The Unexpected Addition To Give Sweet And Fiery Flare To Your Next Margarita

From choosing the right orange liqueur to squeezing fresh lime juice, both home bartenders and those manning five-star establishments have plenty of options when setting out to craft the perfect margarita. With an array of tinctures, infusions, and garnishes to choose from, this standard favorite can be elevated and passed around dinner parties with pride. The inclusion of hot honey is one such ingredient that can lend a new dimension to the recipe.

Tasting Table recipe developer Michelle McGlinn swirls hot honey into the drink to create a sweet sipper that offers just the right amount of heat to keep weekend brunches interesting. Whether you prefer your classic margarita served frozen or on the rocks, the compilation of tequila, hot honey, and Cointreau can be adjusted to suit your palate. In McGlinn's hot honey apricot marg, spicy sweetness of the syrupy sweetener dances with the tangy freshness of seasonal fruit to offer a cocktail that is meant for weekend picnics and backyard barbecues. Blending hot honey, booze, and ice in a blender or mixing ingredients in a cocktail shaker couldn't be an easier way to elevate a drink that will have guests thinking you participated in a professional bartending course. 

Once you have mastered McGlinn's recipe, you can try to create your own margarita recipes by experimenting with different juices and purees and tinkering with the amount of each ingredient added to your drinks. Peach, watermelon, and mango can yield unique cocktails when combined with the flavors of hot honey, and adding a few drops of liquid smoke can help build a layer of smokiness within your fiery concoctions. Once your drinks are mixed and made, you can play up different tasting notes by garnishing glasses with sweeter rims made with cinnamon and sugar or adding an extra boost of spice with dustings of red chili flakes and smoked paprika.

If you want to put the intensity of hot honey into your own hands, skip the store-bought brands and make your own hot honey at home. By adjusting the dials of heat in your hot honey creations, you can confidently drizzle the zingy sweetener into your margaritas and jazz up the charcuterie boards you plan on serving at tonight's happy hour.