Shake things up this Cinco de Mayo with some edgy drinks that’ll no doubt be the highlight of your night. We all love tacos, but wouldn’t they be better with a cool glass of tequila to wash it down!? Here’s our list of the top 10 must-have drinks for the occasion. With 5 to 10 minute prep time, these drinks will refresh your guests and give you that buzz to celebrate all night long!
1. Mango Margarita
How To Make It:
Step 1
Spread the chile powder in a dish. Moisten the rim of a margarita glass with the lime wedge; dip the rim in the chile powder to coat.
Step 2
In a blender, puree the mango.
Step 3
Add the remaining ingredients and blend until smooth. Pour into the glass and serve.
2. Blood Orange Margarita
Ingredients:
- 1 quart fresh blood orange juice or fresh orange juice (about 12 blood oranges or 8 large navel oranges)
- 1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice (about 12 limes)
- 1 1/2 cups Cointreau or other triple sec
- 3 1/2 cups silver tequila
- Kosher salt
- 1 blood orange or orange wedge, plus 12 thin blood orange or orange slices
- Ice
- 1 dozen small sage sprigs or leaves
How To Make It:
In a large pitcher, mix the blood orange juice with the lime juice, Cointreau and silver tequila. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 30 minutes.
Spread a small mound of salt on a small plate. Moisten the outer rim of 12 martini glasses with the orange wedge, then dip the rims into the salt to lightly coat.
Add ice to the pitcher and stir well, then strain into the prepared glasses. Garnish each margarita with a blood orange slice and a sage sprig and serve.
Make Ahead
3. Grapefruit Tequila Slammer
Ingredients:
- 4 ounces fresh grapefruit juice
- 2 ounces silver tequila
- 2 ounces lemon lime soda
- garnish with additional grapefruit
How To Make It:
Step 1:
Add all ingredients to glass with ice. To get it to fizz up and mix, cover top of glass with your hand and give it a good “slam” against the countertop (wood works better than stone if you enjoy drinks free of broken glass).
4. Mexican Mule
Ingredients:
- 2 oz tequila
- 2 oz freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
- Ginger beer
- Ice
- Simple syrup or agave if desired
How To Make It:
Step 1
Add the tequila and grapefruit juice to a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake well and then strain into a highball or rocks glass.
Step 2
Add ice to the glass and then top off with ginger beer.
Step 3
Add simple syrup or agave if needed.
5. Mexican Mimosa
Ingredients:
- 1 ounce tequila
- 3/4 ounce simple syrup
- 2 ounces grapefruit juice
- 3 ounces dry white sparkling wine
How To Make It:
Step 1
Pour tequila, simple syrup and grapefruit juice in champagne glass and stir gently to combine.
Step 2
Add chilled sparkling wine and serve immediately.
6. Firecracker
Ingredients:
- 4 oz Prairie Cucumber Vodka
- 4 (1-inch) cubes of seedless watermelon
- 2 limes, diced
- 2 oz simple syrup (Boil 1/4 cup water and sugar just until sugar dissolves. Add 1/4 cup ice to cool – refrigerate leftovers)
How To Make It:
Step 1
Combine vodka, watermelon and lime in a cocktail shaker. Muddle all ingredients well. Add simple syrup, fill with ice, cover and shake until ice cold.
Step 2
Rim the glasses with a cut lime and dip in the lime rim mixture.
Step 3
Fill the glasses with ice and strain the ingredients from the shaker into the glasses.
Step 4
Garnish with a watermelon slice, a cucumber slice and a mint sprig.
To Garnish
- Lime Rim (equal amounts salt and sugar combined with some fresh grated lime)
- 2 Watermelon Slices
- 2 cucumber slices
- 2 small mint sprigs
7. Fresh & Spicy Rose Water Margarita
Ingredients:
- Ice
- 3-Ounces White Tequila (Blanco) – Spicy, if Desired
- 1-Ounce Grand Marnier (or Other Orange-Flavored Liqueur)
- 2-Ounces Fresh Lime Juice
- 1-Ounce Rose Water (~ Make sure you use “food grade”!)
- (Optional) Splash of Cold Water – I like mine a little diluted : )
- For Garnish: Extra Lime Slices, Pink Himalayan Salt, Rosebuds, Jalapeño Slices
How To Make It:
Step 1
If you want to spice your tequila, add a slice of jalapeño to a bottle or jar. The tequila will take on the flavor quickly, so you only need to let it marinate for an hour or two (if that), when using a small jar.
Step 2
Rim your glass with lime juice from the extra lime slices, and salt, if desired. Set aside.
Step 3
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, tequila, Grand Marnier, lime juice and rose water. Shake well. Strain into glass.
Step 4
Garnish!
8. Agave Negro
Ingredients:
- 3 blackberries
- 1 lime wedge
- 1 cup ice
- 1 1/2 ounces reposado tequila
- 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
- 3/4 ounce Simple Syrup
- 1/2 ounce Chambord
- 1 ounce chilled club soda
How To Make It:
Skewer one blackberry and the lime wheel on a pick. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the remaining 2 blackberries.
Step 2
Add the ice, tequila, lime juice, Simple Syrup and Chambord.
Step 3
Shake well and pour into a rocks glass.
Step 4
Stir in the club soda and garnish with the skewered blackberry and lime wheel.
9. Paloma
Ingredients:
- 1 lime wedge
- Kosher salt (optional)
- Ice
- 2 ounces blanco tequila
- 1 ounce fresh grapefruit juice
- 3/4 ounce fresh lime juice
- 1/2 ounce Simple Syrup
- 1 ounce chilled club soda
- 1 lime wedge, for garnish
How To Make It:
Step 1
Moisten the outer rim of a highball glass with a lime wedge and coat lightly with salt. Fill the glass with ice.
Step 2
Fill a cocktail shaker with ice, then add the tequila, grapefruit and lime juices and Simple Syrup; shake well.
Step 3
Strain into the glass, stir in the club soda and garnish with a lime wedge.
10. Rio-Style Ginger Beer Floats
Ingredients:
- 1 pint mango sorbet
- 2 cups chilled fresh orange juice
- 2 bottles chilled ginger beer
- 4 ripe passion fruits, halved
How To Make It:
Scoop 1/2 cup of mango sorbet into each of 4 tall glasses and then add 1/2 cup of the orange juice to each glass
Step 2
Pour in the ginger beer
Step 3
Scoop the seeds from the passion fruits on top and serve immediately with long straws.