Spicy Margarita
Tequila, orange and lime form a familiar Margarita structure, while jalapeño adds heat and cilantro a green aromatic accent.
Named source specification · 1 reference serve.
Glassware
Technique
Ice
Garnish
Preparation effort
Ingredients & measurements
| Ingredient | mL | US fl oz | Source measure / qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cointreau | 30 | 1.01 | 30 ml Cointreau |
| blanco tequila | 50 | 1.69 | 50 ml blanco tequila |
| lime juice | 20 | 0.68 | 20 ml lime juice |
| 2 jalapeño slices | — | — | 2 jalapeño slices |
| 2 cilantro sprigs | — | — | 2 cilantro sprigs |
Converted equivalents are rounded for display; use one measurement system consistently. Dashes, spoonfuls, fruit counts and unspecified top-ups remain source measures. A blank equivalent does not mean zero.
How to make it
Prepare the salt rim. Shake the ingredients with ice and strain into the glass. Use a fine strainer if needed for the fresh herbs and chile.
Glass: Lowball. Ice: Fresh cubes (house presentation). Garnish: Jalapeño slice and salt rim.
Flavor & balance
- Sour (Acidic) (dominant): Citrus contributes the principal tart edge; fruit ripeness and juice yield affect balance.
- Spicy (Heat) (dominant): Ginger, pepper or chile stimulation; distinct from ethanol warmth. This emphasis is an editorial expectation for the selected recipe.
- Sweet (supporting): Sweeteners, fruit or sweetened modifiers round the attack and add weight; product sugar varies.
- Earthy / Herbal (supporting): Botanicals, fresh herbs or the base spirit give aromatic plant character; this is not a basic taste.
Assess sweetness, bitterness and tactile drying separately. These flavor expectations are based on recipe structure, not measured tasting scores. Actual products, ice and dilution will change the result.
Preparation & batching
Service complexity: moderate. Batchability: spirit components only.
- Measure and label the chosen product specification; chill appropriate glassware.
- Prepare and measure fresh fruit components for the service plan; do not assume a fruit count guarantees a juice volume.
Finish chilling, dilution and garnish at service. Trial the actual serving method before approving a batch. Workload is an editorial assessment; no labor timing or storage validation is claimed.
Spirit & ingredient choices
Recipe notes & variations
Source cl measures are converted to mL. This version uses ordinary Cointreau, fresh jalapeño and cilantro; it is distinct from the newer Cointreau Spicy-product recipe. Fresh chile heat is variable.
For a Black Flannel variation, change one component at a time and record the selected product, proof, sweetener concentration and dilution. Compare it with this reference before naming or publishing the variation.
Sources & further reading
- Cointreau — French recipe — checked 2026-09-18. Recipe identity and published ingredient specification; editorial sensory and workload assessments are not source tasting results.