Spicy Watermelon Jalapeño Margaritas

I've been making this Watermelon Jalapeño Margarita recipe for years now, and it is always a hit. What started as a way to use up a surplus of summer produce, with watermelon and jalapeños both peaking during the hot summer months, has turned into a recipe my friends request over and over again. Their show-stopping appearance combined with their refreshing taste makes for a really impressive, fun cocktail. They're especially popular on hot summer days.

These Watermelon Jalapeño Margaritas are incredibly easy to make, and call for just a few simple ingredients, plus a cocktail shaker. By the way, I recently learned that the best shakers have a built-in double wall that insulates the shaker and prevents your hands from freezing. They also keep the drink cold longer, in case you're not serving them immediately.

This delicious cocktail is similar to some of the other cocktails on my website such as this Spicy Cantaloupe Martini and this Grapefruit Basil Cocktail. As you can tell, I love using fresh fruit to make refreshing drinks.

How to make Spicy Watermelon Margaritas 

The basic process of making these spicy watermelon margaritas is to first muddle fresh jalapeño and watermelon in a shaker, then add tequila, lime juice, and ice. You can also add a touch of agave nectar for extra sweetness, but that's optional. 

Follow this quick tutorial to learn how to make them!

Ingredients 

These watermelon jalapeño margaritas only call for 5 ingredients, (including ice) but you can jazz them up with extras like a sugar, chili lime, or salt rim. You can also lower the ABV (alcohol by volume) by topping them with seltzer water. The possibilities are endless. 

• Silver Tequila (Blanco Tequila) Be sure to use good tequila that you actually enjoy drinking. My favorites are Casamigos, Espelon, Patron, and Don Julio
• Fresh watermelon chunks. Cut your watermelon ahead of time so you don't have to spend time doing that when you want to be making delicious cocktails!
• Fresh jalapeño slices (thin slices work best for this recipe)
• Fresh lime juice (choose limes that feel heavy for their size with smooth, thin skin)
• Ice (enough to fill the shaker and both glasses)
• Sea Salt, sugar, or chili lime seasoning (optional, for making a tasty rim)

See Recipe Card for Quantities (recipe makes 2 margaritas)

Steps

As I mentioned before, these spicy fruity margaritas are so easy to make, and they're ready in no time. 

1. First muddle the jalapeño slices and fresh watermelon pieces in a shaker. The watermelon chunks break down significantly, quickly transforming into fresh watermelon juice.
2. Add the tequila, the juice of 2 limes, and fill the shaker with ice.
3. Shake for at least 20 seconds to achieve an extra cold cocktail.
4. Prepare the glasses by pouring a couple tablespoons of flaky sea salt on a small plate, sliding a wedge of lime along the rim of your glass, then dipping the rim into the salt. Swirl it around a couple times to ensure full rim coverage.
5. Pour the spicy margarita mixture through your shaker's strainer attachment over 2 salt-rimmed, ice-filled margarita glasses and garnish with extra slices of jalapeño, watermelon cubes, and lime wedge. 

Variations 

• Extra spicy- For an extra spicy kick use slices of a Serrano pepper instead of jalapeño pepper. Or use spicy tequila such as 21 Seeds Jalapeño Cucumber tequila or Tanteo Jalapeño tequila in addition to the fresh jalapeno. If you like spicy drinks, you'll use these flavored tequilas all the time.
• Less Spicy: For just a little kick, remove the seeds from the jalapeños before muddling them into your drink. The seeds and ribs are where you'll find most of the heat in a jalapeño pepper.
• Different fruit- use strawberries in place of the watermelon, especially if you already have strawberries on hand. 
• Lower ABV- Use the same recipe, but divide among 4 glasses, then top each with sparkling water. 
• Extra sweet: Despite its use of watermelon, these spicy margs aren't very sweet, which is why I love them. However, if you prefer a sweet cocktail add 1 teaspoon of agave syrup to the shaker.
• Big Batch: This recipe is best made in a shaker for maximum iciness. But if you want to triple the recipe to make 6 servings, I recommend making the whole batch in a pitcher instead. Instead of shaking, simply stir vigorously with ice. Only do so right before ready to serve.

FAQ:

Why doesn't this recipe call for orange liqueur?

Most classic margarita recipes call for some type of orange liquor such as Cointreau, Triple Sec, or Grand Marnier if you're fancy. That's because the sweet orange liqueur helps add flavor and counteract the acidity of the tangy lime juice.

But because these Jalapeño Watermelon Margaritas already have so much flavor, adding another fruity element would just make them overpowering and too sweet. It would distract from the fresh flavors.

Do I need to use seedless watermelon?

No! Simply use a cocktail shaker with a strainer top to make these watermelon jalapeno margaritas. Only the liquid will end up in the glass.

Watermelon Jalapeño Margarita Recipe

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