Cinco de Mayo Watermelon Margarita

# What You'll Need:

→ Fruit & Juice

01 - 4 cups seedless watermelon, cubed

02 - 1/3 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)

03 - 1/4 cup fresh orange juice

→ Sweetener & Spice

04 - 2 to 3 tablespoons agave syrup (or 2 to 3 tablespoons honey, if preferred)

05 - 1/2 small jalapeño, seeds removed and thinly sliced (plus extra slices for garnish)

→ Garnish & Extras

06 - Coarse salt or chili-salt, for rimming glasses

07 - Fresh lime wedges, for garnish

08 - Watermelon wedges or balls, for garnish

09 - Ice cubes

# How-To:

01 - Rub a lime wedge around the rim of each glass and dip rims into coarse salt or a chili-salt blend; set glasses aside.

02 - Place the watermelon, fresh lime juice, fresh orange juice, agave syrup, and sliced jalapeño into a blender.

03 - Blend the mixture on high until completely smooth, scraping down the sides once if needed to ensure even texture.

04 - Taste the blended mixture and adjust sweetness or heat by adding more agave or additional jalapeño slices; blend briefly to incorporate any additions.

05 - If a smoother texture is desired, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a pitcher; fill prepared glasses with ice and pour the mixture over the ice.

06 - Garnish each glass with a lime wedge, a jalapeño slice, and a watermelon piece, then serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -

This mocktail feels festive enough to make anyone forget it's not the real deal—trust me, more than one guest asked if I'd spiked theirs.
The sweet heat combo is fresher than anything from a bottle, and you can tweak it for every palate at your table.

02 -

One summer, I forgot to deseed the jalapeño—turns out, even half a pepper can steal the show if you’re not careful, so start with less heat and build up.
Sifting the mixture through a sieve was a game-changer; nobody wants surprise watermelon pulp in their last sip unless that’s your style.

03 -