Spicy Mezcal Margarita

lowball glass filled with crushed ice and pale cocktail. The glass is rimmed with a reddish salt and there is a lime wedge garnish. The cocktail sits on a silver tray with a cut jalapeno and paring knife.

5 from 1 vote

Love this recipe?Mention @UglyDucklingBakery or tag #UglyDucklingBakery!

This mezcalita is a spicy mezcal margarita made with jalapeño simple syrup and a chipotle salt rim. It's the perfect spicy cocktail for Taco Tuesday or to accompany any spicy meal. Or serve your mezcal margarita with its spicy simple syrup alongside chips and guacamole at your next game night.

Prep Time30

Cook Time5

Total Time35

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings:

Calories: 218kcal

Author: Joanne Stekler

Equipment

1 Cocktail shaker

Ingredients

Jalapeño simple syrup

½ cup (100 grams) sugar
½ cup water
1 jalapeño, sliced

Spicy rim salt

2 tablespoons kosher or table salt
⅛ teaspoon chipotle powder
½ lime for rimming the glass and as garnish

Spicy margarita

2 ounces (60 milliliters) mezcal
1 ounce (30 milliliters) freshly squeezed lime juice
½ ounce (15 milliliters) Cointreau or other triple sec
½ ounce jalapeño simple syrup

Instructions

Jalapeño simple syrup

Combine the sugar and water in a small pot, and heat over low to medium heat until the sugar has dissolved.
½ cup (100 grams) sugar, ½ cup water
Turn off the heat, add the sliced jalapeño to the pot, and let cool.
1 jalapeño, sliced
When cool, strain into a clean jar and refrigerate until ready to use.

Spicy rim salt

Combine the salt and chipotle powder on a small plate.
2 tablespoons kosher or table salt, ⅛ teaspoon chipotle powder
Rub the cut edge of a lime around the top quarter inch of the outside rim of your glass.
½ lime
Gently roll the outside rim at about a 45 degree angle into the spicy salt.

Spicy mezcal margarita

Add the mezcal, lime juice, Cointreau, and simple syrup to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake and double strain into the rimmed glass.
2 ounces (60 milliliters) mezcal, ½ ounce (15 milliliters) Cointreau or other triple sec , ½ ounce jalapeño simple syrup, 1 ounce (30 milliliters) freshly squeezed lime juice
Garnish with a lime wedge or wheel. Enjoy!

Notes

The best spicy margarita recipes use a spicy simple syrup or infused spirits instead of the harsh spicy flavor you get by muddling jalapeño.

Rimming only half the glass gives you the option to vary how you taste the mezcalita. And rim at a 45 degree angle to avoid getting salt on the inside of the rim that will change the flavor of your drink.

Take this spicy mezcal margarita with jalapeño simple syrup and make it your own:

Make it spicier by using a hotter pepper.
Make it sweeter by using ¾ ounce triple sec and ¾ ounce simple syrup.
Serve it neat, over rock ice, or crushed ice.
Use tajin instead of the chipotle salt for the rim.

Nutrition