Margaritas are one of my favorite cocktails and as a huge fan of spicy drinks, this watermelon jalapeño margarita recipe is the ultimate sunny cocktail to sip in the sunshine!

With my 3-ingredient jalapeño simple syrup and fresh watermelon juice – this drink is sweet, spicy, and so refreshing!

The jalapeños add a wonderful, front-of-mouth heat that tickles your lips and keeps you coming back for more.

What is Jalapeño Simple Syrup?

Simple syrup is usually made with equal parts water and sugar.

The mixture is heated to help the sugar dissolve, which yields a sweet syrup that can be used to sweeten and flavor just about anything!

This recipe makes a spicy simple syrup by throwing in a few jalapeños.

The jalapeños pack this syrup with a delicious heat that adds the perfect kick to any drink.

How Spicy is This Jalapeño Simple Syrup?

Figuring out how spicy to make this simple syrup can be challenging. It will also vary based on a person’s preferences.

I want to preface this by saying I am not the type of person who loves spicy food. I get 2 stars when I order Thai food and I rarely add hot sauce to things.

With that in mind, for some reason, I love spicy cocktails. I’ve always loved that little tickle you get with each sip of a spicy drink.

When I order a spicy margarita, I want it to be just that. Spicy! It needs to have a kick and this spicy simple syrup delivers.

Don’t be scared! Keep in mind that it needs to be very spicy because you’re only using a small amount in each drink.

Using 3 jalapeños works perfectly for me, but you can adjust this based on your preferences.

How Do You Make Spicy Simple Syrup for Cocktails?

I love this simple syrup recipe because it only takes about 15 minutes to make! Prepare your jalapeños first. Remove the stems and cut them into slices.

Add the water into a small saucepan. Heat over a medium-high heat until the water begins to boil.

Add in the granulated sugar and stir continuously until the sugar is fully dissolved.

Add in the sliced jalapeños and turn the heat down to low and let the mixture simmer for about 10 minutes.

Pour the mixture through a sieve to remove the jalapeños if you want a milder simple syrup. If you’re after more of a kick, leave them in.

Let the simple syrup cool to room temperature, then seal the top and store in the fridge until you’re ready to use it. I like to store my simple syrup in mason jars for easy storage.

If you’re making this in advance, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. 

How To Make This Watermelon Jalapeño Margarita Recipe

Start your watermelon jalapeño margarita in a blender.

Blend the jalapeño and cubed watermelon until smooth. Then, strain the juice into a measuring cup and set it aside. This recipe makes enough watermelon juice for four cocktails.

Fill a shaker with ice and add in the watermelon juice, tequila, lime juice, and jalapeño simple syrup. Secure that top and shake it up!

Combining all the ingredients in the shaker makes this drink super smooth.

To make your drink restaurant-quality, rim your glass!

Use a lime wedge to wet the side of a margarita glass. Pour some Tajín on a small plate and roll the outer rim of the glass into the mixture.

Fill the rimmed glass with ice and then carefully strain the cocktail shaker into the glass.

Garnish with a slice of watermelon, float some jalapeños on top, then sip and enjoy your delicious creation.

What Glass Should I Use for These Watermelon Jalapeño Margs?

I’m using a classic margarita glass for this watermelon jalapeño margarita recipe.

These glasses are similar to coup glasses but MUCH bigger and honestly more FUN!

They’re great for spicy drinks and are perfect for sipping on warm summer days.

How Should I Garnish This Drink?

I like to garnish this watermelon jalapeño margarita with a slice of watermelon and jalapeño coins. It lets people know this drink packs some heat! Sometimes I add a sprig of mint too.

Feel free to get wild with your garnishes and make it as fun as you want!

Jalapeño Simple Syrup Ingredients & Substitutions

Like I mentioned above, this recipe is pretty straightforward! However, there are some substitutions and swaps you can make if needed.

• Water – Room temperature tap water works great in this recipe.
• Granulated Sugar – I like using granulated sugar because it’s what I usually have on hand, but you can also use extra fine sugar or caster sugar.
• Fresh Jalapeños – Use fresh jalapeños in this recipe! They’re what give this syrup all its spice. You can use 2 habanero peppers in place of the 3 jalapeños if needed but be prepared for a spicier simple syrup that has a back-of-throat heat if you go this route.

Watermelon Jalapeño Margarita Ingredients & Substitutions

Jalapeño – Jalapeño highlights the sweetness of the watermelon while giving you a fun spicy flavor.

Watermelon – Fresh watermelon will give you the most delicious flavor but feel free to buy bottled watermelon juice if that is easier!

Tequila – You can use whatever brand of Tequila you like! For a smokier flavor, you can substitute for mezcal.

Jalapeño Simple Syrup – I love using my recipe to make this simple syrup to my preferred spice and sweetness level.

Tajín – To give your cocktail even more flavor I love to use Tajín for an extra kick, feel free to substitute salt or sugar.

How to Store Leftover Jalapeño Simple Syrup

If you make the jalapeño simple syrup in advance or have some leftover, store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months!

I usually keep mine in a mason jar but any container with a good lid should work just fine.

Let Me Know What You Think

If you try this watermelon jalapeño margarita recipe, let me know what you think by sharing a rating below!

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