Tired of leaning on the margarita when thinking of spicy Mexican cocktails? Have you tried a spicy paloma? It’s grapefruit-based, like a greyhound cocktail, with the tangy lime of the margarita. It’s tasty, and one of the most popular cocktails in Mexico. In the U.S., it’s nowhere near the popularity of the margarita, so it’s the perfect refreshing drink to make to impress your friends.
The heat source in our spicy paloma is jalapeño simple syrup. You can buy this ingredient online (Amazon – affiliate link), but it’s also very simple to make. Take a look at our jalapeño simple syrup recipe to get started. Garnish with grapefruit slices or jalapeño slices if you’d prefer some extra spiciness.
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Fiery Gin And Orange Cocktail: It’s like summer in a glass.
- Spicy Caesar: Think Bloody Mary, but with clamato.
- Blood Orange Margarita: We use jalapeños to give it some heat.
Explore the Scoville scale through our Up The Scale spice set, featuring medium heat jalapeño, extra-hot habanero, and fiery super-hot ghost powders.
Spicy Paloma Cocktail
Ingredients
- 1 ounce tequila
- 3 ounces grapefruit juice
- 1 ounce jalapeño simple syrup
- 1 teaspoon lime juice
- Splash grapefruit soda water
- Jalapeño wheels or grapefruit for garnish, optional
- Salt, optional (for rimming the glass)
Instructions
- In a cocktail shaker over ice, add the tequila, jalapeño simple syrup, grapefruit juice, soda water, and lime juice.
- Shake the cocktail, then strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
- Garnish with a jalapeño slice or a slice of grapefruit.