Our Best Spicy Jalapeño Margarita Recipe

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One of my favorite cocktails to order from a restaurant is a spicy margarita. Layered with a lingering heat that perfectly contrasts the bright, refreshing lime, it takes a classic margarita to the next level without completely changing the flavor. It's also a drink that always seems to taste better at a restaurant than when made at home, no matter how many recipes I try; and after testing and developing this best spicy margarita recipe, I figured out why. While most at-home recipes muddle fresh jalapeño slices to achieve the mild spicy flavor, restaurants often go the extra mile, infusing tequila or even mezcal with peppers for a burst of lingering heat. The good news is that this can be done at home, and it's way easier than you might think.

Infusing tequila with spicy flavor only requires a few servings of tequila, a jalapeño, and some time. For even a hint of spicy flavor you can infuse for as little as 30 minutes; but for the best results, I recommend letting the jalapeños steep overnight, guaranteeing a stronger flavor and spicier heat. I love using this method to make spicy margaritas because the tequila mutes the grassy, vegetal flavor of the jalapeño while absorbing its heat, giving the margarita a more versatile and fresh flavor. Though it may require some planning ahead, the results are worth it for restaurant-quality margarita sips at home.

The first ingredients you'll need are tequila and jalapeños. You can use your favorite tequila or any mid-tier tequila blanco –- since you'll be altering the flavor, you don't need to splurge on an expensive bottle. From there, you'll also need Cointreau or triple sec, freshly squeezed lime juice, and agave nectar, which is similar to honey but made from the same plant as tequila. The glass can be garnished any way you like, but for this margarita, I recommend a spicy Tajín rim and an itty bitty jalapeño (charred for extra smoky-spicy appeal). 

Add the sliced jalapeños to a jar and pour tequila over top. Seal and let infuse for 8 to 24 hours.

Strain the jalapeños from the tequila.

To optionally rim the glass, swipe a wedge of lime over the side or rim of a rocks glass, then roll in Tajín to adhere.

Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add 2 ounces of the jalapeño tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, and agave.

Shake until frothy, about 20 seconds.

Fill the rocks glass with ice.

Strain the cocktail over the ice.

If desired, garnish with a charred jalapeño to serve.

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Although this recipe walks through the steps for making a single spicy margarita, the tequila infusion yields enough to make four margaritas. I highly recommend infusing several portions at a time so that the infusion isn't overly potent and the infusing time isn't wasted on a single, 2-ounce serving. Even if you don't plan to drink more than one margarita, the tequila will last 3 to 6 months before degrading, meaning you can have a spicy margarita virtually anytime without needing a day to prep. If you want to switch it up (or you doubled the batch and need ideas), there are also other ways to use the infused tequila.

There are plenty of great tequila drinks, but perhaps the easiest drink to use the jalapeño tequila in is a paloma, which combines the tequila with grapefruit and club soda. The spicy spirit infuses the drink with heat without a grassy jalapeño flavor, making it easier to pair with tart grapefruit. You can also use the spicy tequila in a tequila sunrise, which is typically a super-sweet drink that benefits from the heat of jalapeño. Another option is to stick to the spicy margarita base but switch up the flavor profile — for example, a spicy blackberry, peach, blood orange, or pineapple margarita would be delicious.

Depending on your tolerance, jalapeño might be a mild pepper to you –- and in that case, this margarita might not be as spicy as you're hoping for. I developed this recipe at a mild to medium spice level so that it suits a wider range of tastes, but it is very easy to add more heat. The first thing you can do is add a second jalapeño, keeping the seeds intact, to your infusion. You can also muddle jalapeño directly into the drink, or simply drop a slice or two into the glass as a garnish, but this will add the vegetal flavor that comes with fresh, raw jalapeño.

You can also add a lot more heat if jalapeños alone aren't enough. A popular pepper for infusing tequila with is the habanero, which is one type of chile pepper with a higher Scoville unit than jalapeño and usually easy to find in any grocery store. One habanero is actually equal to five jalapeños, meaning your tequila will be much spicier than a single jalapeño alone. You can also use hot honey instead of agave for added heat, or, for the real heat enthusiasts, you can rim the glass with a swipe of jalapeño, which will add an intense heat to every sip.

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