Watermelon Margarita

🥘 Ingredients

• cointreau (optional)
  2 ounces
• ice (as needed)
• lime juice (fresh, from 1 to 2 large limes, rinds reserved)
  2 ounces
• sea salt (fine)
  1 tablespoon
• tajín or 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne (optional)
  1 teaspoon
• tequila (preferably blanco)
  2 ounces
• thinly sliced jalapeño rounds (optional)
  2-3
• watermelon juice (fresh, from about 1 1/2 cups chopped seedless watermelon, blended and strained)
  6 ounces

🍳 Cookware

• bowl

1. 1

   Gather tajín or 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne , thinly sliced jalapeño rounds .

   tajín or 1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne: 1 teaspoon, thinly sliced jalapeño rounds: 2-3
2. 2

   Prepare the salted rim, if using: In a small shallow bowl or plate, combine the sea salt and Tajín. Set aside.

   sea salt: 1 tablespoon (fine)
3. 3

   In a shaker filled with ice , combine the watermelon juice , tequila , cointreau (if using), lime juice and jalapeño (if using). Shake to combine. (Note: The watermelon flavor shines brighter without the Cointreau, but the liqueur takes the drink into more traditional margarita territory. If you’d like to compare, first try the mixture without, the liqueur, then add 1 ounce of it per serving.)

   ice (as needed), watermelon juice: 6 ounces (fresh, from about 1 1/2 cups chopped seedless watermelon, blended and strained), tequila: 2 ounces (preferably blanco), cointreau: 2 ounces, lime juice: 2 ounces (fresh, from 1 to 2 large limes, rinds reserved)
4. 4

   Using one of the squeezed lime halves, run it along the rim of two rocks glasses, then dip the rims into the salt mixture. Fill the glasses with ice, then strain the margaritas into the glasses and enjoy immediately.
5. 📝

   Servings: 2 drinks