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This spicy margarita recipe is the perfect mix of smoky, citrusy, and fresh, with poblano liqueur, jalapeño, and lime for a bold, balanced cocktail. Ready in 5 minutes and easy to customize!
Why I Love a Spicy Margarita
Spicy margarita lovers, this one’s for you. If you love a classic margarita (which I sincerely do), but want just a little more attitude, this is the go-to cocktail to make.
With fresh lime juice, smoky poblano liqueur, and a few slices of jalapeño for heat, this drink has bold flavor without being overpowering. It’s just the right balance of refreshing, spicy, and perfectly citrusy, and it really couldn’t be easier to make. If you’re having friends over to celebrate, I promise this is the drink you’ll keep making time and again.
There are three great reasons to love this recipe:
- Flavor-forward heat: Poblano liqueur (like Ancho Reyes Verde) brings warm, smoky spice, not just heat.
- Effortless prep: It comes together in under 5 minutes, which is perfect when you just want a good drink and some time to relax.
- Always festive: Whether it’s summer, fall, or after a long farm day (for me!), this margarita feels right.
For me, this is the best margarita, and it tends to be the one that I always end up making!
Spicy Margarita Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to shake up this spicy margarita:
- Tequila blanco – Clean and crisp.
- Poblano liqueur – Slight spice from the poblano peppers is amazing! I opt for a version from Ancho Reyes Verde.
- Cointreau – Adds just the right citrus sweetness and balances out the tequila.
- Fresh orange juice – Smooths the tartness and layers flavor.
- Fresh lime juice – A must for any margarita.
- Agave syrup – If you like your margarita a touch sweeter.
- Jalapeño – You can adjust the heat here.
- Sparkling water – Top it off with your favorite lime soda or bubbly water.
- Chili lime seasoning – A zesty blend of chili, salt, and lime that adds a bold, tangy kick to the rim of each glass.
The full amount of each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.
How to Make a Spicy Margarita
Shake: In a cocktail shaker with ice, combine the tequila, poblano liqueur, Cointreau, orange juice, lime juice, agave, and jalapeño slices. Shake for about 30 seconds, until the exterior of the shaker gets frosty.
Strain & Serve: Pour into chilled glasses over fresh ice.
Top it off: Add sparkling water (I’m partial to Topo Chico). Optional: Rim the glass with chili lime seasoning (or Tajín) for extra deliciousness!
Recipe Tips
- Customize the rim: Use the classic coarse salt or switch things up by mixing in some additional spice: smoked paprika and chipotle powder will add a smoky zing. Chili lime seasoning is another great option!
- Adjust the sparkling water ratio to taste. Add more bubbles for a lighter, less punchy profile.
Serving & Storage
Serve immediately! The bubbles are best fresh, so drink these as soon as they’re prepared!
Prep ahead: Mix all ingredients (minus sparkling water and ice) and keep cold in the fridge. Shake and strain into glasses filled with fresh ice right before serving.
Make a batch: Multiply the recipe by the number of servings you want and mix up a batch in a large pitcher.
More Drink Recipes
Watch How to Make This Recipe
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Spicy Margarita
Ingredients
- 2 oz tequila blanco
- 2 oz poblano liqueur
- 1 ½ oz Cointreau
- 1 ½ oz fresh orange juice
- 2 oz fresh lime juice
- 2-3 tsp agave syrup (optional)
- 6 slices jalapeño
- sparkling water (as desired)
- chili lime seasoning to garnish glasses (as desired)
Instructions
- Shake. In a shaker filled with ice, add the tequila, poblano liqueur, Cointreau, orange juice, lime juice, agave syrup (if using), and jalapeño. Shake for about 30 seconds until the shaker is frosty.2 oz tequila blanco, 2 oz poblano liqueur, 1 ½ oz Cointreau, 1 ½ oz fresh orange juice, 2 oz fresh lime juice, 2-3 tsp agave syrup (optional), 6 slices jalapeño
- Prepare the glasses. If desired, dip the rim of each glass in water (or lime juice) and roll in chili lime seasoning. Add fresh ice to each glass and pour in the shaken liquid.chili lime seasoning
- Finish. Top each glass with sparkling water and serve immediately.sparkling water (as desired)
Hi Kaleb,
Can you tell me what is on the rim of your spicy margarita?
Cheers, Gail
Guessing it’s Tajin
He says in a video I saw that it is rock salt with chipolte pepper
Love ALL your posts—from gardening, to cooking, to antiquing! You’re so down to earth, conversational and informative!! And so fun—who doesn’t need more fun?!
I made your Spicy Margarita today for Cinco de Mayo (along with carnitas, Vigo’s cilantro lime rice and seasoned sweet corn (off the cob). It is amazing to actually taste the poblano in the Ancho Verde liqueur. I’ve been recuperating from a painful hip revision surgery in early April, and I can tell you that, now on my second margarita (small ones), I am feeling no pain! Very yummy!
Kaleb – this Margarita is so yummy for a cool fall evening. I found the Ancho Reyes at Total Wine and the “warming” poblano after effect is awesome! The fresh and high quality ingredients make this a top shelf marg. I used Lime sparkling La Croix to top and Himalayan salt mixed with ancho Chile powder to rim. Thank you!
I love Margaritas too. I post a variety of cocktails on my blog but I’m always looking for a new margarita, something different.
Still, this is the one that made me love margaritas. I tried Margaritas when I was out with friends and I thought they were awful and I could not understand why people loved them. It’s amazing that I even took a leap of faith and decided to try something but discovered that good tequila, real orange liqueur and a little bit of aging makes all the difference in the world! This one’s a little bit of work but I encourage you to try it sometime, we think it’s the best!
https://creative-culinary.com/best-fresh-margarita-cocktail-recipe/
Excellent drink!
Spicy Margaritas aren’t usually my go to but this one is delicious