Spicy Pineapple Shrub Margarita Recipe

Like a tropical vacation in a glass, this spicy pineapple shrub margarita takes you on a journey of flavors. It's rich with sweet, tangy pineapple shrub and spicy serrano peppers, a complex and wonderfully balanced cocktail that will have you feeling the sea breeze in your hair and the sand between your toes.

The center of this cocktail is the pineapple shrub, a vinegar-based syrup that infuses a delicious pineapple flavor and imparts a balanced roundness to the drink. Add to that the traditional margarita ingredients of tequila blanco, orange liqueur, and lime juice, and you already have yourself an incredible cocktail. But, we aren't finished just yet. To cap things off, this drink packs a fiery kick of serrano pepper and a Tajín rim. A taste of chile and just enough heat to tingle the palate provide the final flourish to this cocktail, which fits perfectly as a poolside sipper, alongside a Mexican dinner, or anytime you want to mentally transport yourself to white sand beaches and warmer climes.

For this recipe, you will need fresh pineapple, sugar, and apple cider vinegar to make the shrub syrup. Once your syrup is finished, you will also need tequila blanco, orange liqueur, limes, serrano peppers, and Tajín to make the cocktails. 

Macerate the pineapple with the sugar in a lidded container.

Pour over the vinegar and stir until the sugar fully dissolves.

Seal the container and allow it to steep at room temperature for 5 days.

After the shrub syrup has properly steeped, use a sieve to strain the liquids into a separate container.

Press the fruit in the sieve with the back of a spoon to squeeze out as much liquid as possible, then seal the jar and store in the refrigerator

Make the cocktail: Add all of the margarita ingredients to a shaker with plenty of ice.

Shake the cocktail vigorously for around 15–20 seconds. Set aside while you prepare the glass.

Pour a generous amount of Tajín onto a small plate and run a lime slice around the rim of a rocks glass.

Invert the glass and twist the rim in the plate of Tajín. Right the glass and fill it with ice.

Strain the cocktail into the rocks glass.

Serve immediately, garnished with pineapple leaves and additional serrano slices, if desired.

Shrub syrups, also known simply as "shrubs," are an interesting and versatile ingredient in the world of mixology. Originating from American colonial times, shrubs were initially a method of preserving fruits before the age of refrigeration, but over time they evolved into a beloved ingredient for cocktails and mocktails.

Shrub syrups are made by combining fruit, sugar, and vinegar and allowing the fruit flavors to infuse into the resulting syrup. The fresh fruits are then strained out, creating a tangy, fruity syrup that's shelf-stable and allows for the enjoyment of those ephemeral flavors well beyond their typical season.

Used in both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, shrubs are a versatile ingredient to have in your repertoire. The combination of sweet, fruity, and tangy flavors makes them especially useful for creating balanced drinks. At their simplest, shrub drinks consist of no more than a bit of shrub syrup, ice, and sparkling water. The combination of acidic vinegar with sugar and fruit creates a flavor similar to a fruit-infused lemonade. This balanced profile also means that shrubs work well in cocktails, infusing fruity flavors without creating an overly sweet drink.

Picking the right pepper for a spicy margarita is of vital importance. Choosing something too spicy can make the cocktail undrinkable; too mild and you may not notice the peppers at all. Spiciness is, however, a subjective scale without one right answer. Here are a few of the most popular options:

Jalapeño peppers are probably the most used pepper for spicy margaritas, and with good reason. Jalapeños can sport a decent helping of capsaicin, the compound that makes foods taste spicy, but they fall on the milder side of the spectrum. Additionally, jalapenños have a nice, vegetal flavor that complements the sweet and sour flavors of a margarita.

Serrano peppers are the next most common choice for spicy margaritas. They are slightly smaller, slightly spicier, and sport a wonderful flavor. We chose serrano peppers for this recipe because just a few small slices are enough to impart both a unique aroma and a solid amount of heat. Even a couple of slices on top as a garnish is enough to get your lips tingling.

For the true spicy food enthusiast, habanero peppers might be the right choice. Habaneros have a wonderful, citrusy flavor, which pairs well with a margarita, but it's often hard to find it behind all the heat. Habaneros can be an excellent choice for infusing significant heat into a cocktail but should be reserved for those who like things extra spicy.