This Spicy Pineapple Margarita recipe has just the right amount of heat and sweet pineapple flavor. Whether for a hot summer day or enjoying with your favorite Mexican food, this is the perfect margarita!
Spicy margaritas are absolutely delicious. The combination of sweet fruit juices with jalapeño slices is the best way to kick your cocktails up a notch. Even better, we've found a way to make them skinny.
Add these delicious cocktails to your Taco Tuesday, next Happy Hour or Cinco de Mayo celebrating. There's nothing better than a skinny Pineapple Jalapeño Margarita to make the day just a little bit more exciting!
If you are a margarita lover try our Skinny Mango Margarita and Best Skinny Margarita (classic) too!
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What makes this skinny?
The main difference from traditional margarita recipes is replacing orange liqueur or triple sec (95 calories for 1 ounce of Cointreau) with orange juice (13 calories for 1 ounce). Subbing in the fresh juice gives a touch of orange flavor without the sugary calories.
Using pure agave tequila (100% agave) is low in sugar (especially compared to some other spirits). It has only 69 calories per ounce.
Recipe Ingredients Notes
Jalapeño pepper. You'll use 4 jalapeno slices for the cocktail and more for garnish. The heat in chilies is in the seeds so we recommend removing them before muddling. If you like a higher heat level leave them in!
Lime. Half a lime is muddled with the jalapeno slices. Two ounces of fresh lime juice is also used.
Blanco Tequila. Choose a high quality blanco, silver or white tequila. This type of tequila has not been aged and gives a classic flavor to this spicy cocktail.
Pineapple juice. Use 100% pure pineapple juice not from concentrate. Use fresh pineapple juice if possible.
Orange juice. We swapped out the traditional orange liqueur with fresh orange juice. Squeeze it yourself (you only need 1 ounce) or buy freshly squeezed orange juice not from concentrate.
Agave nectar. This provides some sweetening. Just enough to balance the spicy flavors.
The best tequila for margaritas
Blanco tequila (also called white tequila or silver tequila) is preferred for most margarita recipes. It's a clear tequila and has not been aged at all or less than 60 days. This offers a true flavor perfect for margaritas.
Choose '100% agave' or puro de agave. This means the tequila has not had anything artificial added which might affect it's true flavor. Patron Roca Silver is a great high end choice and we love Espolon Blanco for an excellent mid-range priced tequila.
How to rim a cocktail glass
This step is optional but a great way to add more flavor to any cocktail. A salt rim is easy to create. For a spicy twist add some chile powder or tajin.
- Fill a small shallow dish or small plate with kosher salt or tajin (a Mexican spice made with peppers, lime and salt).
- Run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass.
- Place the glass rim first into the salt mixture and twist gently from side to side.
- Place the glass upright and allow to dry fully before adding the cocktail.
How to make a Skinny Spicy Pineapple Margarita
Add the sliced jalapeno (photo 1) and lime slices (photo 2) to a cocktail shaker or quart mason jar and muddle until the jalapeno is broken up and the lime has released its juice (photo 3).
Next add the remaining ingredients: tequila, pineapple juice, lime juice, orange juice, and agave (photos 4-7).
Fill the shaker half way with ice and shake until thoroughly chilled– at least 30 seconds.
Fill the prepared glasses with fresh ice. Strain the margarita into the glasses (photo 8). Garnish with a fresh pineapple wedges and slice of jalapeno (below). Enjoy immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is part of cocktail making taking some whole ingredients and mashing them together to release their juices or extracts in the case of fresh herbs. It's done with a muddler, a specially designed tool, however you can also do it with the handle of a wooden cooking spoon.
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Recipe
Skinny Spicy Pineapple Margarita
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 slices jalapeno chile pepper seeds removed
- ½ lime sliced
- 4 ounces blanco tequila
- 3 ounces pineapple juice
- 2 ounces lime juice
- 1 ounce orange juice
- ¾ ounce agave
Instructions
Making a salt rim on glasses (optional)
- Fill a small shallow plate with kosher salt or tajin.
- Run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass.
- Place the rim of the glass into the salt and gently twist from side to side to coat.
- Place glass upright and allow the rim to dry before adding the margarita.
Making the spicy pineapple margarita
- Add the sliced jalapeno and lime slices to a cocktail shaker or quart Mason jar. Muddle until the jalapeno is broken up and the lime has released its juice.
- Add the remaining ingredients: tequila, pineapple juice, lime juice, orange juice, and agave. Fill halfway with ice.
- Seal and shake until thoroughly chilled– at least 30 seconds.
- Strain the margarita into the prepared glasses and garnish with a pineapple wedge and slice of jalapeno. Enjoy immediately.
Notes
- Use blanco, silver or white tequila and choose '100% agave'. This has the best flavor for this margarita and is lower in sugar.
- If possible use fresh juice. Definitely juice the limes versus using bottled juice.
- The seeds of jalapeno peppers are what have the most heat. Remove them before muddling the jalapeno with the lime slices.
Mavis says
Loved this cocktail and will definitely make again. The juice gives it a more natural flavor that I really love.
Teresa says
Made these last night with your vegetarian fajitas. Both were delicious!
Erin says
Yum. Loved the sweet and spicy flavor combination.
Katherine says
I love the bold flavors in this incredible margarita!
Kathleen says
The tropical flavors with a little kick are so refreshing and incredible. Loved it.
Caroline Y says
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! I am so in love with these and I love that they are lighter.
Gina Abernathy says
Delicious and refreshing and a wonderful weekend drink.
Kathryn says
This may be my new favorite margarita flavor! The pineapple and jalapeños together were incredible. Love how this is a skinny version too, even more of a reason to enjoy this 🙂 Thanks so much for the recipe!