13 Tequila Drink Recipes Sure to Be Hits

Updated May 25, 2021
Row of tequila shots

While everyone loves a well-mixed margarita, sometimes you just want a few drink recipes with tequila that aren't as well known and can really bring the wow factor to whatever party or get-together that you're planning. Thankfully, any one of these thirteen tequila cocktail recipes will impress even the most skeptical friend in attendance.

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce Kahlúa
  • 2 ounces silver tequila
  • Ice
  • Lemon peel for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the Kahlúa and tequila.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain the mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice.
  4. Garnish with a lemon peel.

Long Beach Iced Tea

If you enjoy getting all of your drinking over and done with early in the evening, make yourself a glass of this cranberry-flavored variant of the infamous Long Island Iced Tea.

Long Beach Iced Tea

Ingredients

  • ½ ounce triple sec
  • ½ ounce vodka
  • ½ ounce light rum
  • ½ ounce silver tequila
  • ½ ounce gin
  • Ice
  • Cranberry Juice
  • Lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a collins glass filled with ice, combine the triple sec, vodka, rum, tequila, and gin.
  2. Top with cranberry juice and stir thoroughly.
  3. Garnish with a lime wheel.

Watermelon Mint Smash

This summery cocktail combines fresh mint and watermelon with simple syrup, club soda, and tequila for the perfect beverage to bring along on a picnic.

Watermelon Mint Smash

Ingredients

  • 5 mint sprigs
  • ¾ cup cubed watermelon
  • ½ ounce simple syrup
  • 1 ounce club soda
  • 1½ ounces silver tequila
  • Ice
  • Mint sprig for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a mixing glass, muddle the mint sprigs and watermelon.
  2. Add simple syrup, club soda, and tequila.
  3. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  4. Strain the mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice.
  5. Garish with a mint sprig.

Tequila Highball

A classic, no-fuss cocktail, the tequila highball puts a tequila-based twist on the regular whiskey highball and tops it off with lime seltzer.

Tequila Highball

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces silver tequila
  • Ice
  • Lime flavored seltzer
  • Lime wedge for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a highball glass, pour the tequila.
  2. Add ice and top with lime seltzer.
  3. Stir the ingredients and garnish with a lime wedge.

Ranch Water

Despite the drink's alarming name, you can rest assured that it doesn't include any dips or dressings in its ingredients list; rather, to make a ranch water you just combine lime juice, tequila, and Topo Chico to make this refreshing beverage.

Ranch Water

Ingredients

  • 1½ ounces freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2½ ounces silver tequila
  • Ice
  • Topo Chico
  • Lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a highball glass, combine the lime juice, tequila, and ice.
  2. Top with the Topo Chico and garnish with a lime wedge.

Coconut Margarita

An untypical margarita flavor, this coconut margarita brings the feeling of an island paradise to your tastebuds.

Coconut Martini

Ingredients

  • Lime wedge for garnish
  • Coconut shavings for garnish
  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2 ounces coconut cream
  • 1 ounce triple sec
  • 2 ounces tequila
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. Run a lime wedge around the rim of a martini glass and dip it into a plate full of coconut shavings. Set aside.
  2. In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice, coconut cream, triple sec, and tequila.
  3. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  4. Strain the mixture into the prepared martini glass.

Tequila Screwdriver

You can't go wrong with a brunch cocktail, and this recipe is so easy that anyone can make a tequila screwdriver in their sleep.

Tequila Screwdriver

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces silver tequila
  • Orange juice
  • Ice
  • Lime wedge for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a highball glass filled with ice, pour the tequila.
  2. Top with orange juice and garnish with a lime wedge.

Mexican Mule

A Mexican mule deviates slightly from the Moscow mule in that is pairs the ginger beer and lime juice with silver tequila instead of vodka.

Mexican Moscow Mule

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2 ounces silver tequila
  • Ice
  • Ginger beer

Instructions

  1. In a copper mule mug, combine the lime juice and tequila.
  2. Add ice and top with ginger beer.
  3. Thoroughly stir.

Gold Cadillac Cocktail

A fruity and tart drink, you can make a Gold Cadillac Cocktail by mixing lime juice, triple sec, gold tequila, and pineapple juice together.

Glasses of gold cadillac cocktail

Ingredients

  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • ¼ ounce triple sec
  • 2 ounces gold tequila
  • Ice
  • Pineapple juice

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice, triple sec, and gold tequila.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain the mixture into a tall glass filled with ice.
  4. Top with pineapple juice.

Spiced Apple Cider

Perfect for the fall months, this spiced apple cider brings lime juice, apple cider, triple sec, gold tequila, and a dash of cinnamon together in a delightfully autumnal drink.

Spiced Apple Cider

Ingredients

  • ¼ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 3 ounces apple cider
  • ½ ounce triple sec
  • 1 ounce gold tequila
  • Dash cinnamon
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice, apple cider, triple sec, gold tequila, and cinnamon.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain the mixture into a tall glass.

Gold Matador

Similar to the gold cadillac cocktail, the gold matador mixes lime juice, tequila, and pineapple juice together to create a well-balanced and fruity drink.

Pineapple juice with tequila and ice in glass

Ingredients

  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2 ounces tequila
  • 3 ounces pineapple juice
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice, tequila, and pineapple juice.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain the mixture into an old-fashioned glass filled with ice.

Polar Bear Cocktail

Certainly having a more sophisticated arrangement than your average cocktail, the Polar Bear requires a few unusual ingredients like celery bitters and vermouth to create an impressive dinner drink.

Lemon Cocktail

Ingredients

  • ½ ounce crème de menthe
  • ¾ ounce vermouth
  • 2 ounces mezcal
  • 3-4 drops celery bitters
  • Ice
  • Mint sprig for garnish (optional)
  • Lemon wheel for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the crème de menthe, vermouth, Mezcal, and celery bitters.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain the mixture into a cocktail glass.
  4. Garnish with the optional mint sprig and lemon wheel.

Loaded Pistol

This loaded pistol has a bit of a bite as it brings sweet vermouth, mezcal, Strega liqueur, and grapefruit bitters together.

Two glasses of tequila on the rocks

Ingredients

  • ¾ ounces sweet vermouth
  • 1½ ounces mezcal
  • ½ ounce Strega liqueur
  • 2-4 drops grapefruit bitters
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. In a mixing glass, combine the sweet vermouth, Mezcal, Strega liqueur, and bitters.
  2. Stir the ingredients together and strain into an ice filled glass.

Garnishing Tequila Cocktails

Once you've finished mixing your drink, it's important that you don't skip garnishing it in some way. Even the simplest of fruit or herbal accents can turn a cocktail from an average sight into an extraordinary one. Here are a few of the ways that you can garnish a tequila-based drink:

  • Giving your drink's glass a salted rim is a classic way to garnish a tequila cocktail.
  • Fresh fruit wedges on the rim add a pop of color to any cocktail.
  • Peeling small sections of citrus fruits and twirling them into a spiral shape adds an elegant touch.
  • Edible flowers instill a lovely botanical scent and appearance to any drink.
  • Topping off a drink with a touch of spices like ground cayenne pepper or chili pepper flakes adds a bit of heat.
  • Similarly, dropping in a few dashes of hot sauce to your cocktail can give it a much needed edge.

Delicious Tequila Mixers

Now that you've explored these thirteen delectable tequila drinks, you have the expertise to experiment with the silver and gold liquor. To get you started, here are some of the best mixers to combine with tequila:

  • Pineapple juice
  • Orange juice
  • Agave syrup
  • Grapefruit soda or juice
  • Lemon-lime soda
  • Clue soda
  • Tomato juice
  • Coconut water
  • Cola

Margaritas and More

Unfortunately, the margarita has become synonymous with tequila cocktails in most people's minds, leaving behind all of the possibilities for the classic and contemporary recipes that you can make when you have a bottle of tequila on-hand. So, break the Margarita cycle, and take a stab at making one of these thirteen tequila drinks yourself. If those aren't enough options, try some tequila and soda drinks.

13 Tequila Drink Recipes Sure to Be Hits