I think it’s safe to say these days that all of us could use a stiff cocktail, no?

With the weather getting warmer and the summer quickly approaching, I can’t stop craving something refreshing, sweet, and a little spicy at the end of the day. Kate here, and today I’m excited to share my husband Brett’s recipe for Pineapple Serrano Margaritas - two ways!

We have made these almost every week during quarantine, and it’s been a fun way to do something creative and quick in the kitchen together! Plus, they are totally delicious.

Last spring I shared a recipe for Jalapeño Blood Orange Mezcal Margaritas that are still a crowd favorite around here, but we’re also never ones to shy away from finding a fresh take on the classic, tried-and-true marg.

Normally, we both prefer the smoky vibe of a mezcal in margs over regular tequila (you either love it or you hate it), but for this particular cocktail we found that regular silver tequila tends to do a better job of letting the flavor of the serrano shine. We made one of each though and I can say with confidence that both were great!

Serrano peppers are a bit spicy, so if you’re not a fan of spice you could skip the peppers entirely or just cut the slices down to 1 or 2!

Here’s the recipe:

Pineapple Serrano Margarita

(makes 1 margarita)

INGREDIENTS

2 oz silver tequila

1 oz pineapple juice

Juice of 1 lime (about 1 oz)

1 tsp - 1 T agave, to taste (depending on how sweet you like your margs)

3 thin slices of serrano pepper

Pineapple wedges and extra serrano pepper for garnish (optional)

DIRECTIONS

On the rocks:

In a cocktail shaker, gently muddle the 3 serrano slices with a muddler or the handle end of a wooden spoon
Add to the shaker the tequila, pineapple juice, lime juice, and agave. Add a healthy handful of Ice to the shaker and shake well.
Pour over ice in a rocks glass and garnish with pineapple and serrano as desired.

Served up:

In a cocktail shaker, gently muddle the 3 serrano slices with a muddler or the handle end of a wooden spoon
Add to the shaker the tequila, pineapple juice, lime juice, and agave. Add a healthy handful of Ice to the shaker and shake well.
Strain with a cocktail strainer into a coupe or martini glass (currently obsessed with these) and garnish with pineapple and serrano as desired.