Let cool completely to room temperature, then strain into a glass jar and seal tightly with a lid.Stir until sugar is completely dissolved.Add the sugar, water, and leftover grapefruit peels to a small saucepan over medium heat.Since we have leftover grapefruit peels from squeezing out the grapefruit juice, you can just add those in!

I always make my own simple syrup for cocktails because it's so easy and paying for it seems silly to me! You can also add in different herbs or fruit for a delightfully flavored simple syrup. My favorite grapefruit soda for a Paloma, and Ive tried a lot of them, Paloma is the recently released Q Grapefruit Soda. So I always taste first and then add in simple syrup.

Simple Syrup - You can add as little or as much simple syrup as you like! Depending on what type of grapefruit soda you get, the sweetness may vary.

Grapefruit Soda - This is the best part of a paloma in my opinion! Paloma's are typically made with Mexican soda like Jarritos, but you can also just use a mix of club soda and grapefruit juice.

Tequila - My favorite tequila for cocktails is 1800 Silver Tequila but you can use whatever you prefer!.

This paloma cocktail is also fantastic with some heat! To make it spicy, drop a few jalapeño slices into the tequila and let it sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before you make your drink. If you try this variation, you might want to add additional sweetener, to taste, to balance the smoky flavor.

Change it up! I love this recipe as written, but it’s also delicious with mezcal.

If it’s still stiffer than you’d like it to be, top your glass with more sparkling water. As the ice melts, it will dilute the drink. If your paloma tastes too strong when you first try it, let it sit for a few minutes at room temperature.

If it’s too strong, let the ice begin to melt.

For more tartness, squeeze in extra lime. If you prefer a sweeter paloma, add an extra splash of agave or simple syrup. Whenever you make a cocktail at home, taste and adjust to find a balance of flavors you love.

Enjoy!įind the full recipe with measurements below. Sweeten to taste, and garnish with a grapefruit or lime wedge. Add the tequila, grapefruit juice, sparkling water, lime juice, and sweetener to the glass, stir to combine, and add ice to fill the glass. Rub the rim of a highball glass or margarita glass with a grapefruit wedge, and dip it in a small plate of salt. Ice – A paloma cocktail is always better on the rocks!.Salt – For the rim of your glass! I like to use coarse sea salt, but kosher salt would work here too.I call for a small amount of agave or simple syrup, but don’t hesitate to add more to taste. Agave nectar or simple syrup – Because I don’t use soda in this recipe, I balance the sour/tart flavor of the grapefruit and lime with something sweet.Lime juice – Along with the grapefruit juice, it makes this drink deliciously tart.For the best flavor, use freshly squeezed grapefruit juice! Grapefruit juice and club soda – I swap the traditional grapefruit soda for a mix of grapefruit juice and sparkling water.We like this brand, but feel free to use your favorite! Tequila – Use any good-quality blanco tequila in this recipe.My recipe is a fresher version of this classic combination. If you’re looking for a fun way to kick off the weekend, I hope you give it a try!Ī traditional paloma cocktail consists of tequila, lime juice, and grapefruit soda. It’s really simple, and it’s a fresh alternative to other tequila drinks (looking at you, margarita). In fact, we’re already looking forward to making this paloma recipe again tomorrow. With just the two of us, our “scene” looked a bit different than our Hula Hut days, but we still had fun mixing up our drinks together. Last weekend, the spring sun inspired us to make this paloma recipe at home. We loved to sit there in the hot sun, sipping our cocktails and sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with friends. It had a big deck right on Lake Austin, and it was filled with people all summer long. When Jack and I lived in Austin, we’d always order paloma cocktails on summer afternoons at Hula Hut.

Best grapefruit soda for palomas