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The pineapple habanero margarita is made with pineapple juice, lime juice, triple sec, a pinch of simple syrup and homemade habanero tequila. It offers a spicy balanced kick and an amazing combo that’s really easy to make and really refreshing.
I love this margarita because it’s such a fun and fruity spin on the classic spicy margarita. Pineapple has such a tropical feel and blends phenomenally with fresh lime juice and a little heat. The fresh juices in this cocktail do most of the heavy lifting/sweetening—I recommend to start light on the simple sugar as directed and add more as needed.
Looking for more unique margaritas? Try my fresh mango margarita, watermelon margarita, and grapefruit margarita!
Table of Contents
Ingredients
- habanero-infused tequila: it’s really easy to make your own following the steps below in the recipe. I recommend blanco Milagro, Altos, or Espolòn for solid budget-friendly tequilas for infusing.
- Pineapple juice: I recommend Dole brand pineapple juice sold in small cans. These are perfect for making cocktails thanks to their small size. See also the French Martini made with pineapple juice.
- Simple syrup: simple syrup is a 50-50 split of melted sugar in water. You can easily make your own on the stovetop or the microwave using equal parts sugar and water.
- Fresh lime juice: I always opt for fresh limes. Use a citrus squeezer for easy juicing.
- Orange liqueur: you can use triple sec or Cointreau. If you prefer a drier margarita, Skip the simple syrup and only sweeten it with orange liqueur
- Fresh habaneros or jalapeños: if you’re making homemade spicy tequila. (It’s really easy and I highly recommend you try it).
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities below.
How to Make Habanero-Infused Tequila
Infusing tequila with habaneros is a fantastic way to both flavor and make your favorite tequila spicy. Be sure to wear gloves when handling hot peppers and never touch your eyes as they’re very potent.
Soak 1-2 halved habaneros, seeds included, per 750ml bottle for 12-24 hours in a large mason jar or sealed container. Be sure to remove the habanero and strain out any remaining seeds before storing tequila longer term. Excess exposure will lead to green vegetal off-flavors.
If you can’t find habanero, you can also use jalapeño. Be sure to taste test them prior to using. I’ve come across jalapeños that taste like bell peppers and others that are quite spicy. I highly recommend you pick up extra peppers and use the spiciest ones. The secret to success is quick oil extraction without the unwanted green vegetal flavors from extended steeping.
Other Ways to Add Heat
Quick shake infusion (instant): for a quick kick of heat in your cocktail, shake your margarita along with a few slices of habanero or jalapeno. This method works pretty well but is not as efficient and requires more peppers per cocktail. Start with 2-3 slices per drink and add more as needed.
Spicy bitters (instant): my favorite hack for quickly spicing cocktails is spicy bitters. Spicy bitters offer very clean heat with no vegetal off-flavors. It’s very easy to use and can easily be added to individual cocktails to taste. It’s a nice way to add varying degrees of heat to a batch of margaritas.
Tequila Infusion Tips
- Habanero will offer the cleanest tasting tequila. Jalapeño tends to impart more vegetal flavor.
- Start with 8-12 hours of steeping and taste test. If you’d like more spice, soak for up to 24 hours.
- I recommend 2-3 jalapeños or 1-2 habaneros per 750ml bottle. If you overshoot on heat, you can cut the batch with additional tequila.
- Divide a 750ml bottle of tequila between two 12-ounce mason jars and experiment with habaneros or jalapeños in smaller batches.
- Use blanco tequila for best results. The flavors are cleaner and lend themselves better to spice.
How to Make a Pineapple Habanero Margarita
Step 1.
For the salted rim, take a lime wedge and coat the rim of a double old-fashioned glass. Dip in margarita salt, rotating until fully or partially coated.
Step 2.
Combine spicy tequila, pineapple juice, lime juice, triple sec, and simple sugar in a cocktail shaker with a cup of ice.
Step 3.
Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Pour straight into the old-fashioned glass with dirty ice or over fresh ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.
More Tequila Cocktails
Enjoy this recipe? If you made this cocktail, please leave a ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ star rating in the recipe card below & a review in the comments!
Pineapple Habanero Margarita Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ounces habanero-infused tequila, see notes below
- 1 1/2 ounce pineapple juice, I liked canned
- 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1/2 ounce triple sec
- 1/4 ounce simple syrup
- Optional pineapple wedge garnish
- 1-2 habaneros or 2-3 jalapeños
Instructions
Habanero Tequila
- Soak 1-2 halved habaneros, seeds included, per 750ml bottle for 12-24 hours in a large mason jar or sealed container. Be sure to remove the habanero and strain out any remaining seeds before storing tequila longer term. Excess exposure will lead to green vegetal off-flavors. If too strong, dilute with fresh tequila.
Pineapple Habanero Margarita
- For the salted rim, take a lime wedge and coat the rim of a double old-fashioned glass. Dip in margarita salt, rotating until fully or partially coated.
- Combine spicy tequila, pineapple juice, lime juice, triple sec, and simple sugar in a cocktail shaker with a cup of ice.
- Shake vigorously for 10 seconds. Pour straight into the old-fashioned glass with dirty ice or over fresh ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If using bitters, how much per drink?
Start with 1-2 dashes and add more to taste!