Hi, my friends! I hope you’re having the most amazing start to your Monday morning following a restful weekend *a girl can dream, right? ;)* By now, it’s probably no surprise to you that I’m totally a tequila girl! When ordering at a restaurant or making an end of day cocktail at home, I’m more than likely to reach for tequila to create everything from a margarita to a spritz to shots with friends. Over the past year, I’ve been so lucky to work with one of my favorite tequila brands: Hornitos. I’ve created a ton of yummy recipes and today, I’m sharing a round-up of my top six! I’ve pulled these six specifically to show how to use tequila for drinks beyond margaritas and across the flavor profiles. Let’s jump on in!
Strawberry Hibiscus Splash
Starting with my favorite summer recipe right now, we need 2 shots of tequila, strawberry puree, one shot of honey, and LOTS of lime juice. Adding all that to the shaker, shake for up to a minute to properly mix in the honey then pour over fresh ice. I like to top with ice cold hibiscus ginger beer and a fresh sliced strawberry before enjoying. This cocktail is so yummy with a balance of tart from the ginger beer and sweet from the honey.
Mango cucumber seltzer
Okay, so this one is super simple but I love how refreshing the added cucumbers and lemons are. I use a mason jar with cucumbers and pour over the seltzer. I don’t add ice until I’m ready to drink or serve then squeeze in 1/4 of a lemon. The seltzer itself is refreshing but the added fruits add an edge of freshness.
Prickly Pear Margarita
At the beginning of Spring, I was obsessed with everything prickly pear. This recipe came from that obsession and is one I reach to create often. We need two shots of tequila, three shots of organic margarita mix (you can of course DIY your own), four shots of prickly pear juice/mixer and just one shot of peach schnapps. Combine everything in a shaker with ice and shake for 30 seconds before pouring over fresh ice. I top with a squeeze of lime and stir with an apple slice before serving 🙂
Rosemary paloma
Okay, somehow last fall was the first season I started to explore and drink palomas. Probably because I had so much tequila at home with the stress of trying to move across the country but whose to know for sure? 😉 I personally love the tartness of a palomas and leaned into that flavor profile for this rosemary spin. With two shots of tequila, .5 oz of blue agave, a generous pour of fresh pressed grapefruit juice and lime, you want to shake for at least a minute with a few springs of rosemary. Similar to the strawberry hibiscus splash above, the agave needs more time and ice to properly blend. Once your fingertips are basically frozen, pour over ice with a rosemary spring underneath to keep the flavor going.
Spicy peach margarita
Y’all, I’m 99% sure I had this margarita at least 3x/week last summer. It was my favorite recipe to make not just for myself but also when I had guests. With just 1.5 shots of #HornitosTequila; 2.5 shots peach nectar, juice or cider (best if found at your local farmer’s market; 1/2 lime squeeze and one shot of basil habanero syrup, you can have a sweet and spicy margarita in just a few minutes. For extra heat, add a fresh slice or two of jalapeño.
Cucumber blueberry spritz
Give me spritz cocktails or give me nothing, okay?! This cocktail is great just for one person or in sizable batches to share since the fruits leave a refreshing tastes the longer they soak into the tequila. For fruits, we need sliced cucumbers, limes and blueberries. Add the fruits to a shaker with ice, two shots of tequila, .5oz of St. Germain and a few fresh mint leaves. Shake all together for 30 seconds or until your shaker fully chills then, using a a strainer (super important instrument), pour over a fresh glass of ice and top with your favorite sparkling beverage: water, white wine or Prosecco. Polish off with a stirrer stem of blueberries, one mint leaf and a slice of cucumber.
Don’t love tequila? No worries! So many tequila based recipes can be swapped for vodka or rum and still taste amazing. The type of tequila you like, maybe Espolón or 1800, can also be swapped out based on what’s in your personal bar. You may also find that you prefer Hornitos for one of these recipes and another tequila for the next cocktail.
In the comments, I would love to know your favorite cocktail recipe! <3 Tequila or rum? Iced or warm? Simple stirring or a shaken concoction? Let me know!
Chat soon, friends! – xo, Azanique 💜
Interested in my other cocktails? Here are three other favorites: Rooftop champagne popsicle drink | Hot Toddy | Two Ginger Beer drinks
