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Tequila Recipe
Tequila Sunrise
This iconic cocktail is a burst of energy that paints your palate with the warmth of a sunrise.
Time to make: 10 minutesServes: 1
Tequila Sunrise – a dazzling blend of top-shelf tequila, vibrant orange juice, and a hint of grenadine magic. This iconic cocktail is a burst of tropical energy that paints your palate with the warmth of a sunrise.
Ingredients
- 1.5 oz. Don Julio Blanco
- 3.5 oz. Fresh Orange Juice
- 0.75 oz. Grenadine Syrup
- Orange Slice and Cherry to garnish
Directions
- Pour tequila and orange juice into a Highball glass over ice
- Stir to combine
- Slowly pour grenadine over the top to create a 'sunrise effect'.
- Garnish with a cherry or an orange twist.
In this recipe
What does a tequila sunrise taste like?
This cocktail is bright and fruity with a strong citrus flavor profile.
Tangy
Orange juice provides refreshing, tangy citrus.
Sweet
Grenadine (which is a pomegranate syrup) adds sweetness, as well as the deep red color needed for the base of a tequila sunrise.
Use top-shelf tequila
Tequila adds the signature agave flavor that brings it all together. We recommend blanco (silver) tequilas like Don Julio Blanco tequila, Casamigos Blanco or DeLeon Blanco tequila. All three feature a note of citrus that complements the citrus focus of the tequila sunrise and are made from 100% Blue Weber agave for the best agave flavor.
Add a flavored rim
And we like to add a salty rim for a sweet and salty flavor combo that brings your taste experience to the next level!
What's in a tequila sunrise?
This popular drink is made with three base ingredients: blanco tequila, orange juice and grenadine.
While the original recipe is a simple-to-make classic, cocktail lovers have come up with dozens of spins. Some add orange-flavored liqueur. Some substitute cherry or cranberry juice for grenadine. Or, you might even like a salted rim — we’ve included that in our recipe here. And the tequila sunset, a sister drink to the tequila sunrise, is achieved by replacing orange juice with grapefruit juice.
If you like it a little more tart, add a squeeze of lemon or lime. You can also adjust the proportions. With the tequila sunrise, the sky is the limit on exciting new flavor combinations.
Where did the tequila sunrise come from?
Rock ’n’ roll and fruity drinks? As it turns out, the tequila sunrise and rock music go hand in hand. Though the origin of the tequila sunrise is shrouded in uncertainty, mostly because the drink has changed significantly over the years, there are a few things we know.
A “tequila sunrise” was created in a famous Arizona luxury hotel in the 1930s and 1940s — but you might not recognize it as the drink we enjoy today. This original tequila sunrise contained tequila, crème de cassis (a blackcurrant liqueur), lime juice and soda water. But rock ’n’ roll made the tequila sunrise famous when the cocktail became the favorite of a global 1970s rock ‘n’ roll icon.
Variations to customize your tequila sunrise
Are you looking for something a little different? Try these variations on our classic tequila sunrise.
If you like it a little sour
Squeeze a bit of lemon or lime into your drink to cut down on the sweet flavor.
Want to get really creative? For something even more tart, swap out orange juice for grapefruit juice to create an entirely new cocktail—a tequila sunset.
For a kick of spice
Do you want a bit of a kick in your fruity drink? Try infusing your tequila with jalapeño! Pour tequila into a small jar and add a sliced jalapeño. Cover and let sit overnight. Strain and discard the jalapeño. Now you have spicy tequila ready for use! You can even add a thin slice of jalapeño as garnish to your spicy tequila sunrise.
If you’re missing the grenadine
No grenadine? No worries! You can replace the grenadine in a tequila sunrise in several ways.
- Use a red juice such as cherry juice or sweet cranberry juice for a slightly different flavor profile.
- Mix two-parts simple syrup with one-part pomegranate juice.
- Make your own raspberry syrup with sugar, water, raspberries and lemon.
- Mix one-part strawberry syrup with one-part club soda.
- Pay homage to the tequila sunrise’s ancestor with crème de cassis.
Don’t be afraid to experiment!
Switch up the spirits
We recommend blanco tequila (like our Don Julio Blanco, DeLeon Blanco, or Casamigos Blanco) for the classic tequila sunrise. But if you’re looking for something a little different, or don’t have blanco on hand, try one of these variations.
For a smoky flavor with a broody tone, replace tequila with a quality mezcal (like our Casamigos Mezcal). This sunrise has a storm on the horizon.
No tequila or mezcal on hand? You can also try a vodka sunrise. Replace tequila with vodka for a drink that is somewhere between a tequila sunrise and a screwdriver.
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Get in the mix
Love this recipe? Shaking up cocktails at your next soiree? We'd love to see it. Follow us on Instagram and tag @thebardotcom to show us your serve.