Because citrus season = life, I had to re-share this incredible cocktail recipe featuring one of the most underrated citrus fruits of all time. If you’ve never had a blood orange before, it’s time to hop on the blood orange bandwagon because they’re juicy, deliciously sweet, and absolutely gorgeous.
Remember Rebecca’s Pomegranate Margarita Recipe? Well, our resident cocktail queen is at it again with this lovely, tangy one Blood Orange Margarita that has fresh blood orange juice and a jalapeño heat kick. You know I love all things spicy, so I quickly fell in love with this delightful drink.
Today also happens to be Cinco de Mayo, so it’s the perfect time to get your people together to make some margs or a whole pitcher and enjoy!
Fall in love with blood oranges
If you’ve never eaten a blood orange, now is the time! They’re only in season from December to May, so this is the perfect time to get the last of this season’s blood oranges. They usually look like regular oranges on the outside, but their insides are deep red instead of orange. They also happen to be sweeter than regular oranges, so they’re the perfect citrus fruit for margaritas!
I mean how gorgeous is that color?!
Ingredients in this Blood Orange Margarita
You only need 5 simple ingredients (plus optional sides) to make these wonderfully flavorful Blood Orange Margaritas:
- Tequila: I like to use silver tequila in my margaritas, but reposado tequila is another great option if you prefer a more woody or aromatic flavor.
- Simple Syrup: You need some simple syrup to add the perfect amount of sweetness. Below is a DIY guide!
- Juice: We shake both fresh lime juice and fresh blood orange juice for a refreshing taste. You will LOVE how delicious the blood orange juice is!
- jalapeno: Since this is a flavorful margarita, add jalapeño slices directly to the shaker. Yummy.
- To serve: I like edging the glass with it Tajin or salt, and add thin slices of blood orange for a pretty garnish.
Customize your margarita
Because this blood orange margarita is made with just a few ingredients, it’s also easy to customize to suit your taste preferences. Here are some ways to make it your own:
- Add bubbles: a little club soda on top would make this a fun, bubbly margarita!
- Choose the spice level: If you’re sensitive to spices, simply use fewer jalapeño slices or omit them altogether.
- Try a new fruit: I love the unique flavor of blood oranges, but grapefruit would be delicious too! Don’t forget to try our pomegranate margarita too.
How to make homemade simple syrup
Simple Syrup is super easy to make right at home! To make it, simply shake equal parts granulated sugar and water in a glass for about 1-2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. In this recipe, 2 tablespoons each would be enough for 2 of these blood orange margaritas.
Don’t forget this garnish
It’s optional, but I love adding it Tajin or sea salt to the rim of my glass! Tajín is a Mexican spice mix typically made with dried, ground chilies, sea salt, and dehydrated lime juice. The chilies and lime pair perfectly with this Spicy Blood Orange Margarita.
To rim your glass you simply need to cCut a lime wedge and rub the cut edge of the lime along the rim of your favorite glass. Pour tajín (or sea salt) onto a plate and dip the wet rim of the glass into the tajín to coat.
Easy Blood Orange Margarita in 3 steps
- Salt the edge. Before preparing the cocktail, add salt or tajín to the rim by following the instructions above.
- Shake it up. Add all ingredients (except toppings) to a cocktail shaker or mason jar with 1/2 cup ice cubes. Shake everything up.
- Serve & enjoy! Put some ice in your glasses, then pour in the margarita, garnish with blood orange slices and enjoy!
Our favorite cocktail making tools
- Shake it with a cocktail shaker
- A simple strainer if your shaker doesn’t have one
- I love using this hand juicer for juicing
- Cute cocktail glasses like this one or this one
- A pitcher for serving at a party
Get all our essential kitchen essentials here!
More drinks & cocktails
Find more drink recipes here!
I hope you love this Spicy Blood Orange Margarita! If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and rating so I know how you liked it. Have fun, xo!
Spicy Blood Orange Margarita
Refreshing and delicious Spicy Blood Orange Margarita made with 5 simple ingredients! This beautiful blood orange margarita recipe is easy to make and so much fun to savor blood oranges. Perfect for a date night, girls’ night out, or triple the time to serve a crowd!
Ingredients
- For the margarita:
-
4
ounces
silver tequila -
1
ounce
simple syrup* (2 tablespoons) -
2
ounces
freshly squeezed lime juice (1/4 cup fresh lime juice) -
2
ounces
freshly squeezed blood orange juice -
2-4
Jalapeño slices, depending on how spicy you like it - To serve:
- Tajín (or sea salt) and a lime wedge to rim the glass, if you like
- Thin blood orange slices
- Ice
instructions
-
If you want to rim your glass, do that first. Cut a wedge out of a lime and rub the cut side of the lime along the rim of your favorite glass. Pour tajín (or sea salt) onto a plate and dip the wet rim of the glass into the tajín to coat.
-
In a cocktail shaker, combine tequila, simple syrup, fresh lime juice, blood orange juice, and jalapeño slices. Then add about ½ cup of ice cubes to the shaker, cover tightly and shake vigorously for about 15 seconds.
-
Place ice in two glasses, immediately pour over the margarita mixture, garnish with blood orange slices. Enjoy!
recipe notes
*A quick shortcut for simple syrup: shake equal parts granulated sugar + water (2 tbsp each would make 2 drinks) in a small glass for 1-2 minutes until the sugar has dissolved.
Feel free to double, triple or quadruple the recipe to serve more.
Nourishment
Servings: 2 servings
Serving size: 1 margarita
Calories: 175 calories
Carbohydrates: 11.9g
Fiber: 0.1g
Sugar: 9.5g
Protein: 0.2g
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats
This post was originally published on February 23, 2022 and republished on May 4, 2023.