Margaritas are easy to make and serve to guests at big gatherings, and fun to drink with all that zesty citrus flavor topped off with a salted rim. In recent years, spicy variations on margaritas have popped up all over restaurant menus, but rather than using chili peppers in your own take, try this alternative for a more balanced kick.

Chili peppers vary in spice levels, even within a single species of chili, so it can be a gamble as to how much spice you're adding to your margarita. For more consistency, try using a bottle of green Tabasco, whose spicy flavor complements not only margaritas, but also go-to cocktail fruits like pineapple, guava, and mango.

Tabasco even offers its own Jalapeñorita cocktail recipe that includes lime juice, tequila, Grand Marnier, and their green sauce. Tabasco works well in other cocktails like the Michelada, Bloody Mary, Dragon Punch, and Amante Picante — just add one spoonful at a time, and adjust the amount to suit your and your guests’ tastes.