Sure you could reach for that Absolut Peppar, and take the easy route to a spicy vodka. But where would the fun be in that? It’s so simple to turn that bottle of plain vodka into something hot, hot, hot. All you need is a few jalapeƱo peppers and time. With the seeds removed, jalapeƱos provide a light amount of spice to your vodka. It’ll turn your everyday martinis and Bloody Marys into cocktails with extra oomph, but they won’t be so hot as to turn off the less-spicy inclined among your friends and family.
š¶ļø Quick recipe snapshot
| Flavor profile | Clean vodka with a fresh, green jalapeƱo bite and a gentle build of heat. |
| Primary heat source | Two jalapeƱos, seeds and ribs removed. 2,500 to 8,000 SHU. |
| Heat level | Mild to medium, and hotter the longer it infuses. |
| Texture | Same as plain vodka. Straining through a coffee filter keeps it clear. |
| Best uses | Bloody Marys, martinis, Moscow mules and vodka sodas. |
| Customization ideas | A third jalapeƱo, some ribs left in, red jalapeƱos, or a serrano for real heat. |
| Before you start | About 10 minutes of work, then 2 to 5 days of waiting. You’ll need a 1-quart glass jar. |
Flavor notes
JalapeƱos have a range from 2,500 to 8,000 Scoville heat units, and two of them in a full bottle of vodka give a mild to medium heat. But no two jalapeƱos are quite alike, so taste the vodka as it goes rather than trusting the calendar.
The jar matters more than it seems. A full 750 ml bottle has no room for sliced peppers, and the rings won’t come back out through the neck. So infuse in a 1-quart jar, then strain the vodka back into its own bottle when it’s ready.
Most of a jalapeƱo’s heat is in the white ribs, not the seeds. Scraping out both gives you a cleaner, gentler vodka, and if you want more fire later, leaving a little of the rib in is the easiest way to get it.
Start tasting after a day, with a small sip instead of a judgment by eye. Most batches are ready somewhere between two and five days. Once it tastes right to you, strain it right away, since the heat keeps building as long as the peppers stay in the jar.
Green jalapeƱos give the vodka a grassy, vegetal taste along with the heat. Red ones are a little hotter and sweeter, so they make a rounder, fruitier vodka that works especially well in a Bloody Mary.
Adaptation ideas
Most of these change the heat, and a couple swap the pepper.
- Want more heat? Leave some of the white ribs in, add a third jalapeƱo, or give it a few extra days in the jar.
- Want it milder? Use a single jalapeƱo, or strain the vodka after 24 hours.
- Want it sweeter? Use red jalapeƱos. They’re a little hotter and fruitier than green ones.
- Want it much hotter? Swap one jalapeƱo for a serrano, which runs about three times as hot, and taste it every few hours.
- Want it fresher? Drop a few slices of cucumber into the jar for the last day, then strain them out with the peppers.
Serving ideas
Pour it anywhere you’d use plain vodka and want a little heat.
- In a Bloody Mary. Use it in place of the plain vodka, and go easy on the hot sauce until you’ve tasted the drink.
- In a martini. Shaken hard with dry vermouth and an olive, or with muddled cucumber for something lighter.
- In a Moscow mule. With ginger beer and a good squeeze of lime, over plenty of ice.
- With soda. Over ice with club soda and a lime wedge, for a simple, low-effort drink.
Storage notes
Once the vodka is strained, cap the bottle and keep it in a cool, dark cupboard, just as you would any other vodka. Straining is the important part, because the heat keeps building for as long as the peppers stay in.
Label the bottle so nobody mistakes it for plain vodka. And if a batch comes out hotter than you wanted, cut it with plain vodka a little at a time until it tastes right to you.
Like this recipe? Youāll love these too:
- Cucumber JalapeƱo Martini: A cool, crisp martini with fresh jalapeƱo heat.
- Cajun Bloody Mary: A Bloody Mary built on Cajun seasoning and cayenne, ready for your jalapeƱo vodka.
- JalapeƱo And Vodka Jello: Berry jello shots with a red jalapeƱo kick.
50 easy ways to put jalapeños to work — appetizers, meals, salsas and dips, snacks, even fiery drinks. Perfect for a garden glut or a fridge full of extras.
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Homemade JalapeƱo Vodka
Ingredients
- 1 bottle plain vodka 750 ml
- 2 jalapeƱo peppers sliced into 1/4-inch rings, seeds and white ribs removed (see notes)
Instructions
- Rinse and dry the jalapeƱos. Slice them into 1/4-inch rings and push out the seeds and white ribs.
- Put the jalapeƱo rings in a clean 1-quart glass jar and pour in the vodka. Keep the empty bottle. Seal the jar.
- Leave the jar at room temperature, out of direct sunlight, and give it a gentle shake once a day.
- Start tasting after 24 hours with a small sip. Most batches are where they need to be in 2 to 5 days. Stop as soon as it’s as hot as you like.
- Strain the vodka through a fine-mesh strainer (lined with a coffee filter for a clearer pour) and funnel it back into the bottle. Discard the jalapeƱos and cap the bottle.
