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This Spicy Cherry Chili Lime Margarita is the perfect Valentine’s Day cocktail. It’s as sweet and spicy as a great relationship! A jalapeno simple syrup adds just the right amount of spicy sweetness that’s echoed again by the salty, sweet, and spicy rim of the glass. It’s gonna be a challenge to have just one.
After a long day at work, a Valentine’s Day cocktail party is a great way to unwind and celebrate the holiday. Serve this spicy cocktail with Doritos Crusted Empanadas, Mexican Picaditas, Spicy Avocado Fingers With Spicy Lime Crema, and tortilla chips with the Best Guacamole,
Ingredients Needed
- Granulated sugar – you’ll need this to make the simple syrup and to rim the cocktail glass.
- Jalapeno peppers – pick large, plump jalapenos. I removed most of the seeds but left a couple for a bit more heat. The more seeds and veins in the peppers, the spicier your simple syrup will be.
- Kosher salt
- Chili powder
- Cayenne pepper
- Fresh limes
- White tequila
- Maraschino cherry liqueur – this is optional, but does enhance the cherry flavor and adds another layer of flavor and sweetness.
- Tart cherry juice – I used R.W. Knudsen pure cherry juice. It’s unsweetened and very tart but has a great cherry flavor.
Steps To Make This Recipe
- Make the simple syrup by bringing water, sugar, and the jalapeno pepper slices to a boil. Simmer it until thickened and then strain the liquid into a glass jar. Cool.
- Whisk together the rimming ingredients and then pour them onto a flat, shallow dish.
- Use a lime wedge to moisten the rim of a cocktail glass. Dip the glass into the rimming mixture and set aside.
- In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour in the tequila, lime juice, simple syrup, maraschino cherry liqueur, and cherry juice. Shake.
- Strain into the prepared glass and garnish.
More Margarita Recipes
- Spicy Chili Lime Margarita
- Spicy Apple Cider Margaritas
- White Holiday Margaritas
- Fresh Citrus Margaritas
- Pineapple Margaritas
- Jalapeno Guava Margarita
- Classic Cadillac Margarita
- Fresh Strawberry Key Lime Margaritas
Cherry Chili Lime Margaritas
This Spicy Cherry Chili Lime Margarita is the perfect Valentine’s Day cocktail. It’s as sweet and spicy as a great relationship! A jalapeno simple syrup adds just the right amount of spicy sweetness that’s echoed again by the salty, sweet, and spicy rim of the glass. It’s gonna be a challenge to have just one.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 1 servings 1x
- Category: Starters – Cocktails
- Method: Shake
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the jalapeno simple syrup:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large jalapeno peppers, seeded and sliced (leave seeds in for extra heat)
For the chili lime rim:
- 4 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Lime wedges
For the margarita:
- 2 ounces white tequila (I used Patron)
- 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 ounce jalapeno simple syrup
- ¼ ounce maraschino cherry liqueur (I used Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur), optional
- 2 ounces tart cherry juice
- Sliced jalapenos, as garnish
- Black cherries, pitted and halved, and used as a garnish
- Lime slices, as garnish
- Fresh mint sprigs, as garnish
Instructions
Make the simple syrup.
In a small saucepan over high heat, stir together the water, sugar, and jalapeno pepper slices.
Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.
Use a fine mesh strainer to strain the liquid into a lar with a tight-fitting lid.
Allow the syrup to come to room temperature, then screw on the lid and chill until needed.
Make the rimming mixture.
In a small bowl, stir together the salt, sugar, chili powder, and cayenne pepper until well combined.
Pour the mixture onto a flat, rimmed dish.
Make the cocktail.
Rim a margarita glass with a lime wedge.
Dip the rim of the glass into the rimming mixture until the top of the glass is well coated with the mixture. Fill the glass halfway with crushed ice. Set aside.
In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour in the tequila, lime juice, simple syrup, and cherry liqueur.
Shake the mixture until the outside of the shaker turns icy cold.
Strain the liquid into the prepared margarita glass.
Garnish the cocktail with jalapeno slices, fresh cherry halves, a slice of lime, and a sprig of fresh mint.
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