses natural ingredients so the drink tastes light and fresh and not too sugary. With just a few simple ingredients, you'll be sipping on one of the best classic cocktails in no time!

• Cilantro - used to add a touch of fresh herb flavor. This is optional (I know some people don't love cilantro) but if you're a cilantro person I highly recommend it!
• Jalapeño - this is what adds a little kick to the margarita! Use a fresh jalapeño and make sure to take the seeds out of the jalapeño before using them in the recipe or it will be super hot!
• Lime juice - fresh lime juice is best in this spicy skinny jalapeño margarita. Use a citrus juicer to get the most juice from your limes.
• Agave - the quintessential "skinny" margarita sweetener. Agave nectar has light sweet taste that pairs perfectly with the tartness of the limes without being overbearing. You can substitute with maple syrup if needed.
• Tequila - it wouldn't be a margarita without tequila! Use a high-quality blanco tequila if you can. I actually prefer to use mezcal in my margaritas, more on that below!
• Chili lime sea salt - used to garnish the rim of your cocktail glasses, the best part in my opinion! I used Trader Joe's Chili Lime Seasoning plus a little sea salt. You can also make your own with a little paprika, cayenne pepper or spicy chili, coconut sugar, and sea salt.

Many margarita recipes will add a splash of triple sec in the mix which is an orange liqueur. While it does add some additional hints of orange, I don't like to use it in my margarita recipes since it also adds so much sugar. If you have it on hand and would like to use it though, you can add 1 oz of triple sec per serving and mix as directed. If you want the hint of orange, a tablespoon of fresh orange juice will also work well.

How to Make a Spicy Margarita

This skinny jalapeno margarita is so simple to make! All you need is a cocktail shaker or mason jar and a few glasses.

Step 1 : Prepare the salted rim

You want to do this step first so the rim has time to dry before adding the ice and the cocktail.

To get the salted rim, run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass. This is best done with the glass upside down (not as pictured) so the lime juice doesn't run down the glass.

Then place the glass upside down in the chili lime sea salt mixture to coat the rim. You make need to tilt the glass a little to make sure the salt sticks to all parts of the rim. Set aside to dry while you prepare the rest of the spicy skinny margarita recipe.

Step 2 : Muddle the jalapeños and cilantro with the lime juice

Place the fresh jalapeno slices and a few cilantro leaves in the bottom of a cocktail shaker with the lime juice. Muddle the jalapeño slices and cilantro with a muddler to break them up into the lime juice. This opens up the flavors and mixes them into the lime juice.

If you don't have a muddler, use the back of a spoon to break up the large pieces.

Step 3 : Add the tequila and agave

Next add the tequila and agave nectar to the cocktail shaker with lots of ice. Shake vigorously for at least 20 seconds to mix it all up and make it super cold.

If you are using a mason jar instead of a cocktail shaker, make sure the lid is on really tight before you get to shaking!

Step 4 : Pour

Fill the cocktail glass with ice. I crushed up ice from my freezer by filling a zip-lock bag with ice and dropping it a few times on the counter to break up the cubes.

It's easiest and best to use a spoon to fill the glasses with ice so you don't knock off the pretty salted rim. Simply scoop up the crushed ice or a few ice cubes with a soup spoon and gently slide them into the glasses until they're full with ice.

Step 5 : Garnish

This step is optional but adds a little something extra to the spicy cocktail recipe.

Garnish the cocktail with a few extra jalapeño slices, a slice of lime, and a small cilantro stem and enjoy!

How to Salt a Spicy Margarita Rim

There are a few tricks to achieve a beautifully salted rim around your cocktail glass.

1. Spice up the salt. Literally. I used Trader Joe's Chili Lime Seasoning and then added in my own sea salt. You can also use tajin seasoning or make your own with paprika, cayenne pepper, coconut sugar, and sea salt.
2. Use a lime wedge. To create a bit of "stickiness" around the rim for the salt to stick to, run a lime wedge around the rim. Allow the juice from the lime to stick to the glass.
3. Keep the glass upside down. When running the lime around the rim, keep the glass upside down. This prevents the juice from running down the sides of the glass. Continue to keep it upside down while you dip it in the salt as well.
4. Be careful adding the ice. Once it's time to add the ice, use a spoon to slide the ice into the glass. Tilt the glass towards you and place the spoonful of ice on the side of the glass and let the ice slide into the bottom. Doing this will prevent your pretty rim from getting knocked off.

What to Pair With Your Jalapeno Margarita

For a happy hour setting, serve up this margarita with my sweet potato fries and a few dipping sauces. My whipped feta, mango salsa, and bang bang shrimp are also happy hour favorites.

If you’re serving this cocktail alongside a meal, I recommend my avocado corn salad, caramelized brussel sprouts, and crispy cauliflower

Spicy Margarita FAQs

For more cocktail fun, check out my:

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Recipe

Skinny Spicy Margarita Recipe

This refreshing and slightly spicy skinny margarita recipe has arrived just in time for warmer weather. Made on the rocks with fresh lime juice, agave nectar, and plump jalapeños, this healthy-ish margarita is on the "lighter side" and sure to be a hit all summer long!

4.95 from 17 votes

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes minutes

Servings: 2 Cocktails

Calories: 166kcal

Author: Ansley Beutler

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon sea salt
• 1 tablespoon Trader Joe's Chili Lime Seasoning - see notes below on other options
• ½ jalapeño - plus more to garnish
• 3 cilantro leaves - plus a few extra stems to garnish
• ⅔ cup lime juice - approx. 4 large limes
• 3 teaspoon agave nectar
• 1 tablespoon water - sparkling water will work too and the carbonation adds a little fizz!
• 3 oz tequila or mezcal

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Instructions

• Prepare the salt for the rim by mixing together the sea salt and chili lime seasoning in a shallow dish or plate. Run a lime wedge around the rim of our cocktail glasses. Keep the glass upside down when doing this to prevent the lime juice from running down the sides of the glass. Dip the rim into the salt mixture to coat. You may need to tilt the glass around to make sure the entire rim is coated. Set aside while you prepare the cocktail.
• Dice the jalapeño half into slices and place in the bottom of a cocktail shaker with the cilantro leaves and lime juice. Muddle the jalapeños and cilantro into the juice with a muddler or use the back of a spoon to break them up. This releases the flavors into the lime juice.
• Pour agave syrup, water, and tequila or mezcal into the cocktail shaker. Fill up the shaker with ice and shake vigorously for at least 20 seconds.
• Fill up your cocktail glasses with ice. To do this, use a spoon to slide the ice into the glass. Tilt the glass towards you and place the spoonful of ice on the side of the glass and let the ice slide into the bottom. Doing this will prevent your pretty rim from getting knocked off.
• Pour the cocktail mixture through a strainer and into the glasses.
• Garnish with a lime wedge, extra jalapeño slices, and cilantro and kick back, relax, and enjoy!

Notes

Salted rim options : I used Trader Joe's Chili Lime Seasoning and then added in my own sea salt. You can also use tajin seasoning or make your own with ½ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper, ½ teaspoon coconut sugar, and 2 teaspoon sea salt.

Make a pitcher : Double this spicy skinny margarita recipe to make a pitcher for 4 or triple it for a party of 6! If you're making a pitcher, you may want to skip the muddling part since you will be pouring the drink from a pitcher and not through a strainer. This is totally okay but will make a slightly less spicy drink so throw in a few extra jalapeños for good measure. Instead of shaking the drink, add the ice to the pitcher and stir it up with a large spoon or cocktail stirrer and serve into your glasses.

Make ahead of time : This spicy skinny margarita recipe actually gets even better with time. The flavors of the jalapeño and cilantro will only get stronger. To make this recipe ahead of time, prepare it as directed below but pour it into an airtight drink container. Store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. When ready to enjoy, prepare your cocktail glasses with the salt rim, add the ice, and pour in the cocktail mixture.

Nutrition

Calories: 166kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 3493mg | Potassium: 112mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 243IU | Vitamin C: 28mg | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

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