Jalapeño Watermelon Margarita

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Spicy Watermelon Margaritas will be your new favorite refreshing and spicy summer cocktail. Made with frozen watermelon cubes and a homemade jalapeño simple syrup, this creative cocktail recipe is a perfect balance of sweet and spicy.

A red margarita in a rimmed glass with jalapeno and lime slices on top.

Looking for a watermelon margarita with a kick? You’ve found it in this Jalapeño Watermelon Margarita.

This refreshing summer cocktail is spiced with a jalapeño infused simple syrup.

This sweet and spicy drink has a balance of flavors including the mild spice from the jalapeño syrup, the sweetness of ripe frozen watermelon, the tang of fresh lime juice, and smooth gold tequila. Plus it’s super easy to double or triple for guests.

Margaritas consistently rank among the most popular cocktails worldwide for their refreshing taste and versatility. You can have a margarita frozen (blended) or on the rocks (liquid and served on ice).

What is a watermelon margarita made of?

A watermelon margarita is made with frozen watermelon cubes, ice, tequila, and lime juice. To add a mellow spice jalapeño simple syrup is added. This cocktail is made by adding all of the ingredients to a blender and blending until you have a smooth, slushie consistency.

How spicy is this Jalapeño Watermelon Margarita?

This frozen watermelon cocktail is mildly spicy due to the jalapeño simple syrup. To make this drink spicier, when making the syrup use more jalapeño slices and let it simmer for longer. To omit the spice from this cocktail use a basic simple syrup instead.

Can I make this margarita non-alcoholic?

Of course! To make a non-alcoholic margarita, simply omit the alcohol and you’ll be left with a fruit flavored slushie drink, perfect for summer. Try adding a splash of ginger ale or sparkling water for a spritzer/margarita mashup.

Ingredients

See the recipe card for exact amounts.

jalapeño, sugar, and water: these are the ingredients for the jalapeño simple syrup. Boil water and cover the sugar and jalapeño slices. Stir and let sit for 15 minutes.
watermelon: using frozen watermelon keeps the drink ice cold and thick and slushy.
tequila: I use Jose Cuervo Gold tequila. You can use silver tequila.
lime juice: fresh lime juice has the freshest zippy taste but use the bottled one if that’s what you have on hand.
ice: helps keep the cold slushie vibes

Substitutions

frozen watermelon: This easy frozen watermelon cocktail is made with frozen watermelon cubes, which are frozen at their peak ripeness for the optimal sweet taste! Have fresh watermelon? Freeze fresh cubed watermelon for a few hours or overnight to use in this recipe.
jalapeño simple syrup: Don’t want a spicy drink? Try a basic simple syrup instead or use agave syrup.

Instructions

Prep Tips

Boil a kettle of water for the simple syrup (you need 1/2 a cup).
Shake Tajin or chili powder and salt on a plate to rim the glass.

This Jalapeño Watermelon Margarita recipe makes 2 drinks. It can easily be doubled or tripled as long as the ingredients fit in your blender.

Jalapeno slices are lifted out of a jar with a spoon.

Make the jalapeño simple syrup by adding boiling water to the sugar and jalapeño slices. Stir and then let it sit for 15 minutes. Scoop out jalapeño slices.

Pour the lime juice into the blender.

Add the simple syrup.

Next add the tequila. I use 1.5 oz per drink. You can use 1 or 2 oz if you prefer.

Add the ice and the frozen watermelon cubes.

Blend for 60-90 seconds or until everything is smooth and well blended.

Swiping simple syrup onto a glass by hand for a margarita.

To rim the glass use your hands or a pastry brush to smooth the simple syrup onto the top edge of the glass.

Rolling a glass in chili salt for a margarita.

Roll and stamp the wet parts of the glass into a plate with Tajin on it. (Or chili powder and salt).

Pour the blended margarita into the glasses. To serve, add a straw, a twist of lime, and a few jalapeño slices. For a spicier drink, push some jalapeño slices down into the glass.

Tips for making a Frozen Jalapeño Watermelon Margarita

frozen watermelon: using frozen watermelon helps keep your margarita thick and slushie and ice-cold! Have fresh watermelon? Cube it and freeze it for a few hours or overnight. Be sure to take the seeds out if needed.
lime juice: for me, the fresh zip of lime juice is a must in a margarita and in this frozen watermelon cocktail it helps bring out the sweetness and adds a freshness.
rimmed glass: this makes the margarita look a little fancier (and it’s super easy!) and adds to the flavor. I use Tajin in this recipe, it’s a chili and lime salt and it’s a great contrasting flavor to the sweet watermelon.
garnish: if you’re serving this drink to guests, take the time to garnish it for an extra special presentation. Rim the glass and add a lime twist and a few jalapeño slices to level up your margarita skills.

What to serve with Spicy Watermelon Margaritas

I’m partial to a margarita with some tortilla chips and guacamole or salsa. You could also serve this with Potato Tacos or Chicken Tacos with Elote or a salad on the side for an epic summer dinner.

Want to try other summer fruit cocktails? Try my Mango Margarita or Dragon Fruit Margarita for another blended cocktail, or take out your muddler and make my Strawberry Lemonade Vodka Cocktail.

If you’ve got fresh raspberries on hand, try my Raspberry Collins. If you’ve got grenadine in the house try a pretty Vodka Sunrise with a special pouring technique.

Storage

Margaritas are best made as you need them.

The simple syrup can be stored in the fridge for 2-4 weeks.

FAQs

What is jalapeño simple syrup?

Jalapeño simple syrup is a sweet and spicy syrup used to sweeten cocktails while giving them a little kick of spice.

Can I make this drink less spicy?

This drink is only mildly spicy but you can use a basic simple syrup instead of the jalapeño syrup to eliminate the spice.

Can I make a watermelon margarita spicier?

Sure! Add jalapeño slices right into the drink or make the simple syrup spicier by doubling the jalapeños.

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A red margarita in a rimmed glass with jalapeno and lime slices on top with a text title for Pinterest.

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