Spiced Margarita
Muddle; Shake ∙ 4 min ∙ 20.7% ABV ∙
The Spiced Margarita is a Margarita with a slice of muddled chili, shaken with tequila blanco, triple sec, lime and agave syrup and served on the rocks.
Ingredients
1
Servings
Garnish
Instructions for 1 serving
- Pre-chill a glass
- In the base of the shaker, muddle: Red chili pepper 1 sliceCoriander/Cilantro leaves 3 sprigs (opt.)
- Add the remaining ingredients: Tequila blanco 45 mlTriple sec 20 mlLime juice 20 mlAgave syrup 5 mlSaline solution 1 dash (opt.)Angostura aromatic bitters 2 dashes (opt.)
- Shake with ice
- Fine strain into the ice-filled glass
- Garnish with a lime wedge
Tips
- Lightly muddle the chili slice, and the cilantro if using, in the shaker base; over-muddling turns the drink bitter.
- Fine-strain so no chili seeds or leaf bits reach the glass.
History
The Spiced Margarita, often also called the Spicy Margarita, is a modern riff on the Margarita that adds heat, typically from muddled or sliced chili such as jalapeño. Its rise is tied to Soho House's Picante de la Casa, created in 2012 by Chris Ojeda at Soho House in West Hollywood as a simpler take on the Margarita Picante served at Soho Beach House in Miami. The chili-spiked format went on to become one of the group's best-selling cocktails and helped popularize the style more broadly. Other accounts trace early experiments with chili-infused tequila to American bar and restaurant kitchens in the early 2000s, including work associated with Julio Bermejo, the San Francisco bartender credited with the Tommy's Margarita.
The drink's base, the Margarita, is a mix of tequila, orange liqueur, and lime juice generally said to have emerged in Mexico or the American Southwest in the late 1930s or 1940s. Its exact creator and first venue are disputed among several rival claimants. The Spiced Margarita keeps that same tequila-and-lime foundation and simply adds chili heat to it.
FAQ
How do you make a Spiced Margarita?
Lightly muddle a slice of red chili, plus 3 cilantro sprigs if you like, in the shaker. Add 45 ml tequila blanco, 20 ml triple sec, 20 ml lime juice and 5 ml agave syrup, with the optional saline and Angostura. Shake with ice, fine-strain into an ice-filled old-fashioned glass and garnish with a lime wedge.
What alcohol goes in a Spicy Margarita?
Tequila blanco is the base spirit, paired with triple sec as the orange liqueur.
What's the difference between a Margarita and a Spicy Margarita?
Heat. The Spiced Margarita keeps the classic's tequila, orange liqueur and lime but adds muddled chili, here a slice of jalapeño or fresno, with optional cilantro for a fresh herbal note.
How do you spice up a margarita?
Muddle a slice of chili, such as jalapeño or fresno, before shaking, as this recipe does. Leaving the seeds in raises the heat; removing them keeps it milder.
