Jalapeño Watermelon Margarita

It’s finally Friday! Did anyone else have an excruciatingly slow week? Seems like that’s the norm after a holiday…the next 7 days just drag on and on. But never fear; only a few hours left until all of us can kick off our shoes, take off silly work clothes, and unwind with a deliciously cool cocktail. Who wants to join me? :)

But back to the recipe! This jalapeño watermelon margarita is a chilled combination of zesty chili peppers and juicy summertime fruit. I know…leave it to me to make booze spicy haha. I couldn’t help myself! I love spice. Yet don’t worry, the watermelon keeps it refreshing and cools off your palate as soon as the pepper kicks in. It’s really quite nice. Also, the addition of the simple syrup sweetens the cocktail, which balances out the jalapeño’s heat. If you’re worried about trying it, here’s something you should know: even my mom liked it, and she’s pretty adverse to spice (she just sipped it slooowly haha).

One of the neatest things about this recipe is that I rim the glasses with a combo of sugar and salt. I thought it would be a fun twist on the traditional flaked salt. The result is a unique combination of sweet and savory that plays off of all the flavors in the cocktail. It really does take the drink to another level. I highly recommend sipping this jalapeño watermelon margarita outside…it’s destined to be enjoyed on fun summer nights!

**You can either strain the juice if the pulp offends you, or keep it like I did.**

Cocktail:

12-13 oz seedless watermelon

1/3 jalapeno pepper

1/3 cup tequila

1/4 cup simple syrup

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon triple sec (optional)

Rim:

1 lime

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

To rim the glasses, combine the sugar and salt on a plate. Rub 1 cut lime over the rim of a margarita glass. Dip the glass lightly in the sugar/salt mixture. Fill each glass with crushed ice. Place off to the side.

Cube the watermelon. Add to blender.

Slice the jalapeño pepper. Remove membrane and seeds. Add to the blender with the watermelon. Blend until smooth…about 1-2 minutes.

Put 1 cup of the watermelon juice with the tequila, lime juice, triple sec, and simple syrup into a cocktail shaker. Shake until combined. Pour into the glasses over the crushed ice.

Garnish with additional slices of jalapeño and some watermelon.

Enjoy!