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This jalapeno watermelon margarita is your new favorite margarita. The perfect balance of sweet and spicy and made with fresh pureed watermelon and spiked with jalapenos and just a splash of tequila, lime juice, and orange liqueur.

Margaritas are always a hit on a hot summer day!

This jalapeno watermelon margarita is the perfect balance of sweet and tart, with a fresh spicy kick!

The best part? This recipe easily doubles and comes together in seconds to quench the thirstiest crowds.

Optionally I rimmed the glass of the margarita with habanero sea salt but kosher salt works well too.

Trust me, you’ll definitely want to serve up some of these cold and delicious jalapeno watermelon margaritas at your next summer fiesta!

Plus if you’re a big fan of fruit and heat this is the drink for you!

Ingredients for jalapeno watermelon margarita

• Pureed watermelon – Watermelon is refreshing and sweet! For this cocktail we take that fresh watermelon and puree it to create to create the perfect fruit base for our margarita.
• Silver tequila – Crisp and clean, silver tequila is the best for this recipe.
• Lime juice – Lime juice brings a bright and citrusy burst to our cocktail.
• Orange liqueur – A traditional ingredient in margaritas, to give a subtle sweet orange flavor. 
• Agave syrup – This will add a little extra sweetness. Feel free to use granulated sugar, or a sugar substitute if you’d like.
• Jalapeño pepper – This pepper will give us a fresh spicy kick! If you don’t have jalapenos on hand you can use a serrano pepper.

How to puree watermelon

Most major grocery stores have already done most of the work for you!

In the produce section, there are pre-packaged and cubed watermelons that are ready to eat.

Take these cubes and pop them into a blender, strain, and voila! Watermelon puree!

Turn these into slushies!

Looking for a boozy way to cool down?

Trust me, it is so easy to turn these into frozen jalapeno watermelon margaritas!

Place all ingredients into a blender, add ice, and blend!

I love this option for super hot summer days.

Different types of tequila

To keep it simple, there are two different kinds of tequila: gold, and silver.

For this jalapeño watermelon margarita, I have chosen silver tequila, because it has a stronger fresher, cleaner taste.

When silver tequila is made, it is bottled immediately and is not aged at all. 

Gold tequila has more of a unique taste, and a golden color, from it having been aged in barrels. 

The flavor nuances of gold tequila would be lost in this jalapeño watermelon margarita, and I do not suggest substituting the silver tequila for gold. 

Different types of sugar

Now, for this spicy margarita I used agave syrup, but the possibilities are endless!

If you don’t have agave on hand you can use other liquid sweeteners like honey but I would likely stay away from maple syrup as I don’t love the flavor it brings to the cocktail.

You can also use granulated or super fine white sugar for a classic (and easily found in most pantries) margarita flavor.

Using brown sugar would give you more of a deep molasses flavor, and may turn the drink darker in color. 

Sugar substitutes are often a 1:1 ratio from normal white sugar, so feel free to use any variety you prefer. Some common sugar substitutes are Stevia, Splenda, monk fruit, or Truvia.

Making this a mocktail

Not a fan of tequila?

You can make this cocktail into a mockail pretty darn easy!

Leave out the tequila, add a squeeze of fresh orange to replace the orange liqueur, and follow the rest of the directions.

Storage and leftovers of spicy margarita

Lasty, you could make these jalapeño watermelon margaritas (standard, not frozen variety) ahead of time as they store quite easily in the fridge.

Just prepare in a pitcher, and store in the refrigerator for up to a day before your party!

More margarita recipes

• Love all things tart? Try my Fresh Grapefruit Margarita
• Need something frozen? Try my Raspberry Acai Frozen Margarita
• Looking for a fun adult treat? Try my Mango Margarita Boozesicle 
• Want a traditional flavor combo? Try my Strawberry Rhubarb Margarita