Best Tequila Sunrise Recipe

There’s a lot to love about the tequila sunrise cocktail. It’s refreshing, delicious, and easy to mix up (and the recipe is surprisingly easy). This beautiful drink doesn’t require any expertise in bartending. But it is sure to impress your guests at your next cocktail party.

The magic behind the recipe for a tequila sunrise is grenadine. It’s a sweet, nonalcoholic, pomegranate syrup that balances out the tartness of orange juice. When you pour this delicious red syrup into your cocktail, it sinks to the bottom of the glass, then rises up like a sunrise and forms the breathtaking orange and red layers.

The tequila sunrise is a great go-to whether you’re hosting a backyard barbecue or staying in and watching a movie. Here’s a brief look at the history of the tequila sunrise — and the best tequila sunrise to make tonight.

 

The History of the Tequila Sunrise Cocktail

As with many cocktail-origin stories, there are a few versions of how the tequila sunrise recipe was born. One story suggests the cocktail originated in the 1930s or 1940s at an Arizona hotel. Another credits a bartender duo in Sausalito, California in the tequila craze of the 1970s.

Either way, what is known is that the original recipe is actually not what people recognize as a tequila sunrise today.

 

The Original Tequila Sunrise Recipetequila sunrise recipe

Sparkling and light, the original tequila sunrise was made with crème de cassis, a sweet black currant liqueur known for its deep red hue.


To make an original tequila sunrise:

  1. Pour 1 ½ oz. of tequila and the juice of half a lime into a Collins glass filled with ice.
  2. Top with club soda.
  3. Slowly pour ¾ oz. crème de cassis into the cocktail.
  4. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and a lime wheel.

 

Best Go-To Tequila Sunrise Recipe

This tequila sunrise cocktail is both delicious and beautiful. To make this great go-to tequila sunrise, you’ll need the following

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz. tequila (any tequila works for this recipe!)
  • 4 oz. orange juice
  • ½ oz. grenadine
  • Orange slice (for garnish)
  • Maraschino cherry (for garnish)

 

Making this tequila sunrise recipe is easy.

Best Tequila Sunrise steps:

  1. Gather your ingredients.
  2. Fill a highball glass with ice.
  3. Pour tequila and orange juice over ice.
  4. Stir well.
  5. Very slowly pour the grenadine around the inside edge of the glass. The key is to do this step slowly, allowing the grenadine to sink and gradually rise up to mix with the other ingredients. This is what creates the “sunrise” look. Do not stir — unless you want to end up with a blush pink drink instead.
  6. Garnish with a maraschino cherry and an orange slice.
  7. Enjoy your cocktail!

 

Some Tips for Your Tequila Sunrise

Making a tequila sunrise isn’t difficult, but it can take a few tries to get it exactly how you want it. Try these tips to make this cocktail really shine for your personal palate:

  • Is the tequila sunrise too sweet for your taste? Try adding just a dash of lime or lemon juice before the grenadine. This can help balance out the taste (without giving up the appearance).
  • Making the tequila sunrise by the pitcher? Just increase the ingredients. Keep the ratio of 1 part tequila to 2 parts orange juice. Then, add the grenadine either to the pitcher or each individual glass.
  • Is this recipe too strong for your preference? Increase the ratio to 1 part tequila to 3 parts orange juice.
  • Can’t choose what tequila to use? Experiment! Different tequilas can give you a slightly different outcome.

 

3 Delicious Variations of the Tequila Sunrise Recipe

If you want to experiment a little more, try these tequila sunrise variations. They use different kinds of alcohol and ingredients to create new, exciting flavors.

 

For the Margarita Lovers: Frozen Tequila Sunrise Margarita

Merging tequila sunrises and margaritas, this take on the tequila sunrise recipe is perfect for a hot summer day. Don’t forget to check out this article on choosing the best tequila for your margarita.

 

To make a frozen tequila sunrise margarita, you’ll need the following

Ingredients:

  • Coarse salt (for the rim)
  • ½ oz. grenadine
  • 1 ½ oz. tequila
  • ½ oz. triple sec
  • 1 oz. orange juice
  • ½ oz. sour mix
  • 1 cup ice
  • Lime wedge and maraschino cherry (for garnish)

 

When you’re ready to make this delicious cocktail, grab your blender and

follow these steps:

  1. Rim a tall margarita glass with salt by running a lime wedge around the rim and dipping it into a shallow dish of coarse salt.
  2. Pour grenadine into the glass, allowing some to run down the sides to enhance the color and appearance.
  3. Add tequila, triple sec, orange juice, sour mix, and ice to your blender.
  4. Blend until smooth.
  5. Pour the contents of the blender into your prepared margarita glass and stir slightly.
  6. Garnish with a lime wedge and/or a maraschino cherry.
  7. Enjoy!

 

For the Vodka Lovers: Firefly Cocktail Recipe

A fan favorite, the firefly cocktail recipe has the stunning appearance of a tequila sunrise. But it’s made with vodka and grapefruit juice instead.

 

To make a firefly cocktail, you’ll need the following

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz. vodka
  • 4 oz. grapefruit juice
  • 1 oz. grenadine

 

The firefly cocktail is a simple but delicious drink.

Here are the steps:

  1. Gather your ingredients.
  2. Pour the vodka and grapefruit juice into a highball glass filled with ice.
  3. Stir well.
  4. Add the grenadine, allowing it to float from the bottom up. Stir as much as you’d like.
  5. Enjoy!

 

For the Rum Lovers: Ruby Rum Sunrise

If your alcohol of choice is rum, you’ll love this ruby rum sunrise recipe. It’s a bit more tart than a tequila sunrise, but it still maintains its impressive appearance.

 

To make a ruby rum sunrise cocktail, you’ll need the following

Ingredients:

  • 2 oz. rum
  • 1 ½ oz. ruby red grapefruit juice
  • ½ oz. sour mix
  • ½ oz. grenadine

 

When you’re ready to enjoy your rum-based cocktail,

Follow these easy steps:

  1. Gather your ingredients.
  2. In a cocktail shaker filled with ice, pour in the rum, grapefruit juice, and sour mix.
  3. Shake well.
  4. Strain into an old-fashioned glass with fresh ice. (Try this fun baseball-shaped glass!)
  5. Pour grenadine on top until it covers the bottom of the glass.
  6. Enjoy!

 

Find Your Favorite Tequila Sunrise Recipe

No matter your cocktail preferences, you’ll find a tequila sunrise recipe to love. Or, check out one of these unusual tequila cocktails instead! With a bit of experimenting — and a lot of fun ingredients — your go-to tequila cocktail is waiting for you to enjoy on a hot summer day.

 

Which tequila sunrise cocktail recipe are you going to make tonight?

 

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