Pineapple Chili Margarita

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 01/13/23
Pineapple Chili Margarita

The Spruce / Ali Redmond

Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cocktail

When you're looking for a margarita with a lot of character, the pineapple chili margarita is an excellent choice. It offers a tropical fruit taste with a hint of hot sauce to spice things up.

The combination of spicy chile pepper and the sweet-tart pineapple is always a great one. Adding tequila behind that and binding the contrasting tastes with citrus creates a drink that is delightfully complex. That is why this recipe from Cointreau is a favorite among the many margarita recipes you could mix up.

When the flavors are kept in balance this is an extraordinary spicy cocktail. However, it can easily become disastrous if you become overzealous with one of the ingredients. This is particularly important when using a hot sauce Tabasco Habanero, which is the original recommendation. Be sure to add it slowly so you don't burn the cocktail.

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 ounces silver tequila

  • 3/4 ounce premium triple sec

  • 2 ounces pineapple juice

  • 3/4 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice

  • 1 dash hot sauce

  • Coarse salt and/or Tajin Seasoning, for optional rim

  • Pineapple wedge, for garnish

  • Lime wheel, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Pineapple Chili Margarita ingredients

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  2. In a cocktail shaker, pour the tequila, triple sec, lime and pineapple juices, and hot sauce. Fill with ice.

    In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour the tequila, orange liqueur, lime and pineapple juices, and hot sauce

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  3. Shake vigorously.

    cocktail in a cocktail shaker

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  4. Prepare the rim of the glass by rubbing a slice of lime along it, and dipping glass in coarse salt and/or Tajin Seasoning for extra spice, if desired.

    rim the glass with lime and spice

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  5. Strain cocktail into the ice-filled glass.

    Strain cocktail into the ice-filled glass

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

  6. Garnish with a pineapple wedge and lime wheel.

    Pineapple Chili Margarita, garnished with pineapple and lime

    The Spruce / Ali Redmond

Tips

  • This recipe shakes up to almost 6 ounces, so you'll need a large glass, especially when served on the rocks as recommended. A highball or collins glass would be a good choice, though you could also use a large margarita glass if you prefer stemware.
  • To create the best margarita, choose a tequila you enjoy on its own. A good mid-range blanco tequila is ideal for this recipe.
  • Fresh lime juice is highly recommended. On average, a lime yields between 1/2 ounce and 1 ounce of juice. To make it easy, simply squeeze the juice from two halves directly into the shaker.
  • If you want to use fresh pineapple juice, toss the fruit into a juicer to maximize the yield. Alternatively, muddle 1 cup of cubed pineapple into a pulp in the cocktail shaker, then add the other ingredients.

Recipe Variation

  • Blend this margarita up if you like. Simply add the ingredients to a blender with 1 cup of ice (about 5 or 6 ice cubes) and blend until smooth. This is a great choice if you have fresh pineapple; use about 1/2 cup cubed pineapple per drink.

How Strong Is a Pineapple Chili Margarita?

The volume of pineapple juice brings the alcohol content of this cocktail down to a nice level. Pouring an 80-proof tequila should result in a drink that's about 16 percent ABV (32 proof). That's a considerable difference from the original margarita which can be as much as 54 proof.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
262 Calories
0g Fat
33g Carbs
1g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 262
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 20mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 33g 12%
Dietary Fiber 3g 12%
Total Sugars 21g
Protein 1g
Vitamin C 94mg 469%
Calcium 44mg 3%
Iron 1mg 5%
Potassium 269mg 6%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)