5-Ingredient Paloma Cocktail Recipe
- By Amy Dong
- Published Jul. 25, 2023
- Updated Oct. 11, 2023
Congratulations – you’ve landed on the Best Paloma Cocktail Recipe. With just 5 ingredients, this easy and refreshing Paloma recipe is about to become your next go-to easy cocktail recipe.
In This Article
Super Easy Paloma Cocktail
Hot summer months beg for refreshing drinks and backyard cookouts. Flip flops on feet + cocktail in hand = Power Couple 💞
When hosting casual outdoor gatherings, easy yet delicious cocktails are a staple. Usually there’s Big Batch Pineapple Margaritas or 3-Ingredient Lemonade Margaritas on the ready. For a delightful change of pace, add this sparkly Paloma Cocktail to the drink menu. Fun fact: paloma is known as Mexico’s most popular cocktail…now we know why.
On the food front, we love serving up these super-easy Hawaiian Grilled Steak Tacos that are 100% crowd-pleaser. Anything that can be marinated ahead of time and allows you to sit back and enjoy the party is a big YES.
Why This Recipe Stands Out
- This paloma cocktail can be prepared ahead of time.
- It’s supremely refreshing, with a flavor profile of citrus, sweetness, tartness, and cheerful sparkly-ness.
- It looks beautiful and whoever you shake this up for will be impressed.
- It’s super easy to make, especially if you have simple syrup already pre-made. We highly recommend having a bottle of simple syrup in the fridge regularly.
- It’s perfection for brunch and backyard cookouts.
Key Ingredients
For the best paloma recipe, get your hands on the freshest ingredients:
- Use freshly squeezed juice, as it is by far the best tasting and most rewarding way to go. A simple, budget-friendly citrus juicer makes this task extremely easy.
- Simple syrup is made by combining sugar and water on stovetop until fully dissolved.
- Freshly squeezed lime juice is essential for a boost of citrus flavor and acidity.
- Use a nice quality tequila – you’ll want a good Blanco/silver tequila, as that is the standard for Paloma cocktails.
- Club soda: top off with freshly opened, sparkly club soda to add a bit of bubbly.
Variations and Substitutions
This paloma recipe is already perfect as-is, but if you’d like to switch it up a bit, here are a couple of ideas:
- Lemon-lime soda in lieu of the simple syrup and club soda, for an extra boost of citrus.
- Use a combination of limes and lemons for the citrus piece.
- If you want salt-rimmed glasses, pour kosher salt into a small plate. Moisten rims of glasses with water, lime juice, or grapefruit juice. Dip rims into plate of kosher salt before filling with Paloma.
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Make-Ahead Simple Syrup: Bring 1 part water and 1 part granulated sugar to a low boil, stirring until fully dissolved. Immediately remove from heat and let fully cool before using. Keep a jar of simple syrup in the fridge to use any time.
- Combine: In a small pourable container, combine the fresh grapefruit juice, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and tequila. Stir to incorporate well. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
- Serve: fill 4 glasses with desired amount of ice. Divide Paloma cocktail into the glasses. Top off with club soda and garnish as desired. Serve immediately.
Commonly Asked Questions
A Paloma is a refreshing and popular Mexican cocktail made with tequila, grapefruit soda, lime juice, and sometimes a pinch of salt. It’s typically served over ice with a wedge of lime. It’s a great alternative to the more well-known Margarita and has gained popularity worldwide. Note that grapefruit soda can be hard to find, so we use club soda in our recipe.
The sweetness of a Paloma can vary depending on the soda used. Some sodas are sweeter than others, so the level of sweetness in the cocktail can be adjusted based on personal preference. Ours is not overly sweet, as we sweeten ours with simple syrup and use club soda for the carbonation.
While both the Paloma and Margarita cocktails contain tequila and lime, they are distinct drinks with different flavor profiles. The Paloma is typically sweeter due to the addition of grapefruit soda, while the Margarita is a tart and tangy cocktail made with triple sec and lime juice.
Yes, you can experiment with different sodas to create variations of the Paloma. Some people use grapefruit juice with lemon-lime soda, while others use other citrus-flavored sodas. We use club soda for our recipe, which is easily found in any grocery store.
Yes, you can make a non-alcoholic Paloma by omitting the tequila and using grapefruit soda or juice with club soda and lime juice.
Did you make this?
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The Best Paloma Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup grapefruit juice, freshly squeezed
- ¼ cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 TB simple syrup*
- 1 cup silver tequila, or good quality blanco
- 1 cup club soda
- Optional Garnishes: kosher salt, grapefruit slices, lime slices
Instructions
- In a small pourable container, combine the fresh grapefruit juice, fresh lime juice, simple syrup, and tequila. Stir to incorporate well. Keep chilled until ready to serve.
- When ready to serve: fill 4 glasses with desired amount of ice. Divide Paloma cocktail into the glasses. Top off with club soda and garnish as desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Make-Ahead Simple Syrup: Bring 1 part water and 1 part granulated sugar to a low boil, stirring until fully dissolved. Immediately remove from heat and let fully cool before using. Keep a jar of simple syrup in the fridge to use any time.
- Alternatively, you can use lemon-lime soda in lieu of the simple syrup and club soda.
- If you want salt-rimmed glasses, pour kosher salt into a small plate. Moisten rims of glasses with water, lime juice, or grapefruit juice. Dip rims into plate of kosher salt before filling with Paloma.
- If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating ❤️
