Every few months or so I go through a new food/drink obsession, and right now, spicy cocktails are one of those obsessions. If I see jalapeño in a drink’s description, guess what? I’m 100% ordering it. Jalapeño margs have been my go-to for a while, but then I discovered the amazingness that is cucumber vodka (another one of my current obsessions) and came up with the idea for this drink. Spicy jalapeño kick? Check. Fresh cucumber twist? Check. Lemon-lime zing? Check. Perfect for summer? Check check check.
Here’s the best part about this cocktail: it’s pretty dang simple to throw together. Muddle up some cucumber, jalapeño, and lime juice; add vodka; shake; and top with 7UP (for sweetness and extra lemon-lime flavor). BOOM – you’ve got yourself a super refreshing summer cocktail in less than 5 minutes. Normally I try to do things totally from scratch (like making simple syrup and all that jazz), but I’m not gonna lie, there are times when I want a cocktail that feels gourmet without the work, and that’s exactly what this is. 7UP makes for the perfect mixer as a shortcut here, and its sweet citrusy flavor & crisp, bubbly finish round the drink out perfectly.
AND, in the event that just measuring out ingredients feels like too much work (because we all have those days) 7UP has this cool little something called a Digital Bartender on their mobile site that makes mixing up a cocktail BEYOND easy. All you do is choose a drink recipe, position your phone next to the glass you want to use, set the level for the top of your drink, and start pouring. You can check out how it works here!
Spicy Cucumber & 7UP Vodka Spritzer
A bubbly & refreshing summer cocktail (with a kick!) that’s super simple to throw together.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 cocktail 1x
Ingredients
1 ½” wide slice of cucumber, thinly sliced
½” wide slice of jalapeno*, thinly sliced
1 oz lime juice
2 ½ oz vodka
ice
3 ¾ oz 7up (half a 7 ½ oz can)
lime wedge, for garnish
Instructions
In a cocktail shaker, muddle together the cucumber, jalapeño, and lime juice. Add vodka and ice and shake well.
Strain into a glass. Add 7UP, top with ice, and stir.
Garnish with a lime wedge and serve.
Notes
*Feel free to use more or less jalapeño to taste, depending on how spicy you’d like your cocktail to be.
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