13 Grapefruit Juice Cocktails You'll Want to Savor

Updated March 3, 2021
Bartender preparing grapefruit cocktail

Grapefruit cocktails are perfect for nearly everyone because of the way that they can balance between sour and sweet, and can be pushed towards one side to appeal to people's individual tastes. Try out one, or all, of these grapefruit cocktails to add some pucker power to your next cocktail party.

Jalapeño Grapefruit Margarita

Sour grapefruit and spicy jalapeños provide a kick in this spin on the classic margarita recipe. It's a great choice for a summer party or a chips and dip kind of night.

Jalapeno grapefruit margarita

Ingredients

  • Himalayan pink salt
  • Grapefruit wedge
  • ½ ounce freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 2 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
  • 1½ ounces triple sec
  • 2 ounces tequila
  • 5 thin slices of seedless jalapeño, and extra for garnish
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. On a small plate, spread out a small amount of pink Himalayan salt.
  2. Run the grapefruit wedge around the rim of a margarita glass and dip it in the salt.
  3. In a cocktail shaker, combine thelime juice, grapefruit juice, triple sec, tequila, and jalapeño. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  4. Strain into the prepared margarita glass and garnish with jalapeno slices and grapefruit wedge.

Rosemary Grapefruit Rickey

Rosemary and grapefruit make a tasty flavor combination in this variation on a lime rickey. These herbal flavors mix perfectly with the gin's own botanical notes, resulting in a delightfully light cocktail.

Rosemary Grapefruit Rickey

Ingredients

  • Two sprigs rosemary, one for garnish
  • ¾ ounce simple syrup
  • 1½ ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
  • 2 ounces gin
  • Ice
  • Seltzer water
  • Grapefruit slice for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle 1 rosemary sprig with the simple syrup.
  2. Add the grapefruit juice, gin, and ice. Shake to chill.
  3. Strain into a collins glass filled with ice and top with the seltzer.
  4. Garnish with a rosemary sprig and a slice of grapefruit.

Grapefruit Mojito

Although it may feel a bit weird to combine mint and grapefruit juice, they come together in this mojito recipe to create a refreshing drink that can cleanse the palate.

Grapefruit Mojito

Ingredients

  • Six fresh mint leaves
  • ¾ ounce simple syrup
  • ¾ ounce freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
  • 1½ ounces white rum
  • Ice
  • Seltzer
  • Grapefruit slices and mint sprig for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, muddle the mint with the simple syrup.
  2. Add the grapefruit juice and rum. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Top with seltzer and stir.
  4. Garnish with grapefruit slices and a mint sprig.

Colony Cocktail

A historic cocktail that comes straight from the speakeasies of New York, this gin cocktail combines grapefruit juice and cherry liqueur for a deliciously tart beverage. So, tip your hat to the 1920s and stir up one of these.

Colony Cocktail

Ingredients

  • 1½ ounce freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
  • 1½ ounces cherry liqueur
  • 2 ounces gin
  • Ice
  • Grapefruit, sliced for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the gin, grapefruit juice, and cherry liqueur. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  2. Strain into a cocktail glass, and garnish with a grapefruit slice.

Vodka Tart

Even the clumsiest person can make this easy cocktail recipe; simply combine vodka and grapefruit juice and you have a tart take on the vodka sour.

Vodka Grapefruit Tart Cherry Cocktail

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce vodka
  • 2 ounces grapefruit juice
  • Ice
  • Club soda
  • Lime wedge for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka and grapefruit juice. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  2. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice. Top with club soda.
  3. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Ruby Red Mimosa

Another incredibly simple variation on an easy cocktail, a ruby red mimosa switches out orange juice for grapefruit juice; this sour cocktail would go great with any sweet breakfast item like a chocolate croissant, syrup laden pancakes, and so on.

Ruby Red Mimosa

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
  • 3 ounces chilled Champagne
  • Grapefruit wedge for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a Champagne glass, combine grapefruit and Champagne.
  2. Garnish with a grapefruit slice.

Greyhound

This classic cocktail follows historic trends in combining only two ingredients; in this case, the Greyhound mixes gin with grapefruit juice for a botanical cocktail.

Greyhound Cocktail

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce gin
  • 2 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
  • Ice
  • Lemon wedge for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine gin and grapefruit juice. Add ice and shake to chill.
  2. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
  3. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Chihuahua

Named after both the Mexican region and the country's infamous dog breed, the Chihuahua recipe mirrors the Greyhound, only it substitutes gin for silver tequila and would go great with every meal.

Chihuahua Cocktail

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce silver tequila
  • 2 ounces freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
  • Ice
  • Lime wedge for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker combine tequila and grapefruit juice. Add ice and shake to chill.
  2. Strain into a rocks glass filled with ice.
  3. Garnish with a lime wedge.

Hemingway Daiquiri

Famed author, Ernest Hemingway, was so partial to this grapefruit and maraschino cherry daiquiri that it became his signature cocktail.

Hemingway Daiquiri Cocktail

Ingredients

  • ½ once freshly squeezed lime juice
  • ½ ounce maraschino liqueur
  • 1 ounce grapefruit juice
  • 2 ounces white rum
  • Ice
  • Lime wheel for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the lime juice, maraschino liqueur, grapefruit juice, and rum.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain the mixture into a cocktail glass and garnish with a lime wheel.

Grapefruit Screwdriver

This recipe takes the classic screwdriver and punches it up by incorporating the mouth-puckering tartness of grapefruit juice into a delicious brunch cocktail.

Grapefruit Screwdriver

Ingredients

  • 2 ounces grapefruit juice
  • 1 ounce vodka
  • Splash of club soda
  • Ice
  • Grapefruit wheel for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the grapefruit juice and vodka.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain the mixture into a collins glass filled with ice and top with club soda.
  4. Garnish with a grapefruit wheel.

Banker's Lunch

A lesser-known classic cocktail, the Banker's Lunch combines grapefruit juice, orange liqueur, vodka, and vermouth for a refined drink fit for any Wall Street businessperson.

Banker's Lunch Cocktail

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce grapefruit juice
  • ½ ounce orange liqueur
  • 1 ounce vodka
  • ½ ounce dry vermouth
  • Ice
  • Grapefruit wheel for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the grapefruit juice, orange liqueur, vodka, and vermouth.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain the mixture into a rock glass filled with ice and garnish with a grapefruit wheel.

Rosewood Cocktail

This simple cocktail can easily be made at home since it only requires three separate ingredients: simple syrup, grapefruit juice, and bourbon.

Rosewood Cocktail

Ingredients

  • ½ ounce simple syrup
  • ½ ounce grapefruit juice
  • 1½ ounces bourbon
  • Ice

Instructions

  1. In a cocktail shaker, combine the simple syrup, grapefruit juice, and bourbon.
  2. Add ice and shake until chilled.
  3. Strain the mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice.

Grapefruit Rose Kennedy Cocktail

The iconic Rose Kennedy cocktail gets a citrus spin in this recipe which swaps out the splash of cranberry juice that gives the drink its signature pink color with grapefruit juice.

Grapefruit Rose Kennedy Cocktail

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce club soda
  • 1 ounce vodka
  • Ice
  • Splash grapefruit juice
  • Lemon wedge for garnish

Instructions

  1. In a rocks glass filled with ice, combine the club soda and vodka. Stir.
  2. Top with grapefruit juice.
  3. Garnish with a lemon wedge.

Add Grapefruit Juice to Cocktails

Grapefruit juice often serves as a good replacement for other fresh citrus juices in cocktails. If these citrus juices are a bit too tart for you, try a half and half replacement. Take half of the citrus juice and replace it with grapefruit juice; be sure to take a sip of your mixture and check that you enjoy the balance before pouring it into your drink. You might find that you actually like a greater or smaller ratio of grapefruit juice to citrus juice. This is a great way to vary cocktails and come up with a new twist.

Tart and Refreshing

Grapefruit is an incredibly versatile ingredient that can help add tartness or sweetness to a drink depending on the other ingredients at play. However, adding grapefruit juice to any cocktail will result in something so tart and refreshing that it's perfect for all occasions.

13 Grapefruit Juice Cocktails You'll Want to Savor