Get Fiery This Summer With These 6 Exciting Twists on the Spicy Margarita

The spicy margarita apocalypse is upon us.

Equal parts exciting and commonplace, fiery twists on the fan-favorite cocktail have sprouted up like hot peppers at bars across the country. Everyone loves them even though no one has agreed on a single recipe that defines the trend.

Below, we’ve put together six spicy margarita concoctions that take the drink in bold new directions.

A quick note: every single one of these cocktails benefits from being rimmed with Tajin. If you plan on making spicy tequila cocktails of any variety, do yourself a favor and pick up a bottle next time you hit the grocery store.

Sweet Heat

In 2005, renowned bartender David Nepove won the Gran Centenario mixology competition with this sweet and spicy cocktail. Some say that it helped establish the spicy margarita as an American favorite.

The key ingredient in the Sweet Heat is Licor 43, a Spanish vanilla liqueur that blends in flavors of citrus, botanicals and plenty of spice. Usually topped off with fresh slices of jalapeño, Sweet Heat is a fantastic gourmet variation of a tried and true recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 oz Reposado Tequila
• 1 oz Licor 43
• 1/2 oz Agave Nectar
• 1 oz Fresh Squeezed Lime
• 1/2 Fresh Jalapeño Pepper (seeds removed)

Directions

1. Inside cocktail shaker, muddle jalapeño in lime and agave nectar until broken down.
2. Add ice, tequila and Licor 43. Shake well until chilled.
3. Strain over fresh ice, garnishing with additional slices of jalapeño if desired.

Birria-Chelada

This blood-red Frankenstein of a cocktail is a mix between a michelada and, believe it or not, a birria taco.

Expectedly, this one takes a lot of preparation. You’ll have to let your Birria Sangrita mix sit in the fridge overnight before dosing it with a heavy combo of beer and tequila. This is basically an entire meal wrapped up inside of a cocktail, so maybe plan on taking a nice nap after you’re finished.

Ingredients

• 1 oz Reposado Tequila
• 2 dashes Hot Sauce
• 1 cold Mexican Beer (Modelo, Corona or Tecate work best)
• Tajin
• 2 oz Birria Sangrita
  • 46 oz can Tomato Juice
  • 6 oz White Grapefruit Juice
  • 6 oz Orange Juice
  • 2 oz Lime Juice
  • 1 oz Hot Sauce
  • 2 tsp Black Pepper
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Ancho Chile powder
  • 1 tsp Guajillo Chile powder
  • ¼ tsp Chile de árbol

Directions

1. Combine all Birria Sangrita ingredients in a large container. Mix completely, and allow to sit overnight until dried spices are fully dissolved.
2. In a Tajin-rimmed pint glass, combine finished Birria Sangrita with tequila and 2 dashes hot sauce. Mix, then top off with beer.
3. Garnish with lime wedges or cilantro if desired.

Ancho Reyes Maria Verde

If the Birria-Chelda is the cocktail version of a taco, then the Maria Verde is the cocktail version of guacamole.

The Maria Verde mix has existed for decades as a green-tinted alternative to the Bloody Mary. This particular version amps up the avocado while mixing in spicy Ancho Reyes chile liqueur. You’ll have to break out the blender for this one and do plenty of food prep, but it’s well worth the hassle if you don’t feel like making a salad for your next meal.

Ingredients

• 1 oz Blanco Tequila
• 1 oz Ancho Reyes Verde
• 5 oz Maria Verde mix
  • 1 large Avocado, pitted
  • 1 rib Celery
  • 1 Serrano Chili, seeded and de-pithed
  • 4 oz Fresh Lime Juice
  • 1 tsp Sugar
  • 1 tsp Celery Salt
  • 1/2 part Champagne Vinegar

Directions

1. Add all Maria Verde ingredients to a blender and puree until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh strainer.
2. Fill highball glass with ice. Add tequila and Ancho Reyes, then slowly pour Maria Verde mix on top.
3. Stir, then garnish with jalapeño, celery or hot pepper as desired.

Frozen Spicy Coronarita

A contentious favorite on TikTok, the Coronarita wears its absurd premise boldly on its sleeve (or, its bottle?).

These can be made a million different ways. Here, we’ve opted for a version invented by Youtube’s very own Vlad SlickBartender that utilizes a frozen margarita (for maximum Corona-holding power) mixed with plenty of chile liqueur.

Ingredients

• 2 oz Blanco Tequila
• 1 oz Fresh Lime Juice
• 3/4 oz Ancho Reyes Liqueur
• Bottle of Corona
• Plenty of Ice

Directions

1. Add tequila, lime and Ancho Reyes into blender with plenty of ice. Blend until slushied.
2. Pour into a tall pint glass.
3. Open your Corona, then carefully tip sideways into the glass as pictured above, letting it rest alongside the inside (the frozen mix should help it stay in place).
4. Drink carefully without getting hit in the face.

Mexican Candy Shot

Venturing further into love-it-or-hate-it territory, the Mexican Candy Shot is the equivalent of a hot sauce-soaked Jolly Rancher.

Though you can also make this as a full-sized cocktail (known as the Mexican Lollipop), this potent mix of schnapps, spice and tequila is best suited for a quick shot chased with about a gallon of water. Proceed at your own risk:

Ingredients

• 1 oz Blanco Tequila
• 1/2 oz Watermelon Schnapps
• 2 dashes Hot Sauce
• Lime Juice & Tajin for rim

Directions

1. Dip shot glass into lime juice, then rim with Tajin.
2. In shaker with ice, mix tequila, watermelon schnapps and hot sauce. Shake until chilled.
3. Pour into rimmed shot glass.

Mexican Razorblade

Invented by Dan Greenbaum of New York’s Attaboy bar, the Mexican Razorblade is a relatively straightforward margarita with an eye-catching twist.

The “razorblade” at the center of the cocktail is a floating cucumber garnish piled high with spicy chili pepper. This is an incredibly easy cocktail to make at home that somehow still feels like you’re showing off.

Ingredients

• 2 slices Cucumber
• 2 oz Blanco Tequila
• 1 oz Lime Juice
• 3/4 oz Simple Syrup
• “Razor Blade” garnish
  • 1 slice Cucumber
  • Piquín chile, Cayenne or other powdered chile

Directions

1. Add tequila, lime juice, simple syrup, 2 slices cucumber and ice into shaker, shaking until chilled.
2. Strain into glass over fresh ice.
3. Float a cucumber slice on top, sprinkling liberally with chile powder of your choice.

Read More: 

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