With Cinco de Mayo right around the corner I thought this would be a great time to share one of my favorite cocktails with you... The Spicy Pepino!

We were introduced to this cocktail a few years back at a BBQ and it has been a favorite of ours ever since. This recipe can be a bit time consuming to make but I promise you will not be disappointed. I have modified the original recipe to be free of refined sugar, but trust me, this version does not lack flavor.

When choosing tequila you want to look for bottles that clearly state that the tequila is “100% agave“, which means that no sugar, water, or other fillers have been added. If it doesn't clearly say this somewhere on the bottle, steer clear!

Spicy Pepino

This recipe makes 1 delicious cocktail, you will want to make more. Trust me!

Ingredients

4 slices of peeled cucumber
1/4 inch slice of jalapeno (add more if you like it extra spicy)
3 stems of fresh cilantro (pull leaves of stems)
1 ½ ounces tequila (I prefer blanco)
1 ½ ounces sour mix (recipe below- you will need honey, water and lemon juice or maple syrup and lemon juice)

Homemade Honey Sour Mix

Mix equal parts of water and honey in saucepan and bring to a boil, let cool.
While the simple syrup is cooling, strain freshly squeezed lemon juice into a resealable bottle, discarding the pulp.
Pour in the cooled simple syrup slowly so you can adjust amount for taste.
Shake and use immediately or refrigerate

**Amounts will depend on how many cocktails you are making; start with 1 cup water, 1 cup honey and 1-2 cups fresh squeezed lemon juice**

***If you are pressed for time and can't make the honey simple syrup you can use maple syrup instead of the honey and water***

Directions

Prepare homemade honey simple syrup (let cool)
In a cocktail shaker, use a muddler to tear up the cucumber, then add jalapeno and continue muddling, finally add cilantro and muddle again.
Add tequila and equal parts sour mix
Fill shaker half way with ice and shake
Taste and modify to your liking
Use a strainer to pour cocktail into a chilled martini glass or serve over ice
Garnish with cucumber and jalapeno slice

Enjoy!

If you are wondering how you can sub sugar and traditional simple syrup in your favorite margarita recipe you can use Honey Simple Syrup or Maple Syrup instead.

Honey Simple Syrup- take equal parts honey and water and heat in a saucepan until the honey melts into the water. Store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Sweet & Sour- to make a homemade version of sweet and sour mix just add fresh squeezed lemon and/or lime juice to the above simple syrup recipe.

I have also gathered some of my favorite margarita recipes for you below (just click on the photo for the recipe link).