This Watermelon Jalapeno Margarita is sweet, spicy, and perfect for summer! It comes together really easily, you don't need any special ingredients and it's always a hit! This margarita is the perfect drink for any summer pool party or a family BBQ! You can also turn it into a pitcher margarita or a mocktail in a few easy steps!
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Why This Recipe Works
Sweet and spicy - This margarita has the perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Freshly blended watermelon juice is mixed with spicy jalapenos and classic tequila. It's refreshing, light, and perfect for the summer!
Great for any occasion - You can make this margarita for any gathering from a fancy pool party to a casual family BBQ! The recipe includes a pitcher version to make it even easier to serve a larger crowd!
Easy to make into a mocktail - Don't want the alcohol? No problem! You can easily turn this margarita into a spicy watermelon soda in a few easy steps so that everyone can enjoy it! The instructions are a few paragraphs below and in the recipe card.
Ingredients
- Tequila - I recommend using either Blanco or Reposado tequila here. Some most popular ones for margaritas are Patron, 1800 Tequila, or El Jimador. My all-time favorite is Hornitos Reposado. If you like the smokey flavor of Mezcal, you can use that as well.
- Orange liqueur - The most popular orange liqueurs for a margarita are Cointreau and Triple Sec. Cointreau is my personal go-to. It has the perfect balance of sweet and bitter and it has a delicious orange flavor. Triple sec tends to have a lower ABV while Cointreau has 40% ABV.
- Lime juice - Freshly squeezed lime juice will yield the best flavor.
- Simple syrup - You can use store-bought syrup or make your own by simmering sugar and water together in a 1:1 ratio for 5 minutes.
- Watermelon juice - You can make watermelon juice at home by blending up some fresh watermelon. No need for any water or straining!
- Jalapenos - You'll only need a few slices to give your margarita the perfect kick. Keep the seeds out if you want it to be less spicy.
Variations and Substitutions
- Frozen watermelon - If you have frozen watermelon chunks, you might need to add a splash of water and use a tamper to get them to blend into a slushie consistency.
- Watermelon simple syrup - If you want to up the watermelon flavor even more, swap the simple syrup for watermelon syrup! You can use store-bought syrup like Monin, Torani, or other brands, or you can make your own at home!
Non-Alcoholic Version - Turn this margarita into a mocktail either by using a non-alcoholic spirit that mimics the flavor of Tequila and orange liqueur, or you can just skip them, add more watermelon juice, and top up the drink with sparkling water or watermelon soda. I like LaCroix as a sugar-free option.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Start by prepping your glass. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass and dip it in tajin.
- Fill the glass with ice and set aside.
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- Add tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, watermelon juice, simple syrup, and jalapeno slices to a cocktail shaker.
- Add a handful of ice and shake the cocktail vigorously for a few seconds until very cool and frothy.
- Strain the drink into your prepared glass.
- Garnish with a watermelon wedge, lime, and jalapeno slices if desired. Enjoy!
Serving and Make Ahead Options
- Watermelon juice - If you're making your own watermelon juice (blended watermelon) you can totally do it a day ahead! I wouldn't store it longer than a day so you don't lose the fresh bright flavor of the watermelon but if you want to blend it up the night before to have it ready for your party the next day, totally go for it!
- Lime juice - Freshly squeezed lime juice will keep in the fridge for up to 2 days so I like to make it ahead of time as well. This comes especially handy when you're making a pitcher of this margarita!
- Salt rim - I used Tajin for the glass rim in this recipe because I think it fits with the spiciness of the jalapeno and sweetness of the watermelon. A Classic Margarita however is served with a simple sea salt rim which you can also do for this cocktail as well if you prefer.
A Pitcher Version
You can easily make this margarita in a pitcher! For a pitcher for 10 people, you will need 1 ¾ cup tequila, ½ cup + 2tbsp Cointreau, 2 ½ cup watermelon juice, 1 ¼ cup lime juice (approx 10 limes), ½ cup simple syrup, 5 jalapeno slices (or more), and lots of ice. Stir everything together and serve over ice.
Keep in mind that you will need to take the jalapeno slices it out of the pitcher briefly after you stir everything together. If you let them sit in the pitcher, they will keep infusing the cocktail and it will eventually become undrinkable.
Alternatively, you can infuse your tequila with jalapenos by adding a few slices to the tequila for 15-30 minutes first, straining it, and adding it to the pitcher so you don't have any jalapeno seeds floating around.
FAQs
This will greatly depend on your heat tolerance. Mine is on the lower side and I find 1-2 jalapeno coins (slices) are more than enough. Add more if you want it to be really spicy! Keep in mind that if you garnish the margarita with more jalapenos, they will keep infusing the drink with more heat as it sits.
While a classic margarita has a sea salt rim, I opted for Tajiin with this one. If you prefer a sugar rim for your margaritas, go for it! It will balance out the spiciness nicely.
Other Margarita Recipes
If you're looking for other summer margaritas to quench your thirst, check out the five below! They're refreshing, summery, and so delicious! If you want to try another watermelon cocktail but don't care if it's with tequila, check out this Watermelon Coconut Rum Cooler! To see all the latest cocktails, head over to Cocktails.
📖 Recipe
Watermelon Jalapeno Margarita
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 1 1x
- Category: Cocktail
- Method: No Cook
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This Watermelon Jalapeno Margarita is sweet, spicy, and perfect for summer! It's great for any summer pool party or a family BBQ! Easy to make in a pitcher or into a mocktail!
Ingredients
- 1 lime wedge
- 1 tsp tajin (or sea salt)
- Ice
- 1 ½ oz tequila (silver or reposado)
- ½ oz Cointreau (or your favorite orange liqueur)
- 1 oz lime juice
- 2 oz watermelon juice (see notes)
- 1 oz simple syrup
- 1-2 jalapeno slices
- Garnish: watermelon wedge, lime slice, jalapeno slice
Instructions
- Start by prepping your glass. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass and dip it in tajin.
- Fill the glass with ice and set aside.
- Add tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, watermelon juice, simple syrup, and jalapeno slices to a cocktail shaker.
- Add a handful of ice and shake the cocktail vigorously for a few seconds until very cool and frothy.
- Strain the drink into your prepared glass.
- Garnish with a watermelon wedge, lime, and jalapeno slices if desired. Enjoy!
Equipment
Notes
Watermelon juice: Make your own watermelon juice by blending 1-2 cups of watermelon in a high-speed blender until smooth. No water or straining is needed.
Non-Alcoholic version: Use non-alcoholic spirits instead of the tequila and orange liqueur or add water or more watermelon juice instead. You can also top up the drink with sparkling water or watermelon soda.
Pitcher for 10: 1 ¾ cup tequila, ½ cup + 2tbsp Cointreau, 2 ½ cup watermelon juice, 1 ¼ cup lime juice (approx 10 limes), ½ cup simple syrup, 4-5 jalapeno slices (or more for extra spicy margs), and lots of ice.
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Gloria says
BBQ parties are still going strong. Watermelon is always a hit during the summer months. What a great cocktail to serve to guests. You can make it without alcohol too.
Tammy says
Super refreshing and so beautiful too! This looks like the perfect summer cocktail!! Cannot wait to make :)
Juyali says
A summer must-try! The sweet watermelon and spicy jalapeno are a refreshing flavor combo. Definitely a new favorite!
Jamie says
I love the combination of sweet and spicy in this watermelon jalapeno margarita! It was so refreshing and perfect for a hot summer day like today!
Carrie Robinson says
This is the perfect flavor combo for a summertime margarita! I love the sweet & refreshing watermelon with a little spicy kick from the jalapeno. :)
Moop Brown says
This drink looks so refreshing, perfect for summer, and combines sweet and spicy flavors in a such a tasty way.