Drinks Cocktails Tequila Cocktails 21 Tequila Cocktails Every Home Bartender Should Make Whether you're feeling a sweet or savory cocktail, tequila has an answer. By Oset Babür-Winter Oset Babür-Winter Title: Senior Drinks Editor, Food & WineLocation: New York CityExperience: Oset Babür-Winter has completed the Wine and Spirits Education Trust's (WSET) Level 3 Award in wines and was previously the magazine's associate culture editor, where she edited Obsessions. Food & Wine's Editorial Guidelines Updated on February 6, 2024 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon While we love a good sipping tequila, there's something to be said for pairing this classic agave-based spirit with simple ingredients like orange juice and grenadine to make a show-stopping Tequila Sunrise or picking up a bottle of Cointreau and some jalapeño peppers to whip up a Spicy Margarita. Tequila is incredibly versatile and can shape-shift into the perfect, boozy base for sweet and savory cocktails alike. Here's how to make the best tequila cocktails that are easy enough for home bartenders of any level and will likely please a crowd (or, at the very least, take the edge off of a particularly taxing work week). 01 of 21 Spicy Margarita Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon How do you make the most famous, classic tequila cocktail even better? Add a jalapeño pepper. Get the Recipe 02 of 21 Classic Margarita Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Oset Babür-Winter The Margarita is one of the most riffed-upon classic cocktails out there, but at its core, this simple drink calls for blanco tequila, lime juice, and Cointreau orange liqueur. Get the Recipe 03 of 21 Margherita Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling Lucy Simon This Italian variation on a Margarita from Don Angie in New York calls for reposado tequila and channels Sicily with fennel and blood oranges. Get the Recipe 04 of 21 Tequila Mocking Goat Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling Barrett Washburne Lime, chiles, cilantro, and ginger set this tequila cocktail apart from the rest. Get the Recipe 05 of 21 Ranch Rosé Photo by Sarah Crowder / Food Styling by Chandra Ram Ranch Water, a refreshing concoction of tequila, fresh lime juice, and sparkling water, is a tequila highball said to have been created by cattle ranchers in West Texas in the early 1960s. The addition of a splash of the French aperitif Lillet Rosé to this cocktail lends it gentle floral flavor notes and a pink hue, while the blood orange syrup adds more sweetness and tart citrus notes. Get the Recipe 06 of 21 Honey Trap Honey Trap cocktail. GUILLERMO RIVEROS Smoky, sweet, tart, and pleasantly warming, the Honey Trap is the perfect autumnal cocktail for a tequila lover. Get the Recipe 07 of 21 Here Comes the Sun Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christine Keely Piquant heat from tequila infused with fresh jalapeño and Aperol infused with fresh Thai chiles is rounded out by sweet prickly pear syrup in this Bloody Mary recipe. Get the Recipe 08 of 21 Apple Cider Margarita Chelsea Kyle / Food Styling by Drew Aichele Apples and tequila might sound like an odd couple, but it turns out that they’re the dynamic duo your taste buds never knew they needed. Get the Recipe 09 of 21 Cinnamon & Tequila Chelsea Kyle / Food Styling by Drew Aichele It’s rare to see tequila in a hot drink, but pairing the spirit with cinnamon and ginger makes this winter tipple special. Get the Recipe 10 of 21 Tequila Sunrise Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon Is it summer yet? We're ready, and so is this Tequila Sunrise cocktail, which calls for three ingredients and a chill mindset. Get the Recipe 11 of 21 Guava Goddess Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon If you love Aperol, tequila, and making drinks for a crowd, this batch-friendly cocktail is for you. Get the Recipe 12 of 21 Verbena-Infused Tequila and Tonic Aubrie Pick This fresh cocktail balances light citrus and herbal notes from the infused syrup with bubbly club soda and smooth blanco tequila. Get the Recipe 13 of 21 Palmonic Carey Jones We're huge boosters of the Paloma — a drink that, in its simplest form, is just grapefruit soda and tequila, although we're prone to dress it up with fresh juice. So it's a little surprising it's taken us this long to try it with tonic. Get the Recipe 14 of 21 Chipilo Cocktail Matt Taylor-Gross This bright, tequila-based aperitif is perfect for your next dinner party. Get the Recipe 15 of 21 Grilled Pineapple Tequila Punch Greg Dupree In this Grilled Pineapple–Tequila Punch, the sweet and smoky notes of grilled pineapple meld deliciously with tequila, Ancho Reyes Verde (a spicy, crisp poblano liqueur), and splashes of pineapple and lime juices. Get the Recipe 16 of 21 Montego Slay Matt Taylor-Gross / Food Styling by Lucy Simon This bright tequila cocktail from one of NYC's top cocktail bars is surprisingly easy to make at home. Get the Recipe 17 of 21 Pomegranate Margarita Photo by Andrew Bui / Food Styling by Caitlin Haught Brown This sweet-and-sour Margarita has a tart kick from the pomegranate juice and a vibrant red color. Get the Recipe 18 of 21 Paloma Photo by Rachel Vanni / Food Styling by Judy Haubert Fresh grapefruit juice is the star of this Paloma cocktail that was served at Jimmy's (now closed) in Aspen, Colorado. Shaken with flavorful reposado tequila, a squeeze of lime, and lots of ice, the drink is topped with splashes of lemon-lime and club sodas for a not-too-sweet version that is sure to refresh. Get the Recipe 19 of 21 Tequila-Watermelon Aguas Frescas with Prosecco ADRIAN GAUT In this refreshing cocktail, Prosecco adds a lively spritz to a light, watermelon-forward Margarita. If you happen to have a juicer on hand, you can certainly use it here. Get the Recipe 20 of 21 Watermelon-Tequila Cocktails © John Kernick When watermelon is in abundance, this is a great way to use it. Bobby Flay purees seedless watermelon chunks, then strains the juice through a sieve and mixes it with silver tequila, sugar syrup, blueberries, mint, and fresh lime juice. Get the Recipe 21 of 21 Gingerbread Margarita Photo by Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Audrey Davis This winter Margarita has a warm, cozy, cake-spice panache that wouldn't be out of place at a holiday party. The spiced syrup is key: It intensifies the orange flavors of the cocktail while adding a seasonal spice hit that brings much-needed warmth during the winter months. Get the Recipe Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit