Spicy watermelon margarita

This watermelon margarita has a little extra kick to it, and is really easy to make. With plenty bright watermelon flavor, it's just the cocktail to sip on all summer. 

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Watermelon is something we have on hand pretty much all summer. Grown ups and kids alike will happily snack on it, and I love using it in drinks too. It doesn't have a particularly strong flavor, of course, but it's all refreshing and so good.

When I lived in New York many years ago, there was a bar nearby that made some great fruity cocktails. I can't remember for sure whether a watermelon margarita was in there, but it's pretty likely. Although I imagine they were probably a lot sweeter than this version.

In case you didn't know by now, I'm not really one for overly sweet, and watermelon to me has plenty natural sweetness. If you disagree, I won't watch as you add a little simple syrup to your glass 🙂

What I'm sure we can agree on, however, is watermelon makes a tasty, refreshing twist on this classic cocktail that's very much summer-ready.

How to make a watermelon margarita

• Puree watermelon chunks in a blender then strain it to get watermelon juice.
• Rub the top of a glass with a slice of lime and then dip in salt (or salt with a bit of chili powder) to form a salt rim.
• Put watermelon juice, tequila, triple sec, jalapeño if using and lime juice in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake to chill.
• Pour into the rimmed glass, add ice if you like and serve.

Jalepeños go really well with watermelon as well, so I decided when I was making this one to give it a little extra kick. I've had them in a couple summery cocktails recently, and it s definitely a great addition. One of the nice things is you can spice them up or down to taste.

Here I muddled one or two slices in the cocktail shaker before adding the rest of the ingredients for just a bit of heat. However if you like it spicy, you can use a few slices per serving, or else blend it up with the watermelon to get more heat throughout the drink. You can always skip, or for just a little heat use just a small slice and don't muddle but just shake it with the rest. 

This watermelon margarita takes just a couple minutes to make and is easy to scale up for a group. With a refreshing flavor, it's got a kick of spice and a kick of alcohol. Just the thing to toast a summer afternoon or evening!

Looking for more watermelon drinks? Try these:

• My watermelon agua fresca with coconut water is incredibly refreshing and cooling.
• And watermelon lemonade is always a favorite as well.
• If you're looking for a cocktail try my watermelon mojito.
• Plus get more cocktail recipes in the archives.

If you are a margarita fan, be sure to also try my mango margarita, tamarind margarita, pomegranate margarita and passion fruit margarita. 

See some of my favorite cooking tools and ingredients in the Caroline's Cooking Amazon store. In many locations, you can have wine, spirits and more delivered to your door with Drizly.

Try these other recipes with watermelon:

• Beef and Watermelon Stir Fry from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Iced Watermelon Matcha from Tara's Multicultural Table
• Russian Pickled Watermelon from Pandemonium Noshery
• Vegan & Gluten Free Watermelon Jelly by Sneha's Recipe
• Watermelon Cucumber Bites from Cookaholic Wife
• Watermelon Mint Granita from Our Good Life
• Watermelon Salad with Mint and Lime from Karen's Kitchen Stories

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