This cilantro jalapeño margarita is a huge crowd pleaser. I find it hard to resist fresh cilantro, the slow burn of jalapeños and tart lime juice on a warm summer evening.
This recipe is especially unique because it’s refreshing and aromatic, but not exceedingly sweet the way a lot of margaritas can be. But if you prefer them sweeter, it’s an easy fix!
tips on spicy margaritas:
It's important to pay attention to peppers with cocktails because alcohol exacerbates the spice and makes it taste even hotter. And remember— there’s no way to remove the heat once its there.
Either you drink it or dilute it. So I've found it’s best to err on the side of caution and add extra pepper slices to individual glasses for more spice.
If you’re making a pitcher (why wouldn't you?), here's a note of caution about the jalapeños:
Taste the mix when you add the jalapeños and again about an hour after. Peppers have a dramatic range of capsaicin (the spicy compound) and it’s really hard to tell how hot your jalapeño margarita will get as the peppers macerate.
I find that after about an hour and a half, the jalapeño flavor is pronounced and the heat is strong, but still pleasant. At that point, I removed the peppers and left the rest of the mix to marry.
That being said, if after an hour you don’t notice much heat, then muddle some more pepper slices and toss them in! There’s no hard and fast rule for heat since peppers (and preferences) vary so much.
I hope you enjoy these fresh, spicy jalapeño margaritas at your next summer gathering! They go especially well with chips, salsa, and queso fundido with roasted poblanos...
more tequila cocktails:
hibiscus margarita with ginger sugar
mezcal sour with strawberries and ginger
mexican mule (tequila ginger beer cocktail)
food to serve with this jalapeño margarita!
chorizo hash with poblanos and charred jalapeño hollandaise
Printcilantro jalapeño margarita
Bright, refreshing cilantro jalapeño margaritas are the perfect drink for your next summer gathering. It’s hard to resist fresh cilantro, the slow burn of jalapeños and tart lime juice — especially with chips and salsa!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1
- Category: Drinks
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
1 MARGARITA
- 1 lime wedge
- kosher salt
- 1 to 3 thin slices jalapeño (stemmed, halved, seeded and sliced lengthwise)
- 2 fresh cilantro sprigs
- 1 ½ oz 100% blue agave blanco tequila
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz Cointreau
- 1 oz simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water combined, boiled to dissolve sugar, and cooled)
- 6 to 10 ice cubes
PITCHER (8 MARGARITAS)
- 8- 24 thin slices jalapeño (stemmed, halved, seeded and sliced lengthwise), depending on the heat of the peppers and your preferences
- 16 fresh cilantro sprigs
- 1 ½ cups 100% blue agave blanco tequila
- 1 cup fresh lime juice
- 1 cup Cointreau
- 1 cup simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water combined, boiled to dissolve sugar, and cooled)
- 1 lime wedge
- kosher salt
- 6 cups ice cubes
Instructions
1 MARGARITA
- Cut a small notch in the center of the lime wedge. Run the notch around the edge of the margarita glass to moisten. Fill a plate with coarse salt, turn the glass on its side, and roll in the salt to coat the outside edge. Set aside.
- Muddle the jalapeño slices and cilantro sprigs in the bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the tequila, lime juice, Cointreau, simple syrup and ice. Cover and shake until frothy, cold, and tiny ice crystals will appear in the drink, about 15 seconds.
- Strain into the prepared glass and serve immediately.
PITCHER (8 MARGARITAS)
- Muddle the jalapeño and cilantro sprigs in the bottom of a pitcher until coarsely mashed. Add the tequila, lime juice, Cointreau and simple syrup. Stir, cover and refrigerate for one hour. Taste for heat, if spice level is good, discard the solids and return pitcher to refrigerator until fully chilled, about 1 hour more. Otherwise, continue the maceration for another hour, until mixture is chilled.
- Cut a small notch in the center of a lime wedge. Run the notch around the edge of the margarita glasses to moisten. Fill a plate with coarse salt, turn the first glass on its side and roll in the salt to coat the outside edge. Repeat with remaining 7 glasses.
- Fill a cocktail shaker half full with ice, and pour in 1 cup of the margarita mixture. Shake the margarita mixture and strain into two of the prepared glasses. Repeat for the remaining margaritas and serve immediately.
Notes
recipe from Frontera: Margaritas, Guacamoles and Snacks by Rick and Deann Bayless
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 374
- Sugar: 49g
- Sodium: 3.4mg
- Fat: 0g
- Saturated Fat: 0g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 55g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0.2g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
[…] Cilantro Jalapeno Margarita – With Spice […]