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The perfect Tequila Sunrise cocktail has colorful layers and a refreshing, sweet-citrus taste. As a classically-trained chef with plenty of cocktail-making experience under my belt, Iโve perfected this Tequila Sunrise recipe so you donโt have to experiment. Just grab 5 classic cocktail ingredients and start mixing!
Iโll also cover several close variations depending on whatโs in your cupboard. Itโs a forgiving cocktail that can easily be customized! If you need a signature cocktail for your next party, the color Tequila Sunrise is a great choice thatโs always popular with a crowd. And itโs a simple trick to make family-friendly: just leave out the tequila and youโre good to go!
Table of Contents
Tequila Sunrise Drink ingredients
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe.
Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- Tequila:ย Choose tequila blanco, aka silver tequila, which has not been aged. This lighter tequila is great for mixed drinks.
- Lime juice:ย Purely optional, but oh, so amazing. ย Tequila and lime are best buds.
- Orange Juice: Freshly squeezed, if you can. It really makes a huge difference in a simple cocktail like this one.
- Grenadine syrup: That little bottle of red, sugary pomegranate-flavored syrup that is part of a well-stocked bar? Thatโs the โsunrise.โ The syrup sinks to the bottom of the glass, giving the cocktail a rosy hue and some sweetness.
- Soda or seltzer water:ย Look for an unsweetened, bubbly soda. Optional, but lightens the drink up from syrupy to ahhh, refreshing!
How to make a Tequila Sunrise
- Fill a highball glass (or other tall glass) with ice. Add tequila, lime juice (if using), and orange juice. Stir. Pour grenadine down the back of a spoon and let it rise from the bottom of the glass (you should see it clearly through the side of the glass).
- Do not stir. Top with seltzer water (if using) and garnish with the orange wheel and maraschino cherry.
Tequila Sunrise Recipe Tips and Variations
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 cocktail as Tequila Sunrise drinks are best crafted one at a time, by hand. There isnโt really a way to see the grenadine float across the top of the glass if you make them in a big batch or in a blender.
- Glassware: The more dynamic, the better. Tall glasses really show off the sunrise.
- Tequila Sunset:ย Some variations use grapefruit juice instead of orange juice. Other recipes call for raspberry Chambord, crรจme de cacao, or even blackberry brandy drizzled over the drink instead grenadine, giving the drink a darker, purplish hue that resembles a sunset.
- Tequila Screwdriver: Make it with tequila, orange juice, and a pinch of salt (no grenadine).
- Grenadine substitute: Feel free to experiment with a drizzle of maraschino cherry juice, pomegranate molasses, a splash of cranberry juice, or raspberry syrup instead.
- More Tequila Sunrise variations: Try pineapple juice or a tequila mix (for Margaritas). You could also pour your grenadine into the center of the drink instead of towards the edge of the glass.
Tequila Sunrise Cocktail FAQs
The original Tequila Sunrise cocktail was created in Phoenix, Arizona in the 1930s or 1940โs by a bartender named Gene Sulit at the Arizona Biltmore Hotel. The original tequila sunrise ingredients were tequila, creme de cassis (a blackcurrent liqueur), lime juice, and soda water or club soda.
The modern version of the Tequila Sunrise, now an official IBA cocktail, was first served in Sausalito, California in the 1970s, created by bartenders Bobby Lozoff and Billy Rice. Itโs still made with tequila, but now it has citrusy taste from orange juice and a splash of sweet grenadine.
Choose tequila blanco, aka silver tequila, which has not been aged. This lighter tequila is great for mixed drinks.
Tequila Sunrise is an alcoholic cocktail made with tequila.
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Tequila Sunrise Cocktail
Ingredientsย
- 1 1/2 ounces of tequila (see note 1)
- 1 ounce lime juice optional (see note 2)
- 4 ounces orange juice (see note 3)
- 1/2 ounce grenadine (see note 4)
- Seltzer water optional (see note 5)
- Orange wheel and cocktail cherry, for garnish
Instructionsย
- Fill a collins glass (or other tall glass) with ice. Add tequila, lime juice (if using), and orange juice. Stir.
- Pour grenadine down a spoon and let it rise from the bottom of the glass. Do not stir. Top with seltzer water (if using) and garnish with the orange slice and maraschino cherry.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Tequila:ย Choose tequila blanco, aka silver tequila, which has not been aged. This lighter tequila is great for mixed drinks.
- Lime juice:ย Purely optional, but oh, so amazing. ย Tequila and lime are best buds.
- Orange Juice: Freshly squeezed, if you can. It really makes a huge difference in a simple cocktail like this one.
- Grenadine: That little bottle of red, sugary pomegranate-flavored cherry syrup that is part of a well-stocked bar? Thatโs the โsunrise.โ The syrup sinks to the bottom of the glass, giving the cocktail a rosy hue and some sweetness.
- Soda or seltzer water:ย Look for an unsweetened, bubbly soda. Optional, but lightens the drink up from syrupy to ahhh, refreshing!
- Yield: This recipe makes 1 cocktail as Tequila Sunrise drinks are best crafted one at a time, by hand. There isnโt really a way to see the grenadine float across the top of the glass if you make them in a big batch or in a blender.
Was not a big fan of adding the lime juice. It took away from the orange juice and sweetness from the syrup. The seltzer gave it a little bubbly feeling.
Grenadine is not maraschino cherry syrup. It is pomegranate syrup. Roseโs grenadine is high fructose corn syrup with red food coloring. Itโs fairly shocking an executive chef wouldnโt know something most corner tavern bartenders do.
Hi Wire, thank you for taking the time to let me know there was an error in the post! It absolutely is pomegranate-flavored syrup. Iโve updated it. Thank you again! โ Meggan
Love the recipe itโs fun, beautiful and refreshing. Would do it again this weekend
๐๐๐น
An easy and delicious recipe! My friends loved it!