The recipe
for your table
Rub the rim of the glass with a lime wedge and dip it into a mixture of coarse salt and chili powder. Chill the glass.
Briefly muddle two jalapeño slices in the shaker — two or three presses are enough.
Add tequila, triple sec, lime juice, agave syrup and ice, and shake vigorously for 12 seconds.
Double-strain into the chilled glass over fresh ice and garnish with the third jalapeño slice.
The story
There are at least five stories about the origin of the classic Margarita, all set somewhere between Tijuana and Texas in the 1930s and 1940s. The spicy version is much younger and much easier to date: it belongs to the wave of modern Mexican bars and agave cocktails of the past fifteen years, when bartenders discovered that capsaicin does something sugar and acid cannot — it stretches the flavor and keeps it in your mouth for seconds longer. By now, the Spicy Margarita appears on more menus than many a classic, and in the United States it has been one of the most ordered cocktails for years.
The right glass
The margarita glass is one of the few glasses with a real function: its wide, flat rim is designed to hold salt. That matters twice as much with a Spicy Margarita, because the chili salt is an ingredient here, not a decoration — you taste it with every sip. Choose a 28 to 38 cl model with a clean, slightly outward-flaring rim: the wider it is, the more salt will stick. The stem also keeps your hand away from the bowl, so the cocktail stays cold.
Bar Professional Margarita Cocktail Glass 28.5 cl
Bar Professional Margarita Cocktail Glass Blue Rim 38 cl
Both glasses — together € 37,90.
The right tools
For a Spicy Margarita, in addition to the glass, you use a shaker, a jigger for precise measuring, a fine strainer for double-straining, and a glass rimmer. These are the bar tools we use ourselves; you'll find everything in our bar tools & cocktail sets.
Glass set (our choice 01) + 4 bar tools - together € 74,75.
Variations & twists
Swap the jalapeño for serrano if you want more heat, or for a smoked chipotle for depth instead of spiciness. Add watermelon or mango for the summery version that balances the spice beautifully. Replace the tequila with mezcal and you have a smoky Spicy Mezcalita. Prefer no heat? Go to the classic Margarita. More inspiration in all cocktail recipes.
Serving tip
Muddle the jalapeño briefly and then double-strain: pressing for too long makes it bitter and leaves green pieces in your glass. The heat is in the ribs - remove them to get the pepper's flavor without the heat. Making several glasses? Infuse tequila with a few jalapeño slices in the fridge an hour in advance; this lets you distribute the heat exactly evenly across all the glasses.
Frequently asked questions
Which glass do you use for a Spicy Margarita?
A margarita glass holding 28 to 38 cl with a wide rim for the chili salt. View our margarita glasses.
How do you make the chili-salt rim?
Mix coarse sea salt with chili powder in a ratio of three to one. Rub the rim with lime, turn the glass on its side through the mixture - only the outer rim, otherwise everything will fall into your cocktail.
Which pepper is best to use?
Jalapeño is the standard: spicy enough to notice, mild enough to keep drinking. Serrano is about twice as hot, while habanero is for enthusiasts.
Can you make a Spicy Margarita alcohol-free?
Yes: use 0.0 tequila or an agave alternative, keep the lime juice and agave syrup, and muddle the jalapeño as usual. The chili rim and acidity carry this cocktail - you won't miss them.
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