Gift Guide
Spicy Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita
Ready to get spicy? Try our spicy cucumber jalapeño margarita recipe.
Time to make: 10 minutesServes: 1
This isn’t your average sweet margarita
Spicy jalapeño and cucumber combine as a dynamic duo in this spicy cucumber jalapeño cocktail recipe. It’s simple to make but packs a lot of flavors.
Ready to try a spicy cucumber jalapeño margarita yourself? Follow these steps for a spicy experience for you and your friends.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz. Blanco Tequila
- 0.75 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
- 0.25 oz. Simple Syrup
- 1 Jalapeño Slice, to Muddle
- Cucumber Wheel Garnish
- Jalapeño Slice Garnish
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a cocktail shaker, and gently muddle.
- Add ice.
- Shake vigorously and fine strain into a rocks glass with fresh ice.
- Garnish with a cucumber wheel and a jalapeño slice.
In this recipe
Who invented the spicy margarita?
When you think of a margarita, you might think of the three classic ingredients of tequila, lime juice and an orange liqueur. But mixologists love to shake things up (literally and figuratively), leading to new favorites like spicy margaritas.
We can’t tell you who exactly invented the spicy margarita, but we do know it was made famous in the early 2000s when blanco tequila was infused with habanero peppers in order to pack the heat.
In the early 2000s, a spicy margarita craze hit the industry. As more bartenders came up with more variations, spicy margaritas spread. Now, you’ll find them on menus across the country.
What does the spicy cucumber jalapeño margarita taste like?
This recipe features muddled jalapeño and cucumber, a mix of spicy and refreshing-tasting, paired with more traditional margarita flavors.
Jalapeño is the key to the spice in this margarita
Jalapeños are medium-sized green chili peppers common in Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisines. While not overly spicy, they can still bring a delicious amount of heat without overpowering other flavors.
Why cucumber?
The cucumber's cool, mild flavor soothes the bite of jalapeño, lime and tequila.
Lime juice is essential
Lime juice provides the classic lime flavor of a margarita, while the sour tang complements the spicy jalapeño.
Simple syrup
It adds a hint of sweetness – all the better to appreciate the spice.
Blanco tequila for the win
Also called silver or white tequila, blanco tequila provides the base of this drink. Blanco tequila is distilled and bottled without aging, leading to a clear spirit. Blanco has a sweet, fruity flavor with a strong agave flavor. We recommend a quality, agave-forward tequila like Casamigos Blanco or Astral Blanco.
When you sip this drink, you won’t be lacking for flavor.
Variations to customize the spicy cucumber jalapeño margarita
Want to get creative? Try out some of our variations.
For even more intense jalapeño flavor
You can make your own infused tequila right at home. Pour as much blanco tequila as you like in a glass or mason jar. Add 1-2 sliced jalapeño peppers, cover and let sit overnight. Strain out the jalapeños, then use the infused tequila for this recipe. Don’t have time to infuse your own tequila? Try 21Seeds Cucumber Jalapeño Blanco Tequila, already packed with flavor.
For more agave flavor
Replace simple syrup with agave nectar. Also known as agave syrup, it’s even sweeter than sugar or honey, so keep that in mind and use less if you want to keep the drink on the spicier rather than sweet side.
If you don’t have a muddler
No muddler? That’s okay! We recommend using a wooden utensil to preserve natural flavors. You can use the back of a wooden spoon, the end of a wooden rolling pin (one without handles), or even a dowel. Remember to twist and press, not pound, for the best flavor.
Switch up the spirits
Smoky flavors and jalapeño are a classic pairing. To make this a smoky spicy margarita, try replacing the blanco tequila with a delightfully smoky mezcal (like our Casamigos Mezcal). Just like tequila, mezcal is agave-based (in fact, tequila is a type of mezcal), so you won’t miss out on any agave flavor, but you will have a brand new flavor profile experience of smoky jalapeño.
Get in the mix
Love this recipe? Shaking up cocktails at your next soiree? We'd love to see it. Follow us on Instagram and tag @thebardotcom to show us your serve.