Cheers to this low calorie and low sugar skinny spicy margarita recipe! This skinny jalapeno margarita is made with good quality tequila, freshly squeezed orange juice and lime juice, muddled jalapenos, and a splash of agave nectar.
We love how versatile a margarita can be and we have lots of margarita recipes on the blog. Try our favorite frozen margarita or cranberry margarita for a twist on the classic.
Looking for a healthy margarita to serve for Cinco de Mayo or your next happy hour? This spicy skinny margarita recipe is one of our favorite cocktails for any occasion. After drinking this fresh margarita, you won’t go back to premade mixes ever again.
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What is a Skinny Margarita?
A skinny margarita has fewer calories and less sugar than a traditional margarita. This healthier version contains clean, fresh ingredients instead of premade sweet and sour mix and triple sec. This recipe for a skinny margarita allows you to enjoy a refreshing cocktail without consuming excessive calories and sugar.
Most of the calories and sugar in a classic margarita recipe come from the sweet and sour mix, so this margarita without mix is a healthier alternative. Triple sec, or orange liqueur, also adds extra calories to the cocktail. Making a margarita without these ingredients makes it “skinny”.
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- A clean margarita recipe that doesn’t use a premade mix, simple syrup, or triple sec.
- Low sugar margarita with fewer calories than the traditional cocktail.
- Muddled jalapeno slices give this cocktail the perfect amount of spice.
- Made with all natural ingredients and no artificial flavors or sweeteners.
Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this low calorie margarita. Find exact measurements and step-by-step instructions in the recipe card.
- Tequila – make the best skinny margarita recipe with a good quality Blanco tequila (also known as silver tequila)
- Orange juice – freshly squeezed orange juice is best
- Lime juice - freshly squeezed lime juice is best
- Jalapeño pepper – a chili pepper with a kick
- Agave nectar – a natural sweetener produced form the blue agave plant, also known as agave syrup
- Optional garnish: tajin rim, orange slice, lime wedge, or sprig of cilantro
Equipment
- A cocktail shaker is a must for any home bar.
- Use a muddler to crush the jalapenos.
- When making cocktails, use fresh juice. Use a handheld lemon squeezer or citrus juicer to extract the best flavor.
- We love these cactus-shaped margarita glasses!
How to Make a Skinny Spicy Margarita
One of our favorite low calorie tequila drinks, this is the best skinny spicy margarita recipe with the perfect amount of heat. We keep the skinny margarita ingredients simple and fresh for an easy cocktail you can whip up in just a few minutes.
Step 1: In a cocktail shaker, add 3-4 jalapeño slices, tequila, orange juice, lime juice, and agave nectar.
Step 2: Using a muddler, gently smash ingredients together until the jalapenos have been crushed.
Step 3: Add ice to the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 20 seconds.
Step 4: Strain liquid from the cocktail shaker into a chilled cocktail glass. Straining the liquid will prevent any crushed jalapenos or seeds from getting into the drink. Toss out the strained jalapeños.
Step 5: Make the occasion feel fancy by garnishing the drink. Rim the glass with tajin (a chili lime salt) or a sea salt rim. Top the margarita with jalapeno slices, a wedge of citrus, or throw in a sprig of cilantro.
Pro Tips
- Remove the seeds and ribs from the inside of the jalapeno if you don’t want the drink too spicy. Otherwise, leave them in for extra heat.
- If this margarita is too spicy for your liking, add a splash of club soda or sparkling water to the top and stir in to tone down the spice level.
- Don’t skip the muddling. Muddling a jalapeno with other liquids allows the spicy jalapeno flavor to infuse into the drink.
- If you don’t have a muddler tool, use a wooden spoon.
- If you don’t have a cocktail shaker, use a mason jar to shake up this spicy cocktail.
Variations
- For a fruity flavor, muddle fresh berries with the jalapeno. Our favorite fruits to add to this skinny margarita cocktail are strawberries and blackberries.
- You can use honey or monk fruit sweetener instead of agave nectar.
- Kick up the heat and substitute hot honey for the agave.
- Instead of muddling jalapenos in this drink, buy jalapeno infused tequila or make your own at home by soaking sliced jalapenos in tequila for a day.
FAQ's
A skinny margarita contains fewer calories and less sugar than a regular margarita. A skinny margarita doesn’t contain excessive calories and sugar from premade mixes and syrups like a regular margarita does.
This skinny spicy margarita recipe has 182 calories and 16 grams of sugar.
Yes! To make this spicy margarita frozen, fill up a blend with lots of ice. Then add all the ingredients and blend.
Yes! If you make a margarita ahead of time, don’t add ice until you are ready to serve it so the drink doesn’t get watered down. Give it a good stir before serving.
If you’re serving a crowd, make 8 margaritas by mixing 1 ½ cups tequila, 1 cup orange juice, ½ cup lime juice, ½ cup agave, and a whole jalapeno muddled.
More Margarita Recipes
If you try this recipe or any recipe from Happy Honey Kitchen, please rate the recipe and leave a comment below! Cheers!
Skinny Spicy Margarita Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounces tequila Blanco or silver
- 1 jalapeno sliced thin
- 1 ounce orange juice freshly squeezed
- ½ ounce lime juice freshly squeezed
- ½ ounce agave nectar
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker, add 3-4 jalapeño slices, tequila, orange juice, lime juice, and agave nectar.
- Using a muddler, gently smash ingredients together until the jalapenos have been crushed.
- Add ice to the cocktail shaker and shake vigorously for 20 seconds.
- Strain liquid from the cocktail shaker into a cocktail glass. Note: Straining the liquid will prevent any crushed jalapenos or seeds from getting into the drink. Toss out the strained jalapeños.
- Optional: serve drink with a garnish of lime wedge, sliced jalapeno, or tajin rim.
Notes
- Remove the seeds and ribs from the inside of the jalapeno if you don’t want the drink too spicy. Otherwise, leave them in for extra heat.
- For a fruity flavor, muddle fresh berries with the jalapeno. Our favorite fruits to add to this skinny margarita cocktail are strawberries and blackberries.
- Don’t skip the muddling step. Muddling a jalapeno with other liquids allows the spicy jalapeno flavor to infuse into the drink.
- If you don’t have a muddler tool, use a wooden spoon.
JJ
This was a treat and fun to make!