Cocktails

One intense orange cocktail…

Blood oranges are such a delicious fruit. Take a normal orange and multiply its flavor by two – it’s just a perfect sweetness, almost berry-like, with that delicious orange tang. This is one bold fruit that matches very well with the spiciness of chili peppers and tequila. This spicy blood orange margarita is one memorable cocktail for all of the above. It’s boldly sweet, spicy, and refreshing.

The recipe uses fresh jalapeño peppers as the heat source, but you could choose to use jalapeño simple syrup instead (or even habanero simple syrup if you want something real spicy). See the recipe notes for details and spicy simple syrup recipe links.

Read moreSpicy Blood Orange Margarita

Refreshing lime tang, with a subtle spice…

Want a delicious sipping cocktail that provides a little extra “somethin’ somethin'” to its drinking experience? Look no further than a spicy jalapeño gimlet. It’s refreshing, as a gimlet should be, with its fresh lime. But behind that lime is a little kick of jalapeño pepper that tickles the tastebuds. This is not an extreme cocktail  – think more subtle heat here – provided by jalapeño simple syrup.

You can purchase your own jalapeño simple syrup, or make your own (see our recipe here).

Read moreSpicy Jalapeño Gimlet

A spicy beer-based thirst-quencher…

Ginger beer, spiced rum, and Tabasco sauce add plenty of warmth to the beer-based Hellfire cocktail. It’s a spiced (and lightly spicy) thirst-quencher cocktail. Serve it like a beer or try it over ice (in a big beer or pint glass) if you prefer something more cocktail-like.

If you like things spicy, don’t be afraid of an extra dash or two of Tabasco, too. There’s a lot of beer here, so a dash or two only provides a tickle of heat.

Read moreHellfire Cocktail

So smooth and rich, yet with a kick…

What’s not to love when three of a recipe’s primary ingredients are rum, butter, and sugar. That’s the decadent deliciousness of hot buttered rum. So smooth, rich, and flavorful. But this spicy hot buttered rum recipe adds a little something extra. A dose of cayenne pepper lights a simmering flame to the smooth taste. This is a winter cocktail that warms you to the core. 

Read moreExtra Hot Buttered Rum

Turn up the warmth on your winter wine…

Spiced mulled wine is the perfect feel-good treat during a cold winter’s day. Spices like cinnamon and cloves provide a homey warmth to the wine, but you could add some real spiciness too. A small amount of cayenne pepper powder added during the simmering process can ramp up that homey spice. It’s still a friendly level of heat, especially if you keep it to a simple half a teaspoon. But obviously you can take things further than that if you’re a spicy food fan. This is one mulled wine that’ll warm you right up in no time flat.

Read moreSpicy Mulled Wine

Refreshing minty sting…

Sit back, relax, and enjoy the delicious pairing of refreshing mint, soothing sweetness, and sultry sting. It’s all there in a jalapeño mint julep: part summertime sipper, part smack-your-lips spice. It’s a yummy spicy cocktail twist on a classic – perfect for summer months, but really it’s delicious year-round.

Jalapeño pepper provides the bite. When muddled, it releases those potent chili oils, so even without the jalapeño seeds there’s definite heat to this drink. Serve garnished with mint, or for the real spice lovers, garnish with additional jalapeño wheels. If you dare, double up on the muddled jalapeño, but beware – it may tip the spicy balance of this cocktail too far for the mere moderately spice-inclined. 

Read moreJalapeño Mint Julep

Refreshing tropical taste with a subtle sting…

Sit back, relax, and enjoy a delicious spicy mango margarita! It’s deliciously refreshing – tropical sweet and just a little spice, brought to you by cayenne pepper powder. It’s just a pinch of cayenne, so think sizzle not fire in terms of heat. Of course, you can always adjust up if you want something extra fiery. This is one of those perfect vacation drinks – it just puts you in that relaxed island-living state of mind. So get ready to put your feet up.

You can pick up frozen mango chunks from most supermarkets, look for them in the frozen aisle alongside other frozen fruits. Or, of course, try fresh mango chunks if you have fresh mango around. 

Read moreSpicy Mango Margarita