This delicious & refreshing Paloma Cocktail is a blend of tequila, grapefruit juice, a little bit of squirt and a splash of lime. It’s the perfect drink for any occasion.

Two paloma drinks placed on a vintage tray.
A Paloma Drink is great for gatherings!

***This post was originally published on Dec 2015. It has been updated to be more helpful.

Did you know that next to Margaritas, Palomas are one of the most popular drinks in Mexico? Made with just a few ingredients, these make for a great fun signature cocktail that’s simple to make. They are super refreshing with just the right amount of sweet.

Lime and grapefruit juice are a match made in heaven, add a little bit of tequila (or a lot, I don’t judge lol) and you have one delicious cocktail on your hands!

A Paloma cocktail garnished with grapefruit and an orange flower.

Ingredients

Palomas are a simple drink and you don’t need much to make this delicious cocktail! Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Good quality tequila – This drink can also be made with mezcal if you prefer.
  • Fresh grapefruit juice – if grapefruits are not in season, choose a high quality grapefruit juice.
  • Fresh lime – nothing best the flavor of fresh lime juice!
  • Squirt soda – this ingredient will make it perfectly sweetened.
  • Crushed ice – This is the best type of ice for this recipe.
  • Lime or grapefruit wedges for garnishing

***Make sure to scroll all the way down to the recipe card to get the full ingredient list and written recipe.

The Best Tequila For Palomas

Don’t skimp on a good Tequila! A silver or blanco tequila is best for Palomas. Look for one that is made of “100% agave”. If the label does not say this, the tequila may include corn syrup, sugar, artificial flavors or colors. Stay away from those!

For mixed drinks, we like to use a good tequila such Corralejo Reposado. This is not the most expensive tequila out there but it works perfect for mixed drinks. Save the best ones for when we choose to sip tequila.

Ingredients for this recipe placed on a vintage tray.
Simple ingredients for Paloma Cocktails

Essential Tools

You really don’t need much to make a Paloma. Just a few simple tools and ingredients and you’re ready to go! These are the things I like to keep around my kitchen for cocktails.

  • Cocktail glasses
  • Citrus Juicer
  • A large cocktail stirrer
  • Straws
  • Pitcher – if making for a party

How to make a Paloma Cocktail

Palomas are very easy to make. It’s a simple drink with simple instructions. This will make a single glass and can easily be doubled for an 8 ounce drink. If you want to make Palomas for multiple people, see right below for tips on making a pitcher.

  1. Start by filling up a cocktail glass with crushed ice. All the way to the top!
  2. Then add the tequila, grapefruit juice and Squirt.
  3. Add one small squeeze of lime juice from one wedge.
  4. Stir well with a stirrer and garnish with a lime or grapefruit wedge.
two glasses filled with an orange drink and garnished with slices of grapefruit.

Featured comment:

“My husband and I enjoyed this drink on a hot summer night, and we absolutely loved it! So refreshing and great after a long day. Definitely one of our new favorites and I can’t wait to make this for our gathering this weekend!”

Beth

Can you make a batch for a large crowd?

Yes! You can absolutely make this recipe for a large crowd! I’d recommend adjusting the serving size using the built in tool found in the recipe card below. It’s the best way to find out how much to make for your gathering.

You can mix all ingredients in a jar and reserve in the fridge until ready to use. Then at the last minute just serve over ice.

Paloma cocktail garnished with grapefruit and an orange flower.
Refreshing Paloma Cocktail

Serving Suggestions

Serve a refreshing Paloma with any of these dishes that makes the perfect menu:

An orange drink garnished with grapefruit and an orange flower.
Serve this Paloma Drink on your next fiesta!
Enjoy…

More Cocktail Recipes

? If you enjoyed this Paloma recipe I’d love it if you take 5 seconds to rate and review it below on the blog. It’s also super helpful to me and other readers if you share any changes you made to the recipe. I’m so grateful you’re here! ??

Print Recipe:

A Paloma cocktail garnished with grapefruit and an orange flower.

Paloma Cocktails | A Refreshing & Easy Recipe

Servings 1 glass
Ana Frias
4.70 from 10 votes
Prep Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes
Palomas are a classic & popular Mexican cocktail that is very refreshing! For this version all you need is tequila, grapefruit juice, a little bit of Squirt soda and a splash of fresh lime juice.
1 glass

Ingredients  

  • 1.5 oz  tequila
  • 2 oz fresh grapefruit juice
  • 1 fresh lime wedge
  • 1.5 oz Squirt
  • 1 lime or grapefruit wedge for garnish

Instructions 

  • Fill a cocktail glass with crushed ice
  • Add the tequila, grapefruit juice and Squirt soda
  • Add one small squeeze of lime from wedge
  • Stir well and garnish with a lime or grapefruit wedge

Muy Delish Notes:

To serve a large crowd just multiply the ingredients following the conversion option on the recipe card. Mix all ingredients in a jar and reserve until ready to use. Then at the last minute just serve over ice. 

Add Your Own Private Notes

Whenever you come back to this recipe, you’ll be able to see your notes.

Nutrition

Serving: 1glass | Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Sodium: 27mg | Potassium: 1mg | Sugar: 5g

The nutritional information and US conversions are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee the accuracy of this data. If this is important to you, please verify with your favourite nutrition calculator and/or unit conversion tool.

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Recipe Rating




11 Comments

  1. This recipe looks perfect, but what is Squirt? I love it because it other than the squirt it doesn’t have added sugar. Looks perfect.

    1. Hi Curryspace! Squirt is a soda pop which you’re right, it is sweet. Since the grapefruit is kind of tart, you do need to add some sweet to this drink. Plus the squirt makes it a little bubbly too. I hope you give it a try!

  2. 5 stars
    This paloma cocktail is so beautiful and delicious! It’s perfect for sipping around the pool with friends.

  3. 5 stars
    This cocktail is one of my favorites. I will be enjoying a few of these this weekend with family and friends.

  4. 5 stars
    My husband and I enjoyed this drink on a hot summer night, and we absolutely loved it! So refreshing and great after a long day. Definitely one of our new favorites and I can’t wait to make this for our gathering this weekend!

  5. 5 stars
    This refreshing Paloma cocktail was just what we needed to kick off the weekend. We’ll be making this again soon!