This Spicy Pineapple Mezcal Margarita is a delicious fruity Mexican cocktail perfect for a Mexican party like Cinco de Mayo and warm summer weather.
Why You Will Love This Cocktail
I love making margarita cocktails when the warm weather hits! And I am a huge fan of pineapple, which pairs so well with mezcal.
This Mexican margarita recipe highlight the flavors of smoky mezcal liquor with a sweet and tart pineapple juice, plus a little heat from jalapenos.
It is a great way to amp up the flavor of a traditional margarita in a fun way! You will want to make these for Mexican dinners, Cinco de Mayo, and warm summer weather!
Ingredients
Full quantities and recipe information can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Let’s talk about the ingredients we need for this cocktail!
Mezcal – our primary liquor for this drink! See below for more information about mezcal.
Pineapple Juice – the primary juice
Triple Sec – a common orange flavored liqueur used in margaritas
Fresh Lime Juice – for brightness
Jalapenos – you need just a few slices of fresh jalapeno for each drink
Sea Salt – or other coarse salt for the rim. You could also use sugar instead, or skip it altogether.
Garnishes as desired – I like to garnish with some pineapple leaves, a wedge of fresh pineapple, and/or some more fresh jalapeno coins.
What is Mezcal?
Mezcal is an alcohol made from agave.
It typically has a smoky flavor, which is very noticeable as an added flavor in a cocktail.
Making the Cocktail
Make a salt rim on your serving glass by rubbing a wedge of lime around the top rim. Then roll the wet rim in a pile of coarse salt to coat.
You can make the cocktail in either a shaker or in the serving glass itself. Below is how to make it in a shaker, which helps the drink fully mix and also chill before serving. If building in a glass, simply muddle in the glass, fill with ice, add the rest of the ingredients and stir.
Put two jalapeno coins and the mezcal together in the shaker. Muddle together to release the jalapeno flavors.
Add the lime juice, pineapple juice, and triple sec to the shaker. Add a scoop of ice.
Shake until very cold, approximately 30 seconds.
Strain into a glass filled with ice. Garnish as desired.
FAQs
Mezcal is a liquor made from agave plants. It is a very broad term that covers any type of agave, unlike tequila which is a specific agave.
Mezcal has a smoky flavor.
Tequila is actually a specific type of mezcal! They are made from agave plants, but tequila has specific requirements of what agave it is made from.
The main difference you will notice is that mezcal has a smoky flavor, while tequila does not.
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Lemon Margarita
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Spicy Pineapple Mezcal Margarita
Equipment
- Cocktail Shaker
- Muddler or back end of spoon
- Jigger
Ingredients
- 1 ounce mezcal
- 2 slices jalapeno pepper cut the pepper into coins about 1/4 inch thick and use 2 coins per glass
- 3 ounces pineapple juice more or less as needed/desired
- ½ ounce triple sec
- ¼ ounce Lime Juice
- sea salt for rim, optional
- garnishes as desired such as fresh pineapple wedges, pineapple leaves, and jalapeno slices
Instructions
- Prepare your glass by rubbing a lime wedge across the rim. Roll the wet rim in a pile of sea salt to coat. Fill with ice and set aside.sea salt
- In a shaker, combine the jalapeno and mezcal. Muddle to crush the peppers and release the flavors.1 ounce mezcal, 2 slices jalapeno pepper
- Add the triple sec, pineapple juice, and lime juice to the shaker with a scoop of ice. Shake until very cold, about 30 seconds.3 ounces pineapple juice, ½ ounce triple sec, ¼ ounce Lime Juice
- Strain the mixture into the glass. Garnish as desired.garnishes as desired
I love the flavor and hint of heat in this margarita recipe. I’m planning to make it again for Cinco de Mayo. Cheers!