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This pineapple jalapeno margarita recipe is the perfect drink for taco night, Cinco de Mayo, happy hour, or a refreshing patio cocktail.
It’s slightly sweet, slightly spicy, and fully fresh and fragrant. It’s as vibrant and colorful as it is tasty. Close your eyes and you might just find yourself on a beach somewhere!
Table of Contents
Margaritas are one of my favorite alcoholic beverages — especially a spicy margarita recipe.
If you enjoy a spicy drink and want some new recipes this summer, we have plenty of spicy cocktails. If you’re wanting more of the spicy jalapeño flavor, try this Mexican mule cocktail or this skinny spicy margarita.
But if a classic margarita is more your thing, try these mango margaritas, blood orange margaritas, or cucumber margaritas.
And if you’re looking to lighten up your calories when it comes to cocktails this summer, we’ve got a helpful guide comparing a skinny margarita vs regular margarita.
Why You’ll Love This Spicy Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita Recipe
- The perfect blend of sweet and spicy: This jalapeño pineapple margarita has a savory kick that wakes up the taste buds.
- Fresh ingredients: The best way to make a good margarita is with fresh ingredients. You’ll notice the artificial sweeteners from a classic margarita recipe are missing. Too much sugar in my margarita always leaves me sluggish the next day. Learn more about the differences between a skinny margarita and a regular one.
- Quick & easy: You’ll spend barely any time or effort mixing up this margarita — even if you’re serving a crowd.
Grab These Ingredients
Here are the simple ingredients for this spicy pineapple margarita recipe. Most are pantry staples and easy (and affordable) to find at the grocery store. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.
Pineapple Puree
- Pineapple chunks: Use either fresh-cut pineapple or canned pineapple with 100% juice.
- Water: You’ll add equal parts water and agave juice to the fresh pineapple juice.
- Agave: We love agave to sweeten our margaritas. However, you could use honey or white sugar if you have either of those on hand. Or make your own simple syrup at home. Mix equal parts water and granulated sugar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it boils. Stir to combine and remove it from the heat, allowing it to cool.
Pineapple Jalapeño Margarita
- Blanco tequila: Also called silver tequila, is tequila in its purest form and has an agave-forward flavor profile. If you don’t have silver tequila on hand, another type of tequila like Reposado or Añejo will both work as well.
- Orange liqueur: You can use Triple Sec or Cointreau. Triple Sec is any orange, dry-flavored liqueur. Not all triple secs are Cointreau. Cointreau, which translates to triple dry in French, is a good quality brand of triple sec made from sweet and bitter orange peels.
- Lime: Squeeze the juice of fresh limes into the margarita itself. Save a slice of lime to lightly rub around the rim of each glass and a lime wedge as garnish.
- Jalapeño peppers: You can find spicy jalapeno peppers in the produce section of your local grocery store. The hot peppers give this homemade margarita its spicy flavor. Top with slices of fresh jalapeños, with or without seeds.
- Tajin: Tajin seasoning is a versatile Mexican spice made with a variety of peppers, lime, and salt. If you don’t have any on hand, you can mix chili powder and kosher salt instead.
- Pineapple wedge: Save a pineapple chunk to drop in your glass or add a few to a short skewer and place it in your glass. If you really want to add a smoky flavor, use grilled pineapple to garnish.
- Lime wedge: Take the lime wedge you rubbed along the rim of the glass and hang it on the rim.
- Pineapple leaf: Margarita lovers will be so impressed with this tropical garnish.
How to Make a Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita
The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through the steps with some photos and a video so you have a clear idea of what to expect. This spicy pineapple jalapeno margarita recipe is really easy and these step-by-step instructions will make sure it turns out every time.
Video: Watch How to Make It
Make the pineapple puree: Add the pineapple chunks, water, and agave syrup to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
Note: If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you may need to strain the mixture to remove any unwanted lumps or hard bits of pineapple. You could also use pineapple juice.
Prepare the glass: Run a lime wedge around the outside of the margarita glass, cocktail glass, or mason jars. Pour some Tajin onto a small plate and coat the rim of the glass in Tajin.
Make and serve the margarita: Add 1/3 cup of the pineapple puree to a cocktail shaker with the tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, and jalapeno slices. Shake for 30 seconds. Pour into the prepared glass over ice. Garnish with more jalapeño slices, a wedge of pineapple, and a pineapple leaf or two.
Helpful tip: The longer you shake the drink, the spicier it will be.
Recipe Variations
Here are some ideas of variations for this spicy pineapple jalapeño margarita to make it just the way you like:
- Make it skinny: use less orange liqueur and little to no sweetener to lighten it up. You can learn more about a skinny margarita vs regular margarita.
- Finish it with bubbles: I finish most of my margaritas with light ginger beer or club soda because I love the extra bubbles!
- Make it frozen: Swap the pineapple puree with frozen pineapples or add all of the ingredients to a high-speed blender with 1 cup of ice. Blend well until it’s completely combined.
- Prepare a pitcher of margaritas: Jump down to the recipe card for an option to make a full batch of margaritas.
- Adjust the heat: Keep the seeds to take the heat level up a bit. You can adjust the number of jalapeño slices or seeds added to provide the perfect amount of heat for your taste. Remember that a little goes a long way when it comes to sliced jalapeños. So start with less jalapeño slices. You can always add more!
- Use a tequila of choice: Tequila Blanco, also known as silver tequila, is the most common type of tequila for margaritas. You can always use Mezcal for a slightly smoky flavor. Reposado tequila is more golden because it’s aged longer and would pair well with the pineapple color and flavor too.
Recipes to Serve with Spicy Margaritas
Use any leftover jalapeños or pineapple chunks to make a dish to go with your margaritas:
Storing & Freezing
This recipe makes enough for 3 cocktails. Store the leftover mixture in the fridge for up to 5 days and blend or stir again before using.
You can also freeze it in ice cube trays for up to 3 months and thaw it before using or blend it to make frozen pineapple margaritas.
If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
More Great Summer Cocktail Recipes
Here are some quick links to more of our favorite summer cocktail recipes:
This strawberry hibiscus margarita is a floral spin on traditional margaritas, and I have a feeling it will be one of your new favorite cocktails!
Our frozen sangria is a sweet, fruity and boozy sangria blended and turned into a delicious frozen slushy perfect for spring and summer parties!
These peach tea mint juleps have a little twist to the traditional mint julep. They’re infused with peach tea! What’s more summer than that?
If you like the fruity twist, you must also try these blueberry ginger mojitos. They’re sweet and fruity and give me all the summer feels. Bring on the cool, refreshing cocktails!
Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita
Save this Recipe!
Ingredients
Pineapple Puree (Makes enough for 3 cocktails)
- 1 cup pineapple chunks fresh cut or canned (100% juice)
- 1 Tablespoon water
- 1 Tablespoon Agave (Note 1)
Pineapple Jalapeno Margarita
- 1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) blanco tequila (Note 2)
- 1/2 ounce (1 Tablespoon) orange liqueur Triple Sec or Cointreu
- 1 ounce (2 Tablespoons) fresh lime juice (about 1 lime)
- 2-3 slices fresh jalapeño with or without seeds
- Rim: Lime wedge and Tajin
- Garnish: pineapple wedge, lime wedge, jalapeno, or pineapple leaf
Instructions
- Add the pineapple puree ingredients to a high-speed blender or food processor and blend until smooth. If you don’t have a high-speed blender, you may need to strain the mixture to remove any unwanted lumps or hard bits of pineapple. This makes enough for 3 cocktails. Store leftover mixture in the fridge for up to 5 days and blend or stir again before using. You can also freeze it in ice cube trays for up to 3 months and thaw before using or blend to make frozen pineapple margaritas.1 cup pineapple chunks, 1 Tablespoon Agave, 1 Tablespoon water
- Run a lime wedge around the outside of the margarita glass and coat it in Tajin.
- Add 1/3 cup of the pineapple pure to a cocktail shaker with the tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, and jalapeño slices. Shake for 30 seconds. The longer you shake it the spicier it will be.1 1/2 ounces (3 tablespoons) blanco tequila, 1/2 ounce (1 Tablespoon) orange liqueur, 1 ounce (2 Tablespoons) fresh lime juice (about 1 lime), 2-3 slices fresh jalapeño
- Pour into the prepared glass over ice (we like crushed ice). Garnish with more jalapeño slices, a wedge of pineapple, and a pineapple leaf or two.
Notes
Video
Equipment
- Cocktail shaker or jar with lid
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
