Spicy Margarita Recipe

Prepare peppers

Wash shishito and serrano peppers. Halve the shishitos lengthwise and slice the serrano into rounds. If you prefer less heat, remove the serrano seeds; keeping seeds increases heat.

Combine and infuse

Place halved shishitos and serrano slices into a clean glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. Pour 2 cups of blanco tequila over the peppers, ensuring they are fully submerged. Seal the jar.

Infusion time

Let tequila infuse at room temperature for 6–12 hours for a bright, pepper-forward flavor with mild heat. For a stronger, hotter infusion, refrigerate and infuse 24–48 hours. Taste after 6 hours and again at 24 hours to reach your preferred heat and vegetal notes.

Finish infusion

When infusion reaches desired flavor, strain tequila through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth into a clean bottle, discarding solids. Label and refrigerate. Yield: about the original volume minus a small loss (~1.9–2 cups).

Juice citrus

Juice fresh limes and lemons. Strain through a fine mesh sieve into a measuring cup to remove pulp and seeds. Measure 1 cup lime juice and 1/4 cup lemon juice.

Make simple syrup (if needed)

If you don't have pre-made 1:1 simple syrup: combine equal parts granulated sugar and water (for this recipe, 3/4 cup sugar and 3/4 cup water) in a small saucepan. Heat gently, stirring until sugar dissolves. Cool to room temperature.

Mix the house sour

In a clean jar or bottle, combine 1 cup lime juice, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 3/4 cup cooled simple syrup, and 1/4 cup orange liqueur. Cap and shake or stir to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use. This yields roughly 2 cups of house sour.

Prepare glass

Rub a lime wedge around the rim of a rocks or coupe glass. Place coarse sea salt on a small plate and dip the rim to coat lightly. Fill the glass with fresh ice (if using a rocks glass) or chill if using a coupe.

Build the cocktail

In a cocktail shaker, add ice, 2 oz chilled shishito-serrano infused tequila, and 1.25 oz house sour. (Optional: for a slightly more orange-forward drink, add 0.25 oz additional orange liqueur.)

Shake and strain

Shake vigorously for 10–12 seconds until well chilled. Double-strain into the prepared glass over fresh ice (or serve neat in a chilled coupe).

Garnish and serve

Garnish with a lime wheel and a slice of roasted or fresh shishito or serrano (if using raw serrano, be mindful of heat). Serve immediately.

Notes on heat level

If infusion is very spicy, dilute by reducing infused tequila to 1.5 oz and adding 0.5 oz blanco tequila (uninfused) per cocktail to soften heat. Adjust house sour sweetness to taste.