The BEST Spicy Margarita Recipe (with Pitcher Option)
Published May 05, 2023 Updated Mar 08, 2024
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This easy spicy margarita recipe combines orange juice, freshly squeezed lime juice, and fresh jalapeño slices with Blanco tequila for a sweet and spicy cocktail. Served over ice with a Tajin seasoned rim and an egg-white foamy finish. Make a pitcher or just one- you can’t go wrong with this classic margarita recipe!
Table of Contents
- What Makes This Recipe Great
- Ingredient Notes
- How to Choose the Best Tequila
- Tools You Need to Make this Recipe
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- How to Make a Pitcher of Spicy Margaritas
- Expert Tips
- Serving Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- More Favorite Cocktails
- SHOP MY POST:
- The BEST Spicy Margarita Recipe (with Pitcher Option!) Recipe
What Makes This Recipe Great
Every host/hostess needs a good margarita recipe on hand for a fun taco Tuesday, a family gathering, a weeknight happy hour, or a Cinco de Mayo holiday party! This easy, delicious, skinny-ish, spicy jalapeno margarita recipe is the perfect blend of sweetness and spice. This a classic recipe that is truly next level!
Fresh ingredients like orange and lime juice come together to create the classic, tangy margarita mix, while pickled jalapeno juice, Tajin seasoning, and fresh jalapenos bring the kick to balance it out. This spicy margarita recipe is literally the BEST, and it’s about to blow your mind!
This Spicy Margarita Recipe is both savory and sweet and packs the perfect jalapeno punch. A little heat never hurt anybody! Plus, they’re super easy to make and always a hit!
Ingredient Notes
- orange juice: most margaritas call for an orange liqueur such as triple sec or Cointreau, but I prefer fresh orange juice. It adds the perfect amount of sweet orange flavor to the spicy jalapenos without adding the orange liqueur.
- jalapeno pepper & jalapeno juice: You’re going to garnish your margarita with a couple of fresh jalapeño peppers slices (I mean, it is called a spicy jalapeno margarita, after all), but I recommend keeping a jar of pickled jalapenos on hand. Use the pickled jalapeno juice to give your margarita the extra kick!
- sugar-free simple syrup: I love making my own sugar-free simple syrup using water and allulose. You will never know the difference. You can also use agave syrup if you prefer.
- egg white: While this is totally optional, don’t skip it! It gives the margarita a beautiful foamy top that makes it special.
- Tajin seasoning: This hands down gives these jalapeno margaritas that extra punch they need. Further, I use Tajin on the rim instead of salt. It tastes amazing and gives the cocktail a little color and dimension. You can always do a salt rim if that’s what you prefer.
How to Choose the Best Tequila
While you really can choose whichever Tequila you prefer, Silver Tequila or Blanco Tequila is my go-to for this margarita recipe. It has a more mild flavor and blends super well in margaritas. I like to use a good quality tequila, which makes this spicy margarita recipe even better!
Gold Tequila, like Anejo, is aged longer and is best sipped neat. Reposado tequila is also aged, but in a pinch would be a good second option if you don’t have Blanco Tequila on hand.
- LUNAZUL (My favorite. Super smooth and only $17!)
- JOSE CUERVOCORAZON
- SINGLE ESTATE BLANCO
- CASA NOBLE CRYSTAL
- PATRÓN REPOSADO
Tools You Need to Make this Recipe
- Cocktail Shaker
- Jigger/Shot glass (to measure shots)
- Citrus Juicer
- Your favorite cocktail glass
Step-by-Step Instructions
You might be wondering how to make a perfect spicy margarita recipe in your kitchen for a fraction of the price at a bar. Get ready, folks. You’re about to become a homemade jalapeno margarita-making bartender in just 5 easy steps.
- Combine the fresh squeezed lime juice, orange juice (filling in for triple sec!), spicy jalapeno juice, your choice of sweetener, and Blanco tequila in a cocktail shaker and shake. Shake for 10-15 seconds. Add the egg white and shake vigorously again for 20 more seconds.
- Rim your glass with lime juice and rub it into the Tajin seasoning until the rim is completely coated. Fill the glass with ice cubes.
- Strain the mixture over ice after rimming your glass.
- Add two slices of jalapeno and a lime wedge for garnishing.
- The 5th step? ENJOY your homemade spicy margarita!
How to Make a Pitcher of Spicy Margaritas
To make a pitcher for a gathering or event, simply follow these steps and enjoy! A pitcher of this spicy jalapeño margarita recipe will serve 8 people.
- 16 oz Blanco Tequila
- 12 Limes, juiced
- 12 oz Orange Juice or triple sec
- 16 Jalapeno slices
- 2.5 tbsp Jalapeno juice
- 2.5 tbsp sugar-free simple syrup
- Garnish: Tajin, coarse sea salt, lime wedges, ice.
- Combine the fresh squeezed lime juice, orange juice (filling in for triple sec!), spicy jalapeno juice, your choice of sweetener, and Blanco tequila in a large pitcher. Stir to combine. I don’t usually add ice to the pitcher as it will water down the drink.
- Serve in individual margarita glasses filled with crushed iced rimmed with salt or Tajin! If you want a frothy top, you can pour a serving of margarita mixture into a shaker with one egg white and shake vigorously for 20 seconds.
- Store leftovers in the refrigerator and give it a quick stir before serving.
Mac’s Pro TipS
Expert Tips
- If you don’t have a jar of pickled jalapenos, I recommend muddling a fresh jalapeno slice and adding that to the other ingredients to be shaken.
- You can find Tajin seasoning at most grocery stores in the spice aisle.
- If you prefer a blended spicy margarita, add your ingredients to a high-powered blender with ice and blend for a minute. Then serve following the same steps as the version on the rocks.
- I recommend allulose for the simple syrup because it will not crystalize if stored in the fridge. Monk fruit and other zero-calorie sweeteners tend to form crystals if you store them in the fridge.
Serving Tips
- Sprinkle some Tajin seasoning on top of the egg white and garnish with a lime wedge and fresh jalapeno slices. Your friends and family will be wowed by this beautiful spicy cocktail!
- To serve with a salted rim instead of Tajin, simply rub the rim of your glass with a lime slice, then dip the prepared glass into a small plate of coarse sea salt or kosher salt.
Recipe FAQs
The egg white is what really gives this margarita its life. Once you shake the egg white with the other ingredients and pour over ice, you will get this beautiful foamy top every single time. This is totally optional, so feel free to omit it if desired.
I highly recommend using freshly squeezed lime juice. Some people will use lime juice from a bottle, which is not the same flavor. You will get the best results using freshly squeezed lime juice. In a pinch, you can use a few TrueLime crystalized lime packets. It’s just limes crystalized into a powder with an amazing flavor!
Yes! It’s only aged two months, so it has more of a mild flavor and blends super well in margaritas. If you only have Reposado on hand, that will be fine. Anejo, however, might be too strong a flavor for this spicy margarita recipe.
This spicy margarita recipe is skinny-ish. With only 173 calories, 3 grams of sugar, and 16 net carbs, it definitely beats out other margarita recipes that top over 300 calories and 50 carbs. Now you can have 2!
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The BEST Spicy Margarita Recipe (with Pitcher Option!)
Ingredients
Margarita
- 2 ounces Blanco Tequila
- 1 1/2 lime juiced
- 1.5 oz orange juice or triple sec
- 2-3 jalapeno slices
- 1 tsp jalapeno juice from a jar of pickled jalapenos
- 2 tsp sugar-free simple syrup more or less to taste. Sub agave syrup if preferred.
- 1 egg white optional
- Tajin Seasoning
- Ice
- Lime wedges for garnish
Mocktail
- Same as above but replace the tequila with sparkling water I like lime Topo Chico
Sugar-Free Simple Syrup
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup allulose
Instructions
Margarita
- Combine the fresh squeezed lime juice, orange juice (filling in for triple sec!), spicy jalapeno juice, sugar-free simple syrup, and Blanco tequila in a cocktail shaker and shake. Shake 10-15 seconds. Add the egg white and shake vigorously again for 20 more seconds.
- Rim your glass with lime juice and rub it into the Tajin seasoning until the rim is completely coated.
- Strain the mixture over ice after rimming your glass.
- Add two slices of jalapeno and a lime wedge for garnishing.
- Enjoy!
Sugar-Free Simple Syrup
- Add the water to a saucepan over medium heat.
- Add the allulose. Stir until combined. Whisk the mixture until the sweetener dissolves.
- Store in an airtight, food-safe container in the fridge.
Notes
How to Make a Pitcher of Spicy Margaritas
To make a pitcher for a gathering or event, simply follow these steps and enjoy! A pitcher of this spicy jalapeño margarita recipe will serve 8 people.- 16 oz Blanco Tequila
- 12 Limes, juiced
- 12 oz Orange Juice
- 16 Jalapeno slices
- 2.5 tbsp Jalapeno juice
- 2.5 tbsp sugar-free simple syrup
- Garnish: Tajin, coarse sea salt, lime wedges, ice.
- Combine the fresh squeezed lime juice, orange juice (filling in for triple sec!), spicy jalapeno juice, your choice of sweetener, and Blanco tequila in a large pitcher. Stir to combine. I don’t usually add ice to the pitcher as it will water down the drink.
- Serve in individual margarita glasses filled with crushed iced rimmed with salt or Tajin! If you want a frothy top, you can pour a serving of margarita mixture into a shaker with one egg white and shake vigorously for 20 seconds.
Expert Tips
- If you don’t have a jar of pickled jalapenos, I recommend muddling a fresh jalapeno slice and adding that to the other ingredients to be shaken.
- You can find Tajin seasoning at most grocery stores in the spice aisle.
- I recommend allulose for the simple syrup because it will not crystalize if stored in the fridge. Monk fruit and other zero-calorie sweeteners tend to form crystals if you store them in the fridge.
Serving Tips
- Sprinkle some Tajin seasoning on top of the egg white and garnish with a lime wedge and fresh jalapeno slices. Your friends and family will be wowed by this beautiful spicy cocktail!
- To serve with a salted rim instead of Tajin, simply rub the rim of the glass with a lime slice, then dip it into a small plate of coarse sea salt or kosher salt.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Are we able to use the egg whites in the carton? Or should they be fresh?
I’ve clicked on the 2x and 3x and the recipe is the same as the 1x.
So good! For all my backyard summer parties, I’ll be making this to impressive the family and friends 😉
So happy to hear it was a hit. Thank you!
Will agave work instead of simple syrup? Want to make for Cinco de Mayo!
For sure!
What are the jalapeño slices for in the pitcher recipe?!
I made the pitcher recipe. The recipe was so easy to make and the directions were straight forward. I prefer orange juice over triple sec but I would put less orange juice than 12oz. And probably add some type of sparking water Judy to balance out.
Love these recipe notes, Cait. Glad you enjoyed