Here are the top tequila cocktails to use up a bottle! There’s something for everyone, from the classic margarita to the Mexican mule and tequila sunrise.
Got a bottle of tequila to use up? It’s best known for the margarita, but tequila is extremely versatile and stars in many tasty cocktails. This Mexican liquor made from the agave plant is at home in Mexican style drinks like the Paloma and Mexican mule. But it’s equally as tasty in a 1920’s style sour cocktail like the Tequila Sour, or a Bloody Maria, a spin on the Bloody Mary. With so many tasty mixed drinks to try…let’s start mixing! Want to start simple? Try these 2 Ingredient Tequila Drinks.
And now: the top tequila cocktails to try!
Of course, the margarita is the best known of all tequila cocktails! Did you know the classic recipe has no added simple syrup? Here's the classic way to make it: with three ingredients and a salt rim. It's true perfection. Try all our Margarita recipes (Frozen, Mezcal, Skinny, Mango, and more).
Ingredients: Tequila, Cointreau, lime juice
Cousin of the margarita, this easy tequila cocktail recipe uses grapefruit instead of lime! Changing up the citrus makes for a simple sour that’s sweet tart and refreshing. It’s perfect for happy hour drinks, or water it down and it could be a brunch drink too. The Paloma is traditionally made with grapefruit soda, but our recipe uses grapefruit juice and soda water (and it’s easier to find!).
Ingredients: Tequila, grapefruit, lime, simple syrup, soda water
Next up in our tequila cocktails: the tequila sour! It's a delightfully refreshing sweet tart drink with a frothy foam topping! Consider it a mashup of a 1920’s sour cocktail with a margarita. This tasty drink has vintage vibes and a whole lot of lemon lime flavor.
Ingredients: Tequila, lemon juice, lime juice, simple syrup, bitters, egg white
There’s a new bubbly cocktail that’s ready to take over the summer. Meet Ranch Water! Yes, Ranch Water is the unofficial drink of West Texas, essentially a tequila highball cocktail made with lime juice and Topo Chico. It’s like a bubbly, lighter version of the classic margarita, with all the tangy lime but less sweetness and booze.
Ingredients: Tequila, lime juice, Topo Chico (or other mineral water)
One of the best tequila cocktails out there is the Mexican mule! This drink is bold, it’s bubbly, and it’s ready to spice up your next gathering. A spin on the Moscow Mule, this version might be even better than its inspiration. The way the bite of the tequila combines with spicy ginger and zingy lime makes it impossible not to immediately take another sip. Here’s how to make this classy spin on the classic.
Ingredients: Tequila, lime juice, ginger beer
Here’s a highball that immediately shot to the top our favorite tequila drinks: the El Diablo! This one flies under the radar, but take one sip and you’ll become a new convert. Bold berries, zingy lime, and spicy ginger complement the bite of the tequila in a way that’s indescribable. You’ve just got to taste!
Ingredients: Tequila reposado, crème de cassis, lime juice, ginger beer
What's more beautiful than a tequila sunrise? This vibrant cocktail features layered colors of a summer sunset. Even better: it’s so easy to make! All you need is 3 ingredients: and no special techniques or equipment. The flavor is refreshingly sweet, with just a hint of tequila. Try it with our homemade grenadine!
Ingredients: Tequila, orange juice, grenadine
Here's a uniquely delicious tequila cocktail: meet the Siesta! This unexpected combination of tequila, Campari and fresh citrus juice is deliciously intriguing. Each sip is balanced and refreshing, with a sweet tart body and a hint of bitter on the finish. One sip in, you'll be sold.
Ingredients: Campari, tequila, grapefruit juice and lime juice
Here's a must try cocktail for tequila lovers: the Cantarito! This tasty tequila drink is similar to a Paloma, but it’s got more citrus juices like orange, lemon and lime juice. Layer it in a traditional clay cup, and the effect is stunning: it’s a light and refreshing drink that tastes even better sipped out of a cold clay rim. Don’t have one? You can serve it in a highball glass too.
Ingredients: Tequila, orange juice, lemon juice, lime juice, grapefruit soda, salt
Last up in our tequila cocktails, the Bloody Maria! The Bloody Mary is a classic vodka cocktail, but swap out the liquor for tequila for this spin on the classic! It's absolutely worth trying: it's tangy, spicy, and perfectly seasoned. The tequila brings a bright nuance to the drink, where vodka can get lost.
Ingredients: Tequila, lemon, tomato juice, horseradish, Tabasco, Worcestershire, celery salt
Types of tequila
The secret to the best tequila cocktails? Buy a good tequila! A cocktail is only as good as the alcohol you use. Look for a mid-price range tequila (or a high end one, if your budget allows). You can buy either blanco or reposado, depending on the drink. Here’s the difference between these types of tequila and when to use them:
- Tequila blanco (or “new” tequila) has been aged less than 2 months and has a strong, straightforward flavor. Use in easy drinks like the Tequila Sunrise or Frozen Margarita.
- Tequila reposado (“rested” in Spanish) is aged longer, from 2 to 12 months. It has a more nuanced flavor, with notes of oak and vanilla. Use in classy drinks like the Classic Margarita or Cadillac Margarita.
Paloma (& More Tequila Cocktails!)
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 0 minutes
- Total Time: 5 minutes
- Yield: 1 drink 1x
Description
Combine tequila and grapefruit and you’ve got the classic Mexican paloma cocktail! Here’s how to make this tangy and refreshing drink.
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) tequila blanco
- 4 tablespoons (2 ounces) fresh squeezed grapefruit juice
- 1 tablespoon (½ ounce) fresh squeezed lime juice
- 1 tablespoon (½ ounce) maple syrup or simple syrup
- 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) soda water
- Flaky sea salt & grapefruit wedge, for the garnish
Instructions
- Cut a notch in the grapefruit wedge, then run the grapefruit around the rim of a glass. Dip the edge of the rim into a plate of flaky sea salt.
- To the glass, add the tequila, grapefruit juice, lime juice, syrup and stir until combined.
- Fill the glass with ice (clear ice if you want to get fancy!). Top with soda water and serve!
- Category: Drink
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: Cocktails
- Diet: Vegan
Keywords: Tequila Cocktails
More types of cocktails
There are so many more great cocktail recipes to try! Here are some of our best drink collections:
- Sour Cocktails All the very best sours: Whiskey Sour, Sidecar, even the Margarita and Mojito.
- Vodka Cocktails Try the greats: Gimlet, Cosmo, and more.
- Gin Cocktails All the classics: Gin Fizz, Tom Collins, Gin & Tonic, and more!
- Bourbon Cocktails Try these bourbon greats, like the Old Fashioned and Manhattan.
- Campari Cocktails Unique spins like the Boulevardier and Negroni Sbagliato, classics like the Negroni.
- Highball Cocktails Easy to drink and even easier to make!
- Cointreau Cocktails All the great drinks using this orange liqueur.
- Champagne Cocktails These cocktails are light and bubbly! Perfect for celebration.
- Cranberry Cocktails Cranberry cocktails are so refreshing, like Vodka Cranberry and Sea Breeze.
- Frozen Alcoholic Drinks Cool off with Frose or Frozen Sangria.
How does Gingerale and tequila work
Great! You can use the same proportions as the ginger beer here: https://www.acouplecooks.com/mexican-mule/
Very good
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