Spicy mango margaritas are the frozen cocktail your summer has been missing

I love classic mango margaritas, but I can never resist a drink with a little kick. These spicy mango margaritas are the perfect thing to blend up when 5 o’clock rolls around. There’s a sprinkle of cayenne pepper in the margarita itself, which adds subtle spice. But the real magic is the chile salt rim on the glass. It has a little lime, chile powder, and more cayenne. The sweetness of the margarita combined with the spiciness and saltiness of the rim is absolutely scrumptious! Oh, and since these are made with frozen mango, they’re a breeze to whip up in a blender. Add this recipe to your list of summer cocktails and margarita recipes to make for happy hour!

Can you make spicy mango margaritas less spicy?

Sure! For a milder version, just leave the cayenne out of the margarita and rim the glasses with lime sugar instead. Mix together 2 tablespoons of coarse sugar and the zest of 1 lime.

Can you make spicy mango margaritas ahead of time?

You can prep a few things ahead, but wait to blend the margaritas until just before serving for the frostiest texture. You can juice the limes and make the chile salt up to one day in advance. Store each separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator until you’re ready to use them.

Yields: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 5 limes
• 2 tbsp. kosher salt
• 2 tsp. ancho chile powder
• 1 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 2 (10-ounce) bags frozen mango chunks (about 4½ cups)
• 1 c. tequila
• 1 c. triple sec
• 1/3 c. sugar

Directions

1. Grate the zest of 1 lime. Combine the lime zest with the salt, chile powder, and ½ teaspoon cayenne on a rimmed saucer; mix well with your fingers. Halve the zested lime and use it to moisten the rims of 6 glasses. Dip the rims in the chile salt. Set aside.
2. Juice the rest of the halved lime, plus 3 more limes to make about ½ cup juice; add to a blender. Add the frozen mango, 1 cup ice, the tequila, triple sec, sugar, and remaining ½ teaspoon cayenne. Blend until completely smooth.
3. Pour the drink into the glasses. Slice the remaining lime and add to the drinks for garnish.