Cranberry Jalapeño Margarita
I don’t think you can really go wrong with any variation of a margarita, and this one might be at the top of my list, especially during the holiday season. It’s super tangy, yet refreshing, and the spice level is entirely up to you!
Ingredients:
¾ oz jalapeño syrup (recipe below)
2 oz cranberry juice
1 oz lime juice
¾ oz Cointreau (or any triple sec)
2 oz blanco tequila
garnish: sugared cranberries, fresh jalapeño slices
Directions:
Combine jalapeño syrup, cointreau, tequila, and cranberry juice into a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously for approximately thirty seconds, until chilled. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with sugared cranberries and fresh jalapeño slices.
To sugar the cranberries, coat in jalapeño syrup and then in sugar.
If you want your margarita to be spicier, add a fresh slice of jalapeno to the rest of your ingredients in the cocktail shaker.
JALAPEÑO SIMPLE SYRUP:
Ingredients:
1 cup cane sugar
1 cup water
2 fresh jalapeños, sliced, most of the seeds removed
Directions:
Combine sugar, water, and jalapeño slices into a medium sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Once sugar is dissolved, remove from heat and let the flavors steep while the syrup cools completely (about 30 minutes to an hour). Once cooled, strain out the solids and transfer syrup into an airtight container. Store in the refrigerator for about two to three weeks.
If you want your syrup to be spicier, add more of the seeds to the syrup when simmering!