Unlike your college days, you won't have to hold your nose while throwing down these tequila cocktails. These delicious and easy-on-the-eyes recipes are made with refreshing ingredients and unique mixes (hi, beergarita) made to impress at gatherings or solo parties at home. Whether you're looking for a new favorite, an old classic, or a seasonal cocktail for spring or fall, you'll find your next favorite on this list. Servings: As many as it takes. (If you're looking to expand your cocktail repertoire, try our recipes for vodka cocktails, vermouth cocktails, champagne cocktails, and mocktails.)
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Cazadores Cristalita
Ingredients:
1.5 oz Cazadores Añejo Cristalino
3/4 oz Patrón Citrónge Orange
2 Lime Wedges
2 Lemon Wedges
1 Orange Wedge
Directions:
In a cocktail shaker, muddle citrus and combine all other ingredients with ice, shake and serve up in a coupe glass. Garnish with orange wedge and salt.
Courtesy of Cazadores Tequila
Watermelon Margarita
Ingredients:
2 oz (60ml) Tromba Reposado
2 oz (60ml) Fresh watermelon juice
1 oz (30ml) Fresh lime juice
1 oz (30ml) Agave nectar
4 Basil leaves
Directions:
Add all ingredients into a shaker with ice and shake. Strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice and garnish with a watermelon wedge or a crack of black pepper. Salt rim optional.
Courtesy of Tequila Tromba
Spicy Cucumber Jalapeno Margarita
Ingredients:
2 oz. Casamigos Blanco Tequila
1 oz. fresh lime juice
.5 oz. simple syrup
2 cucumber slices
1 jalapeño slice
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into tin shaker. Muddle fruit/herbs, add ice, shake vigorously, then fine strain into rocks glass. Add fresh ice and garnish with cucumber and jalapeño slice.
Courtesy of Casamigos
Tequila Sunrise Margarita
Ingredients:
Grenadine:
2 cups pomegranate juice (or cranberry)
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
Cocktail:
4 oz Tequila blanco
3 oz orange juice
2 oz lime juice
2 oz orange liqueur
Directions:
For Grenadine:
In a medium pan heat the pomegranate juice (or cranberry juice) over medium high heat until reduced by half. Add the sugar and continue simmering until it is fully combined. Remove from heat and cool completely. Refrigerate for at least an hour.
For Cocktail:
Combine the tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and orange liqueur in a cocktail shaker filled with ice and shake until cold. Pour the mixture into glass. Using a spoon, drizzle the grenadine at the inside edge of the glass.
Courtesy of Creative Culinary
Arandano Spritz
Ingredients:
1oz DANO’S Blanco Tequila
¼ cup fresh blueberries
¼ oz fresh lemon juice
1 tsp agave simple syrup
Prosecco
Directions:
Muddle blueberries, lemon juice and agave in shaker. Add tequila and ice. Shake and double strain into flute. Top with Prosecco. Garnish with fresh blueberries and lemon. Enjoy.
Courtesy of Dano's Tequila
Champagne Margarita
Ingredients:
2.5 oz Taffer's Skinny Margarita Mix
5 oz Tequila
1 oz Prosecco or Champagne
Directions:
Add Taffer's mix and tequila to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously, rim your glass with lime juice then dip and rim with salt. Place a large ice cube in your margarita glass, then strain your cocktail mixture over ice. Top with Prosecco or Champagne garnish with herbs or dried rose petals.
Courtesy of Taffer's Mixologist
Tequila Bee’s Knees
Ingredients:
1 ½ parts Hornitos® Reposado Tequila
¾ part fresh lemon juice
½ part fresh cranberry juice
½ part honey
Maraschino cherry
Lemon twist
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a coupe glass and garnish with a maraschino cherry and a lemon twist.
Courtesy of Hornitos Tequila
Bulldog Strawberry Margs
Ingredients:
2.5 oz Taffer's Margarita Mix
1. 5oz Tequila
1 Bottle of Beer (Corona)
Directions:
Add Taffer's mix and tequila into a cocktail shaker filled with ice, shake vigorously, strain into a large glass filled with ice, making sure the glass is only 3/4 full. open your beer. Tilt your glass and quickly put your beer upside down into the glass. Serve with a Straw and garnish with strawberry or lime!
Courtesy of Taffer's Mixologist
Casa Repo Fresco
Ingredients:
2 oz. Casamigos Reposado Tequila
1.5 oz. Fresh Grapefruit Juice
.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
.5 oz. Agave Nectar
3 Cucumber Slices
8–10 Mint Leaves
Top with Soda Water
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into tin shaker, except soda water. Muddle fruit/herbs, add ice, shake vigorously, and fine strain into Collins glass. Add fresh ice, top off with soda water, and garnish with mint sprig through cucumber slice and place on top of glass.
Courtesy of Casamigos
Mint Chocolate Black Barrel
Ingredients:
1 ½ parts Hornitos® Black Barrel® Tequila
¾ part chocolate liqueur
2 dashes Angostura® bitters
Mint leaves
Strawberry
Directions:
Lightly muddle 3-5 mint leaves in a shaker. Add remainder of ingredients into the shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a strawberry.
Courtesy of Hornitos Tequila
Espresso Martini
Ingredients
1.5 oz Volcan de mi Tierra Cristalino
1 oz Mr. Blac
.5 Ancho Reyes
.25 Vanilla bean syrup
1 oz Cold brew
Directions:
Shake ingredients together. Pour into a coupe glass and garnish with a toasted marshmallow.
Courtesy of Volcán De Mi Tierra
Pineapple Cinnamon Margarita
Ingredients:
2.5 oz Taffer's Margarita Mix
5 oz Tequila
1 oz Pineapple Juice
½ tsp Cinnamon
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a cocktail shaker with ice, shake vigorously, pour in glass filled with ice, garnish with a fresh pineapple slice.
Courtesy of Taffer's Mixologist
Piñarindo
Ingredients:
2 oz. Silver Tequila
1 oz. Tamarind Puree
1 oz. Pineapple Puree
3/4 oz. Lime Juice
3/4 oz. Agave
3 Slices of Fresh Jalapeño
Chile de Árbol
Directions:
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice. Add silver tequila, tamarind and pineapple puree, lime juice, and agave. Add sliced jalapeño to cocktail ingredients and shake. Pour strained cocktail into coupe glass rimmed with Chile de arbol.
Courtesy of Cantina Rooftop in New York City
Tiger Balm
Ingredients:
2 oz. Volcan de mi Tierra Blanco
.75 oz. Lime Juice
.75 oz. Grapefruit Szechuan Oleo Saccharum
Soda
Glass: Collins
Garnish: Dehydrated lime wheel/Tajin
Directions:
Add ingredients to tin, shake/strain, top with soda, garnish with a lime wheel and a pinch of Tajin.
Courtesy of Chinese Tuxedo
Spicy Margarita
Ingredients:
2 parts Herradura Silver
1 part fresh squeezed lime juice
½ - ¾ part agave
1-2 fresh jalapeno slices (red or green)
Directions:
Muddle jalapeno slices in bottom of a cocktail shaker. Add the rest of the ingredients with ice. Shake hard, then strain over fresh ice. Garnish with jalapeno and lime wedge.
Courtesy of Herradura
Maria Verde
Ingredients:
2 Parts Milagro Reposado
1½ Parts Jicama Juice
1 Rib of Celery
1 Part Tomatillo Juice
½ Part Fresh Lime Juice
6 drops Chipotle Sauce (or to taste)
A Pinch of Black Salt
Directions:
Build in high ball glass with ice. Garnish with celery, cherry tomatoes and lime wedge.
Courtesy of Jaime Salas, National Milagro Ambassador
Beergarita
Ingredients:
1 oz. Tequila
1 oz. Tattersall Grapefruit Crema
.5 oz. Lime Juice
6 oz. Light beer (i.e. Kolsh)
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a glass over ice. Garnish with a lime wedge. Salt rim optional.
Courtesy of Tattersall Distilling in Minneapolis
Blood Orange Paloma
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Don Julio Reposado
1.5 oz. Blood Orange Juice
.5 oz. Lime Juice
.5 oz. Agave
Club Soda
Salt & Paprika
Directions:
In a tin with ice, combine all ingredients excluding the club soda and shake. Strain over fresh ice in a paprika salt rimmed glass. Top with club soda and garnish with a blood orange wheel.
Courtesy of Inigo Salazar, Beverage Director at Bodega Negra
Sayulita Sunrise
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. 21 Seeds Valencia Orange Tequila
2 oz. pineapple juice
1 oz. pomegranate juice
2 oz. club soda
Directions:
Place pomegranate juice at bottom of wine glass. Fill glass with ice. Slowly pour in club soda, followed by tequila, and finally pineapple juice. Garnish with wedge of fresh pineapple or round slice of orange.
Courtesy of 21 Seeds
Pine & Wine
Ingredients:
1 oz. Cooper & Thief Sauvignon Blanc aged in Tequila barrels
1 ½ oz. Gin
½ oz. Blueberry Syrup
½ oz. Fresh Lime Juice
1 oz. Fresh Pineapple Juice
Directions:
Combine all ingredients into a cocktail shaker and fill with ice. Shake to chill the cocktail, and double strain into a rocks glass over ice. Garnish with a pineapple wedge.
Courtesy of Elliott Clark, @apartment_bartender for Cooper & Thief Cellarmasters
Prickled Pink
Ingredients:
2 Parts Milagro Silver
1 Part Fresh Lime Juice
2 Parts Pink Agua de Tuna**
3/4 Part Agave Nectar
Directions:
Pour all ingredients into a Boston shaker, shake and strain over fresh ice in a rocks glass. Garnish with lime wheel. **To make Agua de Tuna: Peel and roughly chop 5 prickly pear fruits (green and red), add to blender, and puree until smooth. Pour through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds and pulp, discard.
Courtesy of Jaime Salas, National Milagro Ambassador
Wolves in the Garden
Ingredients:
1¼ part Montelobos Espadín
¾ part Ancho Reyes Verde
½ peeled Kiwi
¾ part fresh Lime Juice
½ part Simple Syrup
2 dashes Celery Bitters
Pinch of salt
Directions:
Muddle kiwi in a shaker, then combine all ingredients and shake well. Serve over fresh ice in a Rocks or divide for a share size portion in 2 Veladora glasses. Garnish with mint bouquet and kiwi wheels.
Courtesy of Camille Austin, National Montelobos Ambassador
Montelobos Paloma
Ingredients:
½ part Montelobos Mezcal
½ part Ancho Reyes Chile Liqueur
3 parts grapefruit soda
Squeeze of lime
Directions:
Using a lime wedge, wet the rim of the glass and salt half of the rim. Add in Montelobos, Ancho Reyes, and grapefruit soda. Squeeze wedge of lime and discard. Garnish with a thin grapefruit wheel.
Courtesy of Camille Austin, National Montelobos Ambassador
Cooper & Thief White Wine Paloma
Ingredients:
2 oz. Cooper & Thief Sauvignon Blanc aged in Tequila barrels
1 oz. Blanco Tequila
1 oz. Fresh Grapefruit Juice
½ oz. Fresh Lime Juice
¼ oz. agave nectar
Soda Water
Directions:
In a cocktail shaker, combine all ingredients except for the soda water. Shake with ice to chill, and strain into a Collins Glass over ice. Top with soda water and garnish with a slice of grapefruit and sprig of mint.
Courtesy of Elliott Clark, @apartment_bartender for Cooper & Thief Cellarmasters
Mango Chile-rita
Ingredients:
1.5 ounces HI-CHEW Mango Infused Reposado Tequila
1 ounce fresh orange juice
.75 ounce fresh lime juice
.5 ounce simple syrup
1 dash Bittermens Hellfire Habanero Shrub (optional)
Kosher salt and cayenne pepper for garnish
Directions:
Run a lime wedge along the lip of one half of a rocks
glass, then roll that side of the glass in an equal-parts mix of kosher salt and cayenne pepper. Measure all the ingredients into a cocktail shaker. Fill with ice, shake vigorously, then strain over fresh ice in the prepared rocks glass.
Courtesy of HI-CHEW mixologist partner Allison Kave, owner of Brooklyn bar and bakery Butter & Scotch
Capri, Son
Ingredients:
0.75 lemon
0.75 raspberry syrup
0.25 pineau de Charentes
1.0 fino sherry
1 tsp St George raspberry brandy
Directions:
Shaken with 2 cubes and strained. Served in a wine glass and topped with sparkling wine Lime wheel garnish.
Courtesy of Jim Kearns, Beverage Director for Lemon’s, NYC
Orchard's Apple-rita
Ingredients:
4 oz. Angry Orchard Crisp Apple
1 oz. Blanco Tequila
0.5 oz. Mezcal
0.5 oz. Pineapple Juice
0.5 oz. Simple Syrup
0.5 oz. Lime Juice
Directions:
Shake and strain into a pint glass with ice and a
salt rim, top with Crisp Apple and garnish with a red apple slice and a pineapple wedge.
Courtesy of Angry Orchard mixologist partner Jeremy Oertel
Spiritous
Ingredients:
1.25 oz. Club soda
1.5 oz. Lemon juice
1.5 oz. Matcha honey
2 oz. Vodka
Glass: Collins
Ice: 4 kd cubes
Garnish: Matcha glass
Straw: 2 hay (7.5 inch)
Directions:
Grab glass, add ice, base with club soda, combine remaining ingredients in shaking tin, whip shake, fine strain, garnish, add straw, and serve .
Courtesy of Adam Miller for Silver Lining Diner
Platinum Margarita
Ingredients:
2 oz. Platinum Patrón Tequila
1 oz. Dolin
2 dash Rose Water
.25 oz. Agave Syrup
.5 oz. Lime Juice
Directions:
Stir all ingredients with ice for 30 seconds then pour in a mixing glass. Optional: in a mixing glass add 1 bar spoon of edible platinum color and 1 pinch of xanthum gum. Stir for 10 seconds then pour in your coupe glass. Garnish with an edible orchid.
Courtesy of Patrón
Garden Party
Ingredients:
1 1/4 oz. Tequila Don Julio Reposado
1/2 oz. Orange Liqueur
1/4 oz. Honey Syrup
1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
2 dashes Angostura Bitters
Lime Wheel, for garnish
Directions:
Combine Tequila Don Julio Reposado, orange liqueur, honey syrup, fresh lemon juice, and Angostura bitters into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain contents into a double old fashioned glass with fresh ice. Garnish with lime wheel.
Courtesy of Mixologist Erin Ashford
Pomegranate Margarita
Ingredients:
2 oz. Tequila
2 oz. Pomegranate Juice
1 oz. Lime Juice
1oz. Simple Syrup
Sparkling Ice Essence of Lemon Lime
Vanilla Flake Salt Rim, for garnish
Lime Wedge, for garnish
Directions:
Rim glass with a lime and dip into salt, then fill glass with ice and set to the side. In an ice-filled cocktail shaker, combine tequila, pomegranate juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and shake. Strain into glasses and top with Lemon Lime Sparkling Ice, then stir lightly to combine. Garnish with a lime wedge.
Courtesy of Sparkling Ice
The Rubus Fashioned
Ingredients:
2 oz. 1800® Añejo
3 dashes of Chocolate Bitters
2 dashes of Angostura Bitters
Cane Sugar Cube
3 Raspberries
Directions:
Add sugar cube, bitters, and raspberries to mixing glass. Muddle ingredients together. Add 1800® Añejo and ice and stir for 10 seconds. Strain over ice in rocks glass. Garnish with orange peel and raspberries. Serve dirty.
Courtesy of 1800 Añejo
Teq-Kiwi
Ingredients:
1 ½ parts Hornitos® Black Barrel® Tequila
¾ part Fresh Lemon Juice
½ part Simple Syrup
Kiwi
Dill
Black Sea Salt
Crushed Black Pepper
Directions:
Lightly muddle ½ kiwi and 2 sprigs dill in a shaker. Combine remainder of ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake vigorously. Double strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice. Garnish with kiwi slices and a black sea salt and crushed black pepper rim.
Courtesy of Hornitos Black Barrel Tequila
Ode to Atole
Ingredients:
1 1/4 oz. Tequila Don Julio Añejo
1 tsp. Sweet Vermouth
1 tsp. Turbinado Sugar
1 dash Bittermen's Mole Bitters
2 dashes Orange Bitters
Orange Peel, for garnish
Directions:
Combine Tequila Don Julio Añejo, sweet vermouth, turbinado sugar, Bittermen's mole bitters, and orange bitters into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain contents into a double old fashioned glass over fresh ice. Garnish with orange peel.
Courtesy of Mixologist Erin Ashford
Watermelon Jalapeño Margarita
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. Tequila Don Julio Blanco
4 oz. Fresh Watermelon Juice
3/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
1 tsp. Jalapeño Simple Syrup* (or add to taste)
1 Thinly Sliced Jalapeño
Chili Lime Salt and Lime Wheel for Garnish
Directions:
Combine Tequila Don Julio Blanco, fresh watermelon juice, fresh lime juice, jalapeño simple syrup, and a jalapeño slice into a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake well. Strain contents into a rocks glass with fresh ice and chili lime salt rim. Garnish with lime wheel.
*Combine 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add jalapeño slices and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 10-12 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat. Cover and allow jalapeños to steep for 10 minutes. Strain contents and let cool.
Courtesy of Lilliana Vasquez
Holiday in Jalisco
Ingredients:
2 oz. Espelon Blanco Tequila
.5 oz. Jalapeno Syrup
.75 oz. Lime Juice
.5 oz. Pineapple Juice
.25 oz. Simple Syrup
Directions:
Shake with cubes and strain over fresh ice. Top with 1.5 oz club soda. Garnish with a pineapple slice and a leaf.
Courtesy of Andaz Maui at Wailea Resort
Italian Stallion
Ingredients:
2 Dashes Scrappy's Chocolate Bitters
1 Small Rosemary Sprig
1 oz. Casamigos Repasado Tequila
1 oz. Lazzaroni Amaretto
1/2 oz. Fresh Lemon Juice
1/2 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
3/4 oz. Egg Whites
1/4 oz. Agave Syrup
Directions:
Add all ingredients into mixing tin, dry shake without ice.,Then add ice and shake vigorously. Then double strain with tea strainer, into martini coupe. Garnish with a rosemary sprig skewered lemon peel and/or edible flowers.
Courtesy of Bottiglia Cucina & Enoteca
Ingredients:
2 oz. Patrón Citrónge Mango
3 oz. Fresh Lemonade
3 oz. Unsweetened Iced Tea
6-8 Mint Leaves
Directions:
Tear mint leaves and add to a tall glass over ice. Pour remaining ingredients, stir, and serve. Garnish with lemon wheel and mint.
Courtesy of Patrón
Centinela Paloma
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz. Centinela Reposado Tequila
3/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
2 oz. Fresh Orange Juice
6 oz. Fresh Grapefruit Juice
4 oz. Grapefruit Soda
Agave Nectar, to taste
Orange and Cherries wedge, for garnish
Directions:
Mix all the ingredients and ice cubes in a tall glass. Garnish with orange wedge and a cherry.
Courtesy of Phillips Distilling
Watermelon Crush
Ingredients:
2 parts Tres Agaves Blanco
3-4 pieces Watermelon
½ part Hibiscus Syrup (Boil hibiscus tea; once hot, add in equal parts white sugar to the tea and let dissolve)
¾ part Lime Juice
½ part Coconut Water
Directions:
Muddle watermelon and combine all ingredients. Shake and strain into a highball. Garnish with a thin watermelon slice.
Created by Pamela Wiznitzer, USBG NY Chapter President and Creative Director Seamstress, NY
Pineapple Paraiso
Ingredients:
1.5 oz. Cabrito Blanco
.5 oz. Suze Liqueur
1 whole Cara Cara Orange Squeezed
4 Chunks Pineapple (Muddled)
Ginger/Sage (Muddled)
.75 oz. Lime Juice
.25 oz. Agave Nectar
Directions:
Hard shake, double strain into Leopold coupe. Garnish with black pepper and sage.
Courtesy of Tequila Cabrito
Twisted Bocktail
Ingredients:
1 ¼ parts Tres Agaves Reposado
¾ part Lemon
½ part Cointreau
½ part Simple Syrup
Hefeweisen
Directions:
Combine all ingredients minus the beer; shake and strain into a highball. Top with beer and garnish with lemon.
Created by Pamela Wiznitzer, USBG NY Chapter President and Creative Director Seamstress, NY
Green With Envy
Ingredients:
1 ¾ parts CRUZ Reposado Tequila
¾ part Lime
¾ part Honey Water
2-3 pieces Green Pepper
Dash of Cayenne
Directions:
Shake and strain into a lowball glass rimmed with a cayenne, sea salt and white pepper rim.
Created by Pamela Wiznitzer, USBG NY Chapter President and Creative Director Seamstress, NY
Sparkling Tequila Sunrise
Ingredients:
2 oz. Orange Juice
2 oz. Tequila
½ oz. Grenadine
2 oz. Tangerine Sparkling Water
Directions:
Fill a tall glass with ice cubes, then the orange juice, and tequila. Top with Tangerine Sparkling water and grenadine, then garnish with a maraschino cherry and orange slice and serve.
Courtesy of Sparkling Ice
Star of the Show
Ingredients:
2 oz. Casa Noble Reposado
½ oz. Alessio Chinato Vermouth
1 oz. Fresh Fruitations Grapefruit Mixer
½ oz. Fresh Lime Juice
½ oz. Wilks & Wilson Orgeat Syrup
2 oz. San Pellegrino Limonata
Directions:
Combine all ingredients except for soda and shake with ice. Add soda to mixture and strain over fresh ice. Garnish: Paper Straw, Fresh Grapefruit Peel, Rimmer of Aleppo Pepper and Lime (Junior Merino Brand).
Courtesy of Azure at The Palazzo
Coconut Lime Pop-Rita
Ingredients:
1 GoodPop Coconut Lime
1.5 oz. Tequila
2 oz. Soda
1-2 Lime Wedges
Directions:
Place GoodPop in glass and pour over tequila. Add soda to taste and garnish with lime wedges.
Courtesy of GoodPop
Cabo Green Margarita
Ingredients:
2 oz. Silver Tequila (100% blue agave)
1 oz. Pineapple Juice
4 slices Cucumber
1 ½ slices Cucumber, for decoration
7 leaves Fresh Cilantro
½ oz. Freshly Squeezed Lime
½ oz. Agave Honey or Simple Syrup
Ice
1 tsp. Powder Pepper ("Tajin", seasoning chili pepper, lime & salt powder) (optional)
Directions:
Put the 4 slices of cucumber, the leaves of cilantro, and the tequila in a shaker, mashed with a pestle and strain it. Add the rest of ingredients in the shaker (except the "Tajin" powder), fill the shaker with ice, and shake it for 10 seconds; serve it in a margarita or whiskey glass rimmed with "Tajin". If you prefer to have your Cabo Green Margarita frozen, add all the ingredients (except the "Tajin" powder) into a blender.
Courtesy of Esperanza, an Auberge Resort
The Gem of Summer
Ingredients:
2-3 oz. Watermelon DRY Sparkling
1 1/2 oz. Tequila
1/2 oz. Simple Syrup
1/4 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
3 Leaves of Sage
2 Lime Wheels
Directions:
Add 2 sage leaves to a cocktail shaker and bruise with a muddler. Add tequila, simple syrup, lime juice, and ice, then shake together. Strain into a collins glass with ice, then top with Watermelon DRY Sparkling. Garnish with watermelon and a sage leaf.
Courtesy of DRY Sparkling
