Many people are squeamish about spearmint flavor foods believing they taste like toothpaste. That may be true for some. I happen to love spearmint flavor. A big fan of spearmint lifesavers and spearmint leaves gummy candies since childhood.
In the past, I have experimented with sexy spearmint flavor in several incarnations. Vanilla Spearmint French Macarons, Spearmint Chocolate Truffles, and even Spearmint Fudge Ripple Ice Cream were all results of my spearmint recipe adventures.
The above were all made with flavor oil. The fresh variety grows like crazy in my garden. Usually, I am ripping out half of it by mid-April. I started pulling it out by the roots last week, then I remembered the amazing Limonana I had in Haifa, spearmint flavored lemonade which is a local staple. So I grabbed a few handfuls of fresh spearmint leaves and this drink recipe was born.
To make the margarita, you first have to make a spearmint-flavored simple syrup which is very easy to do. That’s why they call it “simple syrup”. Boil equal parts sugar and water together with several chopped fresh spearmint leaves. The margarita recipe itself is simple to assemble, with just the spearmint syrup, tequila, and a squeeze of lime blended with ice.
If I had more time, I would have created some spearmint sugar to rim the glass with. I’ve described how to make flavored sugar below.
Spearmint syrup has many other creative uses in addition to creating cocktails. Add a splash to club soda, for refreshing flavor, spike your hot chocolate with it, or use it to add pep to salad dressings and cake frosting.
Fresh Spearmint Frozen Margaritas
Ingredients
- 1+1/2 cups ice
- 3 shots chilled tequila
- 4 tablespoons chilled spearmint syrup
- splash fresh lime juice
- Fresh spearmint leaves and if you like white granulated sugar or spearmint sugar* for garnish.
Instructions
-
Pour sugar out onto a flat plate.
-
Wet the rims for two margarita glasses and dip in the sugar.
-
Place the ice, tequila, syrup, and lime juice in a blender.
-
Blend and pour into the two prepared margarita glasses.
-
Garnish each margarita with spearmint leaves and serve
Recipe Notes
*Spearmint sugar can be made the week before: Add 3 tablespoons freshly chopped spearmint leaves to 1 cup sugar. Stir to combine. Place in a tightly sealed jar. Every few days shake the sugar. After 1 week, separate the spearmint leaves from the sugar. Use immediately or store the sugar for future use.
Spearmint Syrup
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup fresh chopped spearmint leaves
Instructions
-
Place all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
-
Turn the heat down to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
-
Remove the pan from the heat, and let the mixture stand overnight.
-
Strain the liquid into a small pitcher and chill.
