I LOVE a good spicy marg. But that’s because I enjoy spicy food, in general. Unfortunately, spicy food is something that just isn’t for everyone. I’ve found that it’s increasingly difficult to have spicy food at gatherings because everyone has a different heat tolerance. So, even though spicy margaritas aren’t for everyone. Enter: the not spicy jalapeño margarita!
This not spicy jalapeño margarita recipe adds all the flavor of jalapeños WITHOUT the heat. How?! It's a simple fix, based in science!
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How is it possible to make a not-spicy jalapeño margarita?!
It’s widely thought that the seeds of pepper are where the heat factor comes from. In actuality, though, it’s the inner membranes that pack the punch of fiery flavor! Removing these inner membranes takes care of removing all the heat, which just leaves you with the pepper flavor of the jalapeño!
ingredients
Use the freshest ingredients you can find to make sure to get the best flavor! Check the recipe card for the exact quantities of each item.
- jalapeño infused tequila - This margarita is made extra special because it’s also made with jalapeño infused tequila! The process of infusing liquors is one of my best-kept secrets for at-home cocktails. Infusing your own liquors opens up a whole new world for happy hours at home! Usually, though, time isn’t exactly on your side when it comes to liquor infusions. Thankfully, this jalapeño infused tequila comes together in less than a day!
- jalapeños - this drink is garnished with fresh slices of jalapeños.
- lime juice - fresh squeezed lime juice is a must for homemade margaritas. You'll be shocked at what a difference it makes!
- orange juice - just like with the lime juice, fresh squeezed orange juice is best!
- cointreau - a high quality orange liqueur like cointreau adds a wonderful layer of flavor to margaritas. Sometimes you may see triple sec in a margarita recipe, but trust me-- invest in some cointreau or grand marnier!
- agave - if you are a fan of margaritas, be sure to grab a small container of agave. It's a syrup made from the same plant tequila comes from, the agave plant. Agave is a low-glycemic sweetener so it's also great to use in a variety of recipes in place of honey or maple syrup.
- salt - if you like a salted rim, be sure to grab some coarse salt. I love using flaky sea salt or homemade lime salt.
- ice - this drink can be made on the rocks or frozen, it's up to you!
instructions
This drink comes together in minutes! It's as easy as combining the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and serving!
Step 1: If using salt, rim the glasses with your preferred salt.
Step 2: Juice the citrus and fill your glasses and cocktail shaker with ice.
Step 3: Combine all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker filled with ice, and give it a good shake for 45-60 seconds.
Step 4: Pour the margaritas into your prepared glasses, and garnish with a slice of lime and jalapeño before serving.
substitutions
Missing an ingredient? Don't worry! Here are some ideas for substitutions.
- sour mix - use sour mix in place of the lime juice if you don't have fresh limes on hand. You can also use homemade sour mix if you are feeling extra industrious!
- store-bought juice - you can absolutely use store-bought juices if you don't have fresh produce on hand.
- regular tequila - no time to make your own jalapeño tequila? no worries! You can substitute in regular store-bought tequila in place of the infused tequila.
variations
Prefer to lead a rebellious life? 😛 Try one of these recipe variations.
- spicy - turn up the heat on this recipe by adding in some sliced rounds of jalapeños into the shaker. Leave the inner ribs and seeds in the slices to keep the heat factor!
- tropical - swap out the orange juice for mango or pineapple juice, and up the quantity to 1.5 ounces for a tropical take on this margarita!
- frozen - make this drink in a blender with ice for a frosty spin!
- mocktail - leave the tequila out and add either sparkling water, still water, or agave juice for a seasonal mocktail!
equipment
You don't need a $350 blending machine to make delicious at-home margaritas! Here are a few items that'll make your life easier, though!
- cocktail shaker - I love using this cocktail shaker from Elevated Craft because it's double-walled, so your hands don't get cold when you're shaking! It also has handy measurement markers in the cap making it super easy to measure your drinks.
- cocktail glasses - typically margaritas are served in a tumbler glass or a special margarita glass. Use whatever you have on hand though--cabinet space can be a premium!
storage
Store leftovers of the margarita (if you have any 😏) in the fridge for up to 24 hours. You can also make this recipe in advance up to a day before you serve it.
top tip
The heat from peppers comes from the ribs inside the pepper, not from the seeds. By removing the ribs of the jalapeños, you can make this margarita not-spicy!
q+a
The inner ribs of the pepper are where the bulk of the heat-factor comes from within a pepper, so by cutting that out when infusing the tequila, you eliminate the heat factor!
If you are using regular tequila and not infusing your own, just be sure to cut the ribs out of the peppers you're using to garnish the drinks with and you'll have no heat in your cocktails.
Absolutely! You can use regular tequila in this recipe and muddle together a few slices of jalapeño pepper with the tequila. Just be sure to cut the pepper ribs out of the inside to reduce or eliminate the heat.
Yes, you can prepare this recipe up to 24 hours in advance if you're planning to have a gathering. It doubles (or even triples) easily for a pitcher recipe!
Your limes could be the culprit here if your margarita is bitter, or you could need to add a little more agave. Make sure to use ripe citrus that's firm, not squishy or yellowing. If you're unsure, you can always give the juice a quick taste before adding it to your drinks! Salt and agave can help mellow out the flavor of bitter, unripe, or overripe limes.
recipe
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🥣 recipe
Not Spicy Jalapeño Margarita
Equipment
- 2 cocktail glasses filled with ice
Ingredients
- 4 ounces jalapeño infused tequila
- 2 ounces lime juice freshly squeezed
- 2 ounces Cointreau orange liquor
- 1 ounce orange juice freshly squeezed
- 4 slices jalapeño thinly sliced
Instructions
- Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and rim your glasses with salt, if using.
- Combine jalapeño infused tequila, Cointreau, lime juice, orange juice & jalapeño slices in the cocktail shaker, and give a good 45-60 second shake.4 ounces jalapeño infused tequila, 2 ounces lime juice, 2 ounces Cointreau orange liquor, 1 ounce orange juice, 4 slices jalapeño
- Pour into two glasses, filled with ice.
- Garnish with a couple of slices of jalapeño and a dehydrated lime wedge, and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
food safety
Use caution when handling peppers and make sure to wash your hands thoroughly after you handle jalapeños. Be careful not to touch your face (especially not your eyes!) after handling peppers.
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