The Best Tequila Cocktail Recipes
Is your preference sweet, spicy or smoky — or even all three? Whatever taste you favor, you’ll find that the versatility of tequila makes it perfect for a wide range of cocktails.
A margarita and a Paloma are easy, go-to tequila cocktails, but today, mixologists are creating inventive tequila drinks that showcase the spirit’s versatility and different flavors. We’ve gathered nine incredible tequila cocktail recipes from prominent bars, hotels, and restaurants to expand your repertoire.
Fleurita
This floral cocktail from St-Germain is delightfully fresh and stunningly beautiful. It consists of Cazadores Blanco tequila mixed with cucumber juice, orange blossom syrup, and citrus. Combine the ingredients in a cocktail shaker and shake well, then strain into a glass over ice. The garnish is what really makes the Fleurita cocktail stand out, sprinkle edible flowers and fennel pollen salt on top for a wow factor.
Ingredients
½ oz St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
1 ½ oz Cazadores Blanco Tequila
1 oz cucumber juice
½ oz Orange Blossom Syrup (combine 1 cup of cane sugar and 1 cup water and gently heat until dissolved. Remove from heat and add 2 tsp orange blossom water)
¼ oz Citric Acid Solution (whisk 10 ml or 2 tsp citric acid — lemon or other citrus juice — with 100 ml water)
Avocado Margarita
The Avocado Margarita from the Agua Bar at One&Only Palmilla in Mexico is a quirky, creamy cocktail inspired by Mexico’s signature food and drink — avocados and tequila. First, make spinach juice by blending five spinach leaves with one cup of water in a blender. Measure out ¼ oz of spinach juice per drink and set the rest aside. Add all ingredients to a shaker and shake for 20 seconds before straining into a glass. Lastly, serve the cocktail topped with a sprinkle of salt and black pepper for garnish. The avocado gives the cocktail a creamy texture, while the spinach juice and seasonings give it earthy notes. Additionally, the agave gives a burst of sweetness.
Ingredients
1 oz Cointreau
½ oz agave nectar
¾ oz fresh lemon juice
⅛ avocado
¼ oz spinach juice (see directions above)
Salt and black pepper
El Grito
The El Grito cocktail by Jim Meehan, a James Beard Foundation award-winning mixologist and author, is a sweet and straightforward cocktail. It consists of four ingredients: Casa Dragones Añejo Barrel Blend tequila, vanilla agave syrup, Bittermen’s Mole Bitters, and lastly, a mandarin orange for garnish. Stir the ingredients together, then strain into a chilled old-fashioned glass with one large ice cube.
Ingredients
2 oz Casa Dragones Añejo Barrel Blend
¼ oz vanilla agave syrup
2 dashes Bittermen’s Mole Bitters
Mandarin orange twist for garnish
The Royale Margarita
The standard margarita is a tried-and-true favorite, but we prefer more elevated riffs on the classic. Yana Volfsun, the beverage director at famed Mexican restaurant Cosme in New York City, shared her refined take on a margarita with us. First, combine Casa Dragones Blanco tequila, Giffard Triple Sec, and lime juice in a canister and shake. Then, strain the mixture into a tall glass over fresh ice cubes, before topping with 2.5 oz of Champagne. Lastly, garnish with a lime twist. The Champagne adds unexpected effervescence, as well as a citrus punch to the classic cocktail.
Ingredients
¾ oz Casa Dragones Blanco
¾ oz Giffard Triple Sec
2 ½ oz Brut Champagne; she recommends Perseval Farge Champagne
¾ oz lime juice
Lime twist for garnish
Double G
The Double G cocktail, created by mixologists at Eden Roc and Nobu Hotel Miami Beach, is easy to make at home. It’s a simple combination of Casa Noble Reposado tequila, St-Germain Elderflower liqueur, Giffard Liqueur Crème Pamplemousse, and lemon juice. The result is a zesty, sweet, and sour cocktail. Begin by combining all of the ingredients in a cocktail shaker, and shake until the cocktail shaker becomes frosted. Afterward, pour the mixture into a short glass filled with ice. Lastly, garnish with fresh grapefruit zest for a citrusy zing at first sip.
Ingredients
1 ½ oz Casa Noble Reposado
¾ oz St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur
¾ oz Giffard Liqueur Crème Pamplemousse
½ oz lemon juice
Zest from 1 grapefruit for garnish
Pico Picante
The Pico Picante is a creative take on a spicy margarita from Bodega Taqueria y Tequila, a Mexican restaurant and lounge in Miami. You’ll love this cocktail for the many flavorful elements — smoky, spicy, citrusy, and sweet. It includes Teremana Blanco tequila, Ilegal Joven Mezcal, cucumber juice, jalapeño-cilantro syrup, lime juice, and orange bitters. Firstly, combine all the liquid ingredients in the shaker. Next, add ice and shake for approximately 20 seconds so the ingredients mix properly. Wet the rim of a glass with lime, and then spin it into spiced salt or tajin. Strain the shaken ingredients into the glass with fresh ice, and garnish with a cucumber ribbon.
Ingredients
1 ½ oz Teremana Blanco Tequila
½ oz Ilegal Mezcal Joven
1 oz cucumber juice
¾ oz lime juice
2 dashes of orange bitters
Cucumber ribbon for garnish
Hotel Paloma Azul
The Hotel Paloma Azul cocktail is a lovely, citrus-forward concoction. It uses Flecha Azul, a premium tequila carefully crafted in Jalisco, Mexico. Firstly, combine Flecha Azul Cristalino with blood orange juice and juice from a grapefruit into a shaker. Afterward, add ice and shake. Then, strain the mixture into a highball glass filled with ice. Lastly, top with Prosecco until the glass is full and garnish with a wedge of grapefruit. The subtly sweet flavor of the blood orange in combination with the tart grapefruit is divine.
Ingredients
2 oz Flecha Azul Tequila Cristalino
1 oz blood orange juice
1 oz grapefruit juice
Watermelon Margarita
This refreshing watermelon margarita from the bar at the Four Seasons Costa Palmas in Los Cabos is the perfect combination of spicy and sweet. First, you’ll want to choose your favorite tequila. We recommend Casa Dragones Blanco. Then, mix it with Damiana Liqueur (an herbal-based liqueur from Mexico), watermelon juice, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker. Add ice and shake well. Lightly dip the rim of a serving glass first in lime juice, then in salt. Muddle sliced jalapeños (to your preferred level of spiciness) in the bottom of the glass. After that, strain the cocktail into the glass over ice and stir. Lastly, put cubes of watermelon and chopped jalapeños onto a toothpick and place it over the rim for garnish.
Ingredients
2 oz of your favorite tequila (our recommendation: Casa Dragones Blanco)
1 oz Damiana Liqueur
2 oz watermelon juice
¾ lime juice
1 jalapeño
Casamigos Margarita Light
This tasty take by Casamigos is everything you want in a classic margarita, but with a twist from the orange bitters. The fusion of flavors makes for a sweet, tangy cocktail. It’s also quite easy to make. To start, build your Casamigos Blanco, fresh lime juice, agave nectar, and orange bitters into a tin shaker. After that, add ice and shake vigorously. Lastly, strain over ice, garnish with an orange wheel, and enjoy.
Ingredients
2 oz Casamigos Blanco
1 oz fresh lime juice
½ oz agave nectar
2 dashes of orange bitters
Orange wheel for garnish
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