Grapefruit Paloma Cocktail Recipe
This post contains affiliate links (paid links). Advertisements displayed on this website do not reflect endorsements or recommendations made by Mitten Girl LLC. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Skip to Recipe
Made with grapefruit soda, fresh grapefruit juice, and a splash of lime, a Paloma is an easy-to-love cocktail that’s lighter and more refreshing than many other tequila cocktails. Bright, citrusy, and refreshingly fizzy, it’s a drink that strikes the perfect balance between sweet and tart.
Palomas are a classic Mexican cocktail (it’s the national drink of Mexico!), though margaritas still outrank them in popularity in the United States. Like so many classic cocktails, the history of the Paloma is a bit of a question mark.
Many credit its creation to Don Javier Delgado Corona, the same legendary bartender behind the Batanga cocktail and owner of the iconic La Capilla bar in Tequila, Jalisco, Mexico. Whether or not he was the first to mix tequila with grapefruit soda, the drink has long been a favorite in Mexico for its simplicity and thirst-quenching qualities.
With its quick preparation, refreshing flavor, and simple ingredients easily found at your local grocery stores, the Paloma deserves a spot in your cocktail rotation. Whether you go with the classic grapefruit soda version or a smokey mezcal Paloma twist, this cocktail is sure to become a favorite go-to.
Ingredients
Palomas are all about fresh flavors, so don’t even think about using bottled juices in this cocktail! Only the real fruit will do.
- Fresh grapefruit and fresh lime – The difference between a good cocktail and a great cocktail is fresh juice. Skip the bottled juice and squeeze fresh citrus for this cocktail. You’ll need about half of a grapefruit and half of a lime for this Paloma.
- Silver tequila – Tequila blanco (aka silver tequila or white tequila) is the traditional choice in this cocktail. Choose your favorite brand.
- Simple syrup – Simple syrup is super easy to make at home with only 2 ingredients and your microwave. Make it for this recipe, just be sure to give it time to chill before using it. Want to use a different sweetener? Swap it out for agave nectar.
- Grapefruit soda – I love using Jarritos Grapefruit soda in this drink. But I also enjoy a less sweet Paloma and often choose to use grapefruit sparkling water, Topo Chico, or club soda in this cocktail in place of the grapefruit-flavored soda.
Love This Recipe?
Check out more like it in my cocktail book, Homemade Happy Hour! Created for the beginning mixologist, Homemade Happy Hour is a cocktail book for anyone who finds making drinks at home intimidating or is just getting started on their home bar journey! >Order my Cocktail Book
How to Make a Paloma Cocktail (Step by Step)
Combine fresh grapefruit juice, tequila, simple syrup, and fresh lime juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.
Shake it all up. Strain into a tall, highball glass filled with ice cubes.
Classic Paloma Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 oz grapefruit juice, fresh squeezed
- 2 oz blanco tequila
- 1 oz simple syrup
- 0.5 oz lime juice, fresh squeezed
- 1-2 oz grapefruit soda, or grapefruit sparkling water
Instructions
- Combine grapefruit juice, tequila, simple syrup, and lime juice in a cocktail shaker filled with ice.3 oz grapefruit juice, 2 oz blanco tequila, 1 oz simple syrup, 0.5 oz lime juice
- Shake it all up. Strain into a tall glass filled with ice cubes. Top with grapefruit soda or sparkling water.1-2 oz grapefruit soda
- Gently stir your drink.
- Garnish with grapefruit slices, a grapefruit wedge, or a lime wedge.
- Sip and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
Create an easy Paloma variation by changing up the tequila in your cocktail. Reposado tequila is aged in oak barrels and tastes entirely different from blanco tequila. Or for a smoky twist, use Mezcal in place of the silver tequila.
Like a margarita, this cocktail is delicious with a salt rim! Run a piece of grapefruit around the rim of your glass and dip it in a small plate of coarse salt or flaky sea salt before you add ice cubes and pour your drink.
The type of grapefruit you choose will change both the flavor and color of your cocktail. White grapefruit tends to be more tart and will produce slightly yellow grapefruit juice. Red grapefruit (used in the photos on this page) will be naturally sweeter and produce pink grapefruit juice.
Make it a Spicy Paloma by adding slices of jalapeño peppers to your cocktail shaker before shaking up your drink.
Want a stronger Paloma without the fizz? Simply make this recipe as directed, leaving out the soda and serve it in a rocks glass.
Don’t Miss These Tequila Drinks
If you love citrus drinks, try a three ingredient ranch water tequila cocktail, a simple batanga cocktail, or a fruity tequila sunrise with orange juice. Or make one of my favorite tequila drinks – a margarita. I have lots of margarita recipes on my site, like this classic margarita or my triple citrus margaritas.
Hi Katy, how do I adapt the cocktail recipes with an infused liquor? for example, if I make a grapefruit infused vodka, does that mean I just substitute the vodka in a paloma recipe? or also the grapefruit juice? please advise. thank you.
Hi Tammy! Just swap out the liquor that’s called for with the infused liquor. So in your example, swap the regular vodka for the grapefruit infused vodka. Leave the other ingredients in the recipe as is to maintain the balance of the cocktail. Hope this helps!