The title of this drink sounds so perfectly festive, you don’t even need a sip it to understand the magic. This flavor pairing was simply meant to be: the Pineapple Jalapeño Margarita! This spin on the classic margarita is sweet tart and tropical with a spicy kick. There’s nothing better than fruity pineapple combined with the heat of the mighty jalapeño. Here’s how to harness the magic of these simple flavors and make one of our favorite margarita recipes…ever.
What’s in a pineapple jalapeno margarita?
There’s the spicy Jalapeño Margarita and the tropical Pineapple Margarita…so it’s only fitting that they had a baby, right? But the heritage of these margarita recipes goes back to the 1930’s with the classic margarita itself: one of the most famous cocktails of all time. It’s on the list of International Bartender Association’s IBA official cocktails, meaning there’s an “official” definition of the margarita: lime juice, Cointreau, and tequila. The pineapple jalapeno margarita is a spin on those classic flavors, with the addition of pineapple juice and jalapeno pepper slices. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for a pineapple jalapeno margarita:
Jalapeño pepper slicesTequila blanco or reposadoPineapple juiceCointreau (orange liqueur) Fresh lime juice
Jalapeño peppers vary in heat level
Keep in mind with this pineapple jalapeno margarita: jalapeño peppers vary in heat level! That means that each time you make the drink, it can vary in spiciness. Here are a few notes on customizing to your tastes:
3 to 4 thin jalapeno pepper slices make a medium spicy drink. That means that you can add more for a very hot drink, or use less for mild heat. Remove the seeds to lessen the heat. You can also remove the jalapeno seeds before you add them to the cocktail shaker. This takes down the heat even more. Note that some peppers have areas without a lot of seeds: so if you do want the seeds, you may want to cut more slices and use slices that have more seeds.
Love jalapeño peppers? This mighty pepper adds more than just heat: it has a subtle zingy flavor that’s hard to replicate. Try our Best Jalapeno Recipes.
Exactly how hot is a jalapeno pepper?
Good question! The jalapeño pepper is a medium spicy pepper. The heat rating is 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville heat units (SHU). That doesn’t mean a lot unless you know the ratings for more hot peppers, so here’s where it stacks up against other types of peppers:
Green pepper: No spiceAnaheim pepper: Very mildPoblano peppers: MildJalapeno peppers: Medium hotSerrano peppers: HotCayenne: Very hotHabanero: Extremely hotGhost pepper: Outrageously hot
How to make a pineapple jalapeno margarita
Enough about the heat: let’s get to the drink! This pineapple jalapeno margarita is the same as any margarita recipe: rim, shake, and strain! The only difference is that you’ll add sliced jalapeno peppers
Make a pineapple jalapeno margarita pitcher (serves 8)
Don’t want to make a single drink? You can mix up a pineapple jalapeno margarita pitcher that serves 8 drinks! It’s easy to make and chill in advance when you’re entertaining. Try not to refrigerate it beyond 1 day, since the lime juice can lose flavor. To make a margarita pitcher, in a pitcher stir together:
3 jalapeno peppers, sliced (24 to 32 slices)1 ½ cups tequila2 cups pineapple juice¾ cup Cointreau¾ cup lime juice
Add 3 handfuls of ice and stir until cold (this is important to dilute the drink, much like you would when shaking it into a cocktail shaker). Pour into glasses and serve!
Pair it with food!
Most of our 200+ cocktail recipes are best served on their own to be able to fully appreciate the flavors. But not so with the margarita! This tangy cocktail is one of our favorites to pair with food. What to pair with a pineapple jalapeno margarita?
Try it with this cheesy bean dip or refried bean dipFry up some homemade tortilla chipsHave a margarita night with guacamoleServe it with fish tacos, crispy avocado tacos, shrimp tacos or cauliflower tacos
When to serve a pineapple jalapeno margarita
This spicy pineapple jalapeno margarita is festive and fun, perfect for impressing guests or serving for taco night or Cinco de Mayo. It works as a:
Happy hour drinkDinner party drinkLate night drinks drinkGuys or girls night drinkCocktail hour drink
More margarita recipes!
There are so many types of margaritas to try! We’re so into the margarita that we couldn’t make just one. Here are our favorite margarita recipes to try: 5 from 1 review
Classic: Simple Margarita, Cointreau Margarita, Patron Margarita, or Triple Sec MargaritaFruity: Mango, Peach, Blackberry, Watermelon or Grapefruit MargaritaBoozy: Mezcal Margarita or Cadillac MargaritaLight: Skinny Margarita, Virgin Margarita, or Frozen MargaritaSpicy: Jalapeno Margarita or Pineapple JalapenoUnique: Italian Margarita, Blue Margarita or Beer Margarita
