Pineapple Mezcal Margarita
Change up your margarita game with a smoky, pineapple mezcal margarita. The sweetness of the pineapple balances the smoke of the mezcal in this margarita recipe.
This past May, I went to a friend’s bachelorette party in Minneapolis. Of course, I wanted to go to a super awesome restaurant while we were there. We ended up at this one, and I had the best smoky pineapple margarita, complete with grilled pineapple. I immediately knew I wanted to recreate it, so I bought my own bottle of mezcal when I got back.
Unfortunately, making grilled pineapple syrup is just too much for me right now. I even bought fresh pineapples to make it, and they almost ended up going bad. I started playing around with simpler versions of for the recipe, and I tried out a few other cocktails while I was at it.
I made a few regular mezcal margaritas. I even tried a raspberry one, but I still loved how the mezcal paired so well with the sweetness of the pineapple the most. And after a few nights of margarita testing (not the worst part of my job), I came up with the perfect formula for a pineapple mezcal margarita.
If you like this mezcal margarita: try my blackberry margarita smash.
What is the Mexican drink mezcal?
While we were recipe testing, I also had quite a bit of fun researching the differences between mezcal and tequila. Both are made from the agave plant, but unlike tequila, mezcal doesn’t have to be made in a specific region or from a specific type of agave.
Mezcal is also produced using a traditional technique in underground roasting pits, which give it its unique, smoky flavor. There are more variations that can go into making it, but those are the basic differences between the two liquors.
This is the bottle of mezcal I bought. It was a little on the pricier side, but it was the only bottle my liquor store carries. It’s also pretty strong stuff at about 48% alcohol.
How are you supposed to drink mezcal?
You can enjoy mezcal in many ways. Other than these pineapple margaritas, mezcal would be perfect paired with citrus, such as orange or grapefruit. A mezcal paloma would be delicious, and so would this orange based mezcal sunset. I’m also planning to try it in a mule. Some also say it’s great on its own, like a scotch, but I’m not brave enough to try it myself.
How to make a pineapple mezcal margarita
These margaritas are super easy to make. You basically just throw everything into the cocktail shaker with ice and shake away. The best part about this recipe is that all the measurements can me made with a single tool, and you don’t need to do any math (unless you want to double it). I also love that you get 2 margaritas with an exact can of pineapple juice, so there’s no waste. If you’re using fresh pineapple juice, more power to you, but you’ll have to measure.
Be sure to salt you rim before doing anything else. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to dump my ice before straining the cocktails because I forgot to salt the rim. I hope you’re not as forgetful as me, but just in case, do it now. Fill them up with ice, and get mixing.
Make sure you shake until you cocktail shaker is super cold. I like to do it until my hands can’t handle it anymore, or until the outside is nice and frosted.
Pineapple mezcal margarita essentials:
- Cocktail shaker
- Jigger
- Glasses (you could also use traditional margarita or martini glasses)
- Pineapple picks (totally optional, but fun)
This mezcal margarita would be great served with any of these recipes:
Other pineapple cocktail to love:
- Pineapple rum punch
- Strawberry pineapple aqua fresca
- Virgin piña coladas
- Candied pineapple sour cocktail
Pineapple Mezcal Margarita
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 2 cocktails 1x
Ingredients
For the margaritas:
- 2 jiggers mezcal
- 1 jigger silver tequila
- 1 jigger triple sec
- 1 jigger lime juice
- 4 jiggers pineapple juice (1 6-ounce can)
- Ice
For garnish:
- Coarse salt
- Lime slices
- Pineapple picks
Instructions
- Combine margarita ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake until very cold.
- Strain into salted margarita glasses filled with ice. Garish with lime slices and pineapple picks.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
As a huge pineapple fan this cocktail was amazing and I would highly recommend it to all who enjoy a good margarita!
Hi Melissa,
thanks for that great recipe 🙂
Just a quick remark: It’s Mezcal that’s only allowed to be produced in certain regions, not Tequila. The text mixes that up.
Tequila is a subset of Mezcal. I.e. all Tequilas are Mezcal, but not all Mezcals are Tequila. And Tequilas ARE defined by a specific region. Just like Champagne is a Wine that comes from a specific region… Tequila is a Mezcal that comes from a specific region. The text in the article is not mixed up.
The pineapple and the mezcal play quite nicely off of each-other. I was a bit concerned at first about the 4 jiggers of pineapple juice but it ended up being perfect. Not too sweet or overpowering at all. Mezcal and tequila come through for a very good Mezcal-Rita. Recipe says two servings, but this was just right for me as “one” serving. Filled up my mason jar with ice perfectly, and garnished with a slice of lime. After shaking vigorously there was an awesome frothy head too. 🙂
Would you be able to share a recipe if this were served a bowl/pitcher?
How many ounces is a jigger considered?
It’s 1.5 ounces!
Hi Melissa. We have just bought the ingredients to make this, however, we’ve also come across versions that are spicy too. These often have pink peppercorns in. Do you think this would work for this recipe?
Yes. I think that would be fine. I’ve never tried them before, but I would probably just shake them in with the cocktail ingredients! Otherwise, you could use the peppercorns to infuse the mezcal or tequila.