Jalapeño Orange Margarita

This Jalapeño Orange Margarita is the perfect balance of spicy, sweet, and tangy flavors, making it an exciting twist on the classic margarita.

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Fresh Orange Jalapeño Margarita

I love my Classic Margarita and my Mandarin Orange Margarita so I figured I would marry the two with a bit of spice... Jalapeño! This is a great drink with a perfect balance or spiciness, sweetness, and citrus.

To keep the drink balanced the jalapeños are muddle with honey and orange juice to balance the drink. I love the honey with the jalapeños, they go so well together. This recipe uses fresh ingredients and no need to make a homemade simple syrup first with makes it an easy spicy cocktail to enjoy. 

This is the perfect fresh and easy drink to make for a night out on the patio, the summer heat, or the perfect accompaniment to some delicious Mexican food.

Bar Equipment

Citrus Juicer

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Godinger Cocktail Shaker

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Bartending Jigger

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Ingredients

• Fresh Jalapeño Peppers- Adjust for spice preference and flavor, also keep in mind that if you include the seeds it will also make it spicier.
• Honey - I find the honey to pair so well with the jalapeño and orange opposed to the more tradition agave nectar found in a classic margarita. You can use more or less honey depending on desired sweetness of your drink.
• Fresh Orange Juice - Use fresh squeezed for this drink! I use navel oranges but feel free to use any other kind of fresh oranges like blood oranges or cara cara oranges. If you use a hand citrus juicer Affiliate Link like the one shown above, if the orange is too big to fit into the juicer I recommend cutting the orange into 4 pieces and then and each piece individually to the juicer to get the most out of the fruit.
• Tequila - I use blanco tequila (also known as silver tequila) for this marg but you can also use a reposado tequila (aka gold tequila) if you want for a more complex flavor. Use a good quality tequila, I always like to recommend Tres Agave. 
• Lime Juice - Just like the orange use fresh lime juice, it make all the difference!
• Cointreau - If you don't have cointreau use can use any other orange liqueur like triple sec or grand marnier as a substitute.
• Garnishes - You can use orange slices, a lime wedge, extra jalapeño slices, or a combination of all three as a garnish.

Instructions

In a cocktail shaker, combine the honey, jalapeño slices, and fresh orange juice. Use a muddler to mash the jalapeño slices, releasing their heat and flavor into the juice. Stir gently to dissolve the honey completely.

Once the honey has dissolved, pour in the tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau. Add a generous handful of ice to the shaker.

Secure the lid and shake vigorously for 10 to 20 seconds until the mixture is well chilled. Strain the margarita into a glass filled with fresh ice.

Garnish with an orange slice, lime slice, and/or a jalapeño slice. Enjoy this sweet, spicy, and citrusy cocktail!