The Story Behind The Spicy Margarita

While the classic Margarita is the world’s favorite tequila cocktail, there’s no harm in adding a spicy twist to the tangy drink.

Today, the Spicy Margarita encompasses a category in its own right. Since the early aughts, this riff has spawned countless other hot takes on the original Marg, incorporating herbs, spice-infused syrups, and just about every type of fruit under the sun.

In this recipe, the sting of bird’s eye chili enhances the earthiness of the tequila’s agave, offering a welcomed contrast to the citrusy sweetness of orange liqueur. This results in a burst of flavor with each sip that is familiar and exciting, all at once.

Crafting the bird’s eye chili syrup may take a few minutes, but it’s worth it. The syrup’s heat will be somewhat tempered by triple sec’s sweetness. The result: a fiery-hot thirst-quencher that's sure to satisfy all agave fans.

The Best Margarita Ingredients:

Read on for the Spicy Margarita Recipe!

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces tequila blanco
  • 1/2 ounce orange liqueur (like triple sec or Cointreau)
  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 3/4 ounce bird’s eye chili syrup (recipe follows)
  • Garnish: salt rim, bird’s eye chili

Directions

  1. Rim a rocks glass with salt and set aside to dry.
  2. Add the tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, and chili syrup to a shaker with ice, and shake until cold.
  3. Strain into salt-rimmed glass with fresh ice.
  4. Garnish with bird’s eye chili.

Rate This Recipe:

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(431 votes)

Yield: 1
Calories: 216
Updated: 2023-05-03

Bird’s Eye Chili Syrup Ingredients

  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 bird’s eye chilies, sliced, seeds removed

Bird’s Eye Chili Syrup Directions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
  2. Simmer until sugar dissolves and then remove from heat.
  3. Once cool, strain into a container and store, covered, in the refrigerator.
The Spicy Margarita Recipe

Spicy Margarita FAQ

What are the different ways to spice up a Margarita?

There are a multitude of ways to add some spice to your Margarita including adding jalapeños, chili peppers, cayenne pepper, and serrano peppers to the cocktail’s original specs. This Spicy Margarita uses Bird’s Eye chili-infused simple syrup for an added kick.

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