Jalapeno Margarita

Non-Alcoholic Jalapeno Margarita Recipe

If you are looking for the perfect summer drink without the alcohol, you can't get more summery than a margarita mocktail. Add a spicy jalapeño kick, and you've got yourself the perfect combination.

The margarita is a beloved cocktail originating from the beaches of Mexico. Although there are many versions of this drink, none are as delicious as the jalapeño margarita mocktail. The spicy bite of the jalapeño, the bitterness of the lime, and the sweetness of the orange combine for an explosion of flavor. 

Head to Margaritaville without the hangover when you try out this non-alcoholic jalapeño margarita recipe.

A History of the Margarita 

Like many drinks, the origin of this cocktail is fuzzy.

The first mention of a drink using the exact margarita ingredients was in 1937. A British man mixed up a cocktail called a picador. Although the name was different, its ingredients were that of a margarita. 

A tequila sour cocktail came onto the New York scene two years later. A bartender mixed tequila, Cointreau, lime, and ice and served the drink in a salt-rimmed glass. 

By 1953, the first-named margarita showed up in Santa Rosa, California. A traveler named Mike wrote to a newspaper about a delicious drink served to him after a long day in the sun. From here, the margarita took off. 

How the Margarita Got Its Name 

Like the drink itself, many people claim to have been the originators of the margarita's moniker. Although we may never know its true origins, the stories of how the margarita got its name are as fun as the drink itself.  

Danny Negrete

A man named Danny Negrete claims he made up the margarita when he worked at the Mexican hotel, Garci Crespo. His girlfriend, Margarita, was fond of salt, so he concocted the drink as a gift to her. 

By 1944, Danny bartended at the Agua Caliente Racetrack in Tijuana. To this day, the bar claims to be the birthplace of the margarita. 

Francisco Morales 

A bartender working at Tommy's Place bar also claims to have come up with this drink's name. According to legend, a lady asked Morales to make her a drink called a magnolia. Not knowing the components of the drink, he mixed Cointreau, lime, and tequila together instead. 

 

The drink impressed the woman. When she asked the drink's name, he said margarita, the Spanish word for daisy. 

Carlos Daniel Herrera

This rendition has a famous twist. In 1948, bartender Carlos Herrera was working at his bar in Rosarito Beach, Mexico. 

Actress Marjorie King, who only drank tequila drinks, wanted a new drink. He claimed to have created the margarita and gave it the name margarita as it was the closest to Marjorie in Spanish. 

What Goes Into a Jalapeño Margarita 

Although the history of the margarita isn't set in stone, its ingredients' history is less of a mystery. The four main ingredients in a jalapeño margarita are tequila, lime, Cointreau, and jalapeños. 

A History of Tequila 

This famous alcoholic beverage has been around since 1000 BC. The Aztecs fermented agave plant sap during this period and turned it into pulque. The Cuervo and Sauza families were the first to distill the tequila we know today in the 1700s.

To make tequila, first, the core of the blue agave plant gets baked and juiced. This juice gets combined with yeast and is left to ferment in barrels, where it turns into tequila. 

With our Durangold tequila substitute, you can enjoy the taste of tequila without the alcohol. This non-alcoholic tequila is smooth and complex. It is the perfect addition to your virgin summer tequila mocktail. 

What Is Cointreau? 

This sweet, colorless liqueur is known for its orange flavor. Cointreau is the star of the show in many iconic cocktails like the cosmo and the margarita. 

You have to travel back to 1870 to find the first mention of this liqueur. The recipe took off at the 1889 World Fair. Initially, it consisted of orange peel and sugar beet alcohol. 

Cointreau gets its taste from both sweet and bitter orange peels. It also goes through the distillation process twice. This liqueur brings a bright, clean orange flavor to drinks. 

You can get the taste of Cointreau but leave out the alcohol by using orange juice, non-alcoholic triple sec, or orange extract. Any of these options will add a tasty citrus flavor to your favorite non-alcoholic drinks.

Non-Alcoholic Jalapeño Margarita Recipe 

Spicy and delicious, all you'll need are a few ingredients to whip up this margarita mocktail. The best part about this margarita mocktail recipe is how easy it is to make! 

Ingredients List 

  • 1/2 cup sugar 
  • 1/2 cup water 
  • 1 jalapeño
  • 1/4 of a cup of lime juice
  • 3/4 of a cup of orange juice 
  • A can of club soda 
  • 2 ounces Durangold tequila alternative
  • Coarse salt 
  • Sliced limes for garnish 

Tool List 

  • Small saucepan 
  • Sieve
  • Margarita glass 
  • Shallow bowl 
  • Pitcher

Non-alcoholic Jalapeño Margarita Recipe Instructions

Step One: Start by cutting the jalapeño in half. Carefully take the seeds out, taking care not to rub your eyes after, or they'll burn! 

Step Two: Time to make your simple syrup! Combine the sugar with the water and 3/4 of the jalapeño slice in a small saucepan. Bring this mixture to a boil, then turn the heat to a simmer. 

Step Three: Simmer the mixture until the sugar dissolves completely. The liquid should be clear in color. Turn off the heat and let the syrup cool. 

Step Four: Using a sieve, remove the jalapeño slices from the simple spicy syrup. 

Step Five: In a large pitcher, mix the orange juice, lime juice, Durangold, and three tablespoons of syrup. 

Step Six: Take a lime wedge and run it along the rim of a margarita glass. 

Step Seven: Add the salt to a wide, shallow bowl and dip the glass rim into it. 

<H4>Step Eight: Add crushed ice to the margarita glass and fill the glass halfway with the juice mix. 

<H4>Step Nine: Top your drink off with the club soda, garnish your glass with a jalapeño slice and a lime wedge, and enjoy! 

<H2>Helpful Recipe Tricks 

You'll find margaritas on the rocks and in blended or frozen form. Give each a try and see which version you like best! 

Are you making your jalapeño cocktails on a hot summer day? If so, stick your margarita glass in the freezer for an hour. This will keep the ice in your margarita from melting too fast. 

For even more flavor, zest your limes before you juice them. Add the lime zest to the salt for the rim for an unexpected extra flavor. 

You can make your own margarita mocktail mix for easy jalapeño mocktails. Mix orange juice, sugar, lime juice, and salt and heat into a saucepan until the sugar dissolves. Cool the mixture and store it in your fridge for up to seven days. 

Are you planning on throwing a summer get-together? Make this non-alcoholic margarita recipe ahead of time to make serving drinks easy-peasy. 

Jalapeño Margarita Variations

Once you've had a jalapeño margarita, you'll love whipping up some of these variations. These are some of our favorites.

The Original Margarita 

If you like the jalapeño margarita, you have to give the OG margarita a try. You'll need triple sec, lime juice, tequila or an alternative, and agave syrup for this cocktail. 

Fill a shaker with ice, add your ingredients, and shake it up. Pour your refreshing cocktail into your salt-rimmed glass and add a slice of lime for garnish. 

Frozen Margarita 

This frosty take on the margarita gained popularity in the 1950s. It's no coincidence that this was also when the blender became a household item. 

To make this frozen drink, add tequila or an alternative, lime juice, orange liqueur, and ice to a blender. Blend it until it is a smooth, icy finish. 

Strawberry Margarita 

The strawberry margarita is another frozen concoction. Add tequila or an alternative, orange liqueur, lime juice, and agave nectar to a blender. Don't forget to throw in half a cup of fresh, hulled strawberries and ice to the blender too. 

Blend the mixture until it turns to a slushy red texture. Pour into a glass and start sipping your fruity margarita. 

Black Mole Margarita 

Spice up your margaritas with this sultry variation. Mezcal, lime juice, Cointreau, and mole bitters mix together in this recipe. A hint of soda water finishes off this spicy drink. 

Let Summer Begin With a Jalapeño Margarita Mocktail Using Seir Hill 

You don't need to be relaxing on a beach or at a Cinco de Mayo celebration to enjoy this non-alcoholic jalapeño margarita recipe. Impress your guests or mix yourself up a treat with this jalapeño margarita mocktail.  

You won't be able to match the quality and taste of our Seir Hill spirit alternatives. Order a bottle of Durangold today for a summer of non-alcoholic drink sipping. 

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