Spicy Strawberry Jalapeno Margaritas
This strawberry jalapeño margarita packs a punch with the heat from slices of jalapeño, balanced by the sweetness of ripe strawberries and tanginess of lime juice. Not only is it delicious, but it's also easy to make and is sure to impress your guests at your next gathering. Whip this up any time you want to spice up your next happy hour or Cinco de Mayo with this perfect refreshing cocktail!
Strawberry season calls for making absolutely all the recipes. Strawberry cheesecake, strawberry muffins, strawberry mojitos, strawberry lemonade...bring me your strawberries, I will have a million things to make out of them!
So these strawberry jalapeno margaritas are right on time! They're made with fresh, simple ingredients that really bring in the warm spring and summer weather.
If you're looking for a strawberry margarita with a nice kick that is going to be perfect for those tacos you're planning on having for dinner, you've found the right recipe in this sweet and spicy cocktail.
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Equipment
Cocktail Mixing Glass - so this is the cocktail shaker's sister, where we muddle and mix. Don't have one? Use a mason jar!
Muddler - This is what will muddle our fruit and chile in the mixing glass. Don't be afraid to put some elbow grease into it!
Cocktail Strainer - you could use a mesh strainer or colander, but this is a must have for any home bartender.
Microplane - I use this for grating the lime zest for the glass! It's one of my favorite versatile tools to use.
Ingredients
Full ingredients, measurements, and printable instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Fresh Strawberries - sweet strawberries in season are the best! Remember to hull them and get rid of the stem.
Fresh Lime Juice - fresh lime juice really brings great, tart acidity to any drink, but it especially works well here.
Jalapeño Slices - these bring that spice! Whether or not you remove the seeds and membranes (where the real heat lives) is up to you.
Granulated Sugar - use this to macerate your berries and chile slices. Sugar helps draw out the juices in produce, and it'll help our drink be nice and sweet. You could also use agave nectar.
Orange Liqueur - triple sec or cointreau is classic but orange juice can give that citrus punch without the alcohol if you're making a mocktail!
Tequila - use your favorite tequila, we used silver tequila since it kept the pretty pink color of the margarita.
Ice Cubes.
Agave Nectar - rim your glass in agave so we can make a nice lime rim. Maple syrup also works.
How to Make Strawberry Jalapeno Margaritas
Step 1 | Rim the edges of the glass in a mix of grated lime zest and sugar. If you want a salty rim, swap the sugar for kosher salt.
Step 2 | Muddle strawberries and jalapeno slices with sugar and lime juice. Stir in your tequila and orange liqueur.
Step 3 | Add ice and slices of jalapeno and strawberries to your prepared glass for garnish. Strain the cocktail into the glass and enjoy cold!
Variations and Pro Tips
- Infuse the tequila with jalapenos instead of muddling with strawberries for that nice kick of spice. Just keep the slices of the jalapeno in the tequila for one hour before making the margaritas.
- If you want some seriously juicy limes, put them in the microwave for 30 seconds and roll them on the countertop with your hands until they're much softer. This is a great trick for older, harder limes.
- Remove the membranes and seeds of the peppers to keep your strawberry jalapeno margaritas somewhat mild, but with just a touch of spice.
- For a bubbly cocktail, top the margaritas up with club soda, ginger ale, or ginger beer for even more spice!
- The drink is easily multiplied! Use one jalapeño and at least 3 extra strawberries per 2 margaritas being made and add the needed.
Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
This cocktail can be made 2 days ahead of time, store it in an airtight container (a pitcher with a lid would work best) until serving.
The flavors will have a chance to mingle (and get spicier!). If using a bubbly add in, wait until you're serving your margaritas to top them with the fizzy stuff.
FAQs
I used silver tequila because it keeps the bright pink color of the strawberry margarita. You can use reposado or añejo tequila but know it will change the color.
You absolutely can! Thaw the strawberries before muddling them into the cocktail.
You can! Either go the frozen strawberry route or use ice and make a quick jalapeño tequila by soaking the sliced up pepper in the tequila for at least an hour. Don't blend in the actual jalapeños, it doesn't taste too nice.
Then add all the ingredients with your frozen strawberries/ice and blend in a blender until smooth!
More Delicious Cocktails
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📖 Recipe
Strawberry Jalapeño Margaritas
Ingredients
Lime Rim
- Zest of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoon granulated sugar or kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon agave nectar for garnishing
Margaritas
- 6 large strawberries hulled and chopped
- Juice of 3 limes about ⅓ cup
- 1 jalapeño pepper sliced thinly
- ½ teaspoon granulated sugar
- 3 ounce silver tequila
- 1 ounce triple sec or orange juice
- Ice Cubes
- Club Soda or Ginger Beer optional
Instructions
- Mix together the lime zest and sugar or salt for the lime rim on a shallow dish or plate.
- Dip the glass into a bit of agave nectar on a plate to coat the rim completely, then coat the nectar in the lime and sugar/salt. Repeat with a second glass. Add ice, a few garnishing jalapeno slices, and set aside.
- In a cocktail mixing glass, muddle together the strawberries, most of the jalapeño slices, and the lime juice with the granulated sugar until the strawberries are well broken down and juicy.
- Stir in the tequila and triple sec or orange juice and use your cocktail strainer to pour the cocktail into your prepared glasses. Top with bubbly mixins if using.
- Garnish with lime wedges and strawberries and serve cold.
Notes
Variations and Pro Tips
- Infuse the tequila with jalapenos instead of muddling with strawberries for that nice kick of spice. Just keep the slices of the jalapeno in the tequila for one hour before making the margaritas.
- If you want some seriously juicy limes, put them in the microwave for 30 seconds and roll them on the countertop with your hands until they're much softer. This is a great trick for older, harder limes.
- Remove the membranes and seeds of the peppers to keep the drink somewhat mild, but with just a touch of spice.
- For a bubbly cocktail, top the margaritas up with club soda, ginger ale, or ginger beer for even more spice!
- The drink is easily multiplied! Use one jalapeño and at least 3 extra strawberries per 2 margaritas being made and add the needed.
