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    Home » Drinks recipes

    Spicy watermelon margarita

    July 3, 2019 by Caroline's Cooking

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    This watermelon margarita has a little extra kick to it, and is really easy to make. With plenty bright watermelon flavor, it's just the cocktail to sip on all summer. #watermeloncocktail #margarita #summercocktail #watermelon

    This watermelon margarita has a little extra kick to it, and is really easy to make. With plenty bright watermelon flavor, it's just the cocktail to sip on all summer. 

    Jump to Recipe
    Spicy watermelon margarita with watermelon to side

    This post may contain affiliate links, where we earn from qualifying purchases. See more details in the policy page.

    Watermelon is something we have on hand pretty much all summer. Grown ups and kids alike will happily snack on it, and I love using it in drinks too. It doesn't have a particularly strong flavor, of course, but it's all refreshing and so good.

    When I lived in New York many years ago, there was a bar nearby that made some great fruity cocktails. I can't remember for sure whether a watermelon margarita was in there, but it's pretty likely. Although I imagine they were probably a lot sweeter than this version.

    Spicy watermelon margarita from overhead

    In case you didn't know by now, I'm not really one for overly sweet, and watermelon to me has plenty natural sweetness. If you disagree, I won't watch as you add a little simple syrup to your glass 🙂

    What I'm sure we can agree on, however, is watermelon makes a tasty, refreshing twist on this classic cocktail that's very much summer-ready.

    adding chili salt rim to top of glass

    How to make a watermelon margarita

    • Puree watermelon chunks in a blender then strain it to get watermelon juice.
    • Rub the top of a glass with a slice of lime and then dip in salt (or salt with a bit of chili powder) to form a salt rim.
    • Put watermelon juice, tequila, triple sec, jalapeño if using and lime juice in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake to chill.
    • Pour into the rimmed glass, add ice if you like and serve.

    Jalepeños go really well with watermelon as well, so I decided when I was making this one to give it a little extra kick. I've had them in a couple summery cocktails recently, and it s definitely a great addition. One of the nice things is you can spice them up or down to taste.

    ingredients for spicy watermelon margarita in cocktail shaker

    Here I muddled one or two slices in the cocktail shaker before adding the rest of the ingredients for just a bit of heat. However if you like it spicy, you can use a few slices per serving, or else blend it up with the watermelon to get more heat throughout the drink. You can always skip, or for just a little heat use just a small slice and don't muddle but just shake it with the rest. 

    This watermelon margarita takes just a couple minutes to make and is easy to scale up for a group. With a refreshing flavor, it's got a kick of spice and a kick of alcohol. Just the thing to toast a summer afternoon or evening!

    glass of spicy watermelon margarita with chunk of watermelon in front of glass

    Looking for more watermelon drinks? Try these:

    • My watermelon agua fresca with coconut water is incredibly refreshing and cooling.
    • And watermelon lemonade is always a favorite as well.
    • If you're looking for a cocktail try my watermelon mojito.
    • Plus get more cocktail recipes in the archives.

    If you are a margarita fan, be sure to also try my mango margarita, pomegranate margarita and passion fruit margarita. 

    glass of spicy watermelon margarita
    Print Recipe
    5 from 1 vote

    Spicy watermelon margarita

    This watermelon margarita has an extra little kick. It's easy to make and perfect summer sipping.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time0 mins
    Total Time5 mins
    Course: Drinks
    Cuisine: Mexican
    Servings: 1
    Calories: 243kcal
    Author: Caroline's Cooking
    SaveSaved!

    Ingredients

    • 4 oz watermelon juice 120ml (see notes)
    • 1 oz tequila 30ml (2 tbsp)
    • 1 oz triple sec 30ml (2 tbsp) eg cointreau
    • ½ oz lime juice 15ml (1 tbsp) - approx ½ lime
    • 2 slices fresh jalepeno or more/less to taste
    • salt and chili to rim glass

    Instructions

    • First make your watermelon juice - see below. This can be done ahead and refrigerated.
    • Put some salt and a little chili on a small plate and mix. Rub the rim of a glass with a slice of lime then dip in the salt-chili mixture to form a salt rim.
    • Put the jalepeno slices in a cocktail shaker and muddle a little to release a little juice. (No need to do this if you plan to shake a lot or want less spicy)
    • Add the watermelon juice, tequila, tripe sec and lime juice along with a few pieces of ice. Shake a minute until well chilled.
    • Pour into the prepared glass, add ice if you like to chill further, and serve.

    Notes

    To make watermelon juice, puree around 1 cup of watermelon chunks then strain through a relatively fine strainer to remove seeds and large pieces of pulp and you should get a little over the amount of juice needed for this. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 243kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 9mg | Potassium: 574mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 2590IU | Vitamin C: 227mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 0.7mg

    See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. In many locations, you can have wine, spirits and more delivered to your door with Drizly.

    Try these other recipes with watermelon:

    • Beef and Watermelon Stir Fry from A Day in the Life on the Farm
    • Disneyland Watermelon Mint Julep from Simply Inspired Meals
    • Iced Watermelon Matcha from Tara's Multicultural Table
    • Russian Pickled Watermelon from Pandemonium Noshery
    • Vegan & Gluten Free Watermelon Jelly by Sneha's Recipe
    • Watermelon Cucumber Bites from Cookaholic Wife
    • Watermelon Mint Granita from Our Good Life
    • Watermelon Salad with Mint and Lime from Karen's Kitchen Stories

    Remember to pin for later!

    This watermelon margarita has a little extra kick to it, and is really easy to make. With plenty bright watermelon flavor, it's just the cocktail to sip on all summer. #watermeloncocktail #margarita #summercocktail #watermelon
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    1. sneha datar

      July 06, 2019 at 5:23 am

      What a delicious blend of watermelon, tequila & jalapeno. Thank you Caroline for hosting this month's event.

      Reply
    2. Tara

      July 03, 2019 at 5:26 pm

      Such a wonderful combination of flavors! I love how you garnished the margarita.

      Reply
      • Caroline's Cooking

        July 03, 2019 at 7:06 pm

        Thank you! They work so well together.

        Reply
    3. Karen

      July 03, 2019 at 3:08 pm

      I love jalapenos in margaritas! And chili in my salted rim! These look delicious. Thanks for hosting!

      Reply
      • Caroline's Cooking

        July 03, 2019 at 4:27 pm

        Thanks, they do work so well, don't they? Thanks for joining!

        Reply
    4. Simply Inspired Meals

      July 03, 2019 at 11:24 am

      Sounds spicy!

      Reply
      • Caroline's Cooking

        July 03, 2019 at 7:06 pm

        Just a little 🙂 (Or more, if you prefer!)

        Reply
    5. Wendy Klik

      July 03, 2019 at 9:04 am

      Loving the addition of chili peppers to the salt rim and jalapenos to the cocktail. YUM

      Reply
      • Caroline's Cooking

        July 03, 2019 at 4:19 pm

        Thanks, they work so well!

        Reply
    6. Juli

      July 03, 2019 at 8:43 am

      5 stars
      I love the idea of a spicy watermelon drink, looks delicious!

      Reply
      • Caroline's Cooking

        July 03, 2019 at 4:18 pm

        Thanks, it is indeed! The flavors go really well.

        Reply

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