20 Easy Tequila Drinks For Cinco de Mayo

Updated April 29, 2019

No Cinco de Mayo celebration is complete without at least one tequila-based cocktail. Whether you're looking for a classic margarita recipe or an exciting punch recipe, our 20 favorite tequila cocktail recipes are sure to get the party started. 

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Easy Margaritas for a Crowd

Credit: Emma Crist; Styling: Emma Crist

Easy Margaritas for a Crowd Recipe

Look no further than these large-batch margaritas when you're hosting your next big fiesta and can't spend hours juicing limes. This margarita recipe is a revelation--the secret ingredient is a can of frozen limeade concentrate which, once emptied, doubles as a measuring cup for the remaining ingredients. These margaritas are strong, slightly (but not overly) sweet, and have the perfect note of orange flavor. Oh, and did we mention there's beer involved? We prefer to serve in a large glass drink dispenser with plenty of limes on the side.

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Blackberry-Orange Margarita

Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Blackberry-Orange Margarita Recipe

This fruity sipper has sweet-tart flavor with a subtle burn from the serrano-infused tequila. Tender-tongued? This drink is equally delicious without the chile. Blackberries are fiber-packed and contain antioxidants called polyphenols that might ward off cognitive decline and keep your heart healthy.

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Whole-Lime Margaritas

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Whole-Lime Margaritas Recipe

These refreshing big-batch margaritas using entire limes—peel, pith, flesh, and all—take food waste reduction to the next level. Just dump all of your ingredients into a blender, give them a good whirl, and strain into a pitcher for the easiest, and likely most delicious, batch of margaritas you’ve ever made. 

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Spike Your Watermelon with Tequila

Credit: Photo by Alex Tepper

Spike Your Watermelon with Tequila Recipe

Before biting into a sweet slice of watermelon, you should really soak it in tequila. Essentially a cocktail poured over the fruit, tequila-spiked watermelon is so much better a brunch side than a pile of the plain fruit. But don’t just freely pour hooch over watermelon. Unless you’re in the mood for a chewable shot, mix the tequila into a gently spiced lemon simple syrup. Pro tip: Make tequila-spiked watermelon at least 12 hours before serving, because the longer the fruit sits in the tequila mixture, the better it will be.

A basic sugar-and-water simple syrup gets whacked with the flavor stick in the form of lemon rind and star anise. Add a splash of tequila (and then maybe one more) to the lemony syrup, then dump the whole batch over a pan of freshly sliced watermelon wedges. Let the fruit chill in the fridge, then serve with a sprinkle of salt.

Tequila-Spiked Watermelon

Kitchen gear kindly provided by our partners at Jet.com.

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Tequila Sunset with Stars

Credit: Greg Dupree

Tequila Sunset with Stars Recipe

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Cranberry Tequila Punch

Credit: Thomas J. Story

Cranberry Tequila Punch Recipe

Recipe by Amanda Haas, culinary director of Williams-Sonoma and author of The Anti-Inflammation Cookbook (Chronicle Books, 2016). "Tequila is just as versatile as popular spirits like gin and vodka," says Amanda, who created this pretty punch.

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Cherry-Orange Tequila Cocktail

Credit: Michael Kraus; Styling: Roscoe Betsill

Cherry-Orange Tequila Cocktail Recipe

A slow pour creates pretty layers of cherry and orange for this tequila-spiked rainbow in a glass

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South of the Border

Credit: Ryan Moriarty; Styling: Callie Blount

South of the Border Recipe

Tequila, coffee liqueur, and lime juice create this simple, down-south cocktail.

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The Bernie Paloma

The Bernie Paloma Recipe

Presidential candidate Bernie Sanders recently served up a speech complete with a custom cocktail. Made with Vermont maple syrup, fresh fruit juices, and silver tequila, the now-famous cocktail was developed by Washington bartender Miguel Marcelino Herrara.

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Peach-Raspberry Tequila Sunrise

Credit: Yunhee Kim; Styling: Denise Canter

Peach-Raspberry Tequila Sunrise Recipe

Make this vibrant and beautiful twist on a tequila sunrise, using peaches and raspberries. If you can't get your hands on fresh fruit, frozen will do just fine.

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Cilantro-Lime Margaritas

Credit: Victor Protasio

Cilantro-Lime Margaritas Recipe

Skip the super-sugary margarita mix and welcome the warmer weather with this twist on a classic margarita. Lime and cilantro could be no better partners. This is a great use for cilantro stems, which have all the flavor of cilantro but are often overlooked. If you have a lot of cilantro stems, feel free to use 1 cup stems in place of the mix of stems and leaves.

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SoCal Fruit Cart Margarita

Credit: Jennifer Causey

SoCal Fruit Cart Margarita Recipe

The inspiration for this tropical cocktail comes from ensalada de fruta con chile, Mexico's spicy fruit salad. Pack the heat with Tajin Clasico’s chili pepper and lime seasoning and a grilled pineapple ring garnish, infuse fruity flavor with papaya-pineapple nectar, mango liqueur, and finish with reposado tequila. The result? A tropical margarita ready for the hottest of pool days. 

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Frosty Raspberry-Lime Margarita

Credit: Jennifer Davick; Styling: Erynn Hedrick Hassinger

Frosty Raspberry-Lime Margarita Recipe

Have a little fun with your traditional margarita recipe by adding fresh raspberry and lime flavors.

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La Croix Margarita

Credit: Sara Tane

La Croix Margarita Recipe

For a lighter spin on the classic margarita, look no further than a can of lime LaCroix, or your favorite lime-flavored seltzer water of choice. With no added sugar, this skinny version is super easy to make and comes with significantly less guilt. Serve in a festive margarita glass rimmed with salt, if desired.

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Roasted Strawberry Margaritas with Aquafaba Whip

Credit: Caitlin Bensel

Roasted Strawberry Margaritas with Aquafaba Whip Recipe

Aquafaba, the viscous fluid from canned chickpeas, is the surprising key to making a plant-based whipped topping. The process is pretty miraculous: The liquid whips up to a thick, fluffy foam that mimics whipped cream. Just be sure to use the liquid from unsalted chickpeas for the best results (we like Eden brand).

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Honeydew-Jalapeño Margaritas

Honeydew-Jalapeño Margaritas Recipe

Meet your new favorite poolside cocktail. This slushy sipper offers sweet, floral honeydew flavor with a nice slow burn from jalapeño-infused tequila.

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Fiery Mango Margarita

Credit: Greg Dupree; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Fiery Mango Margarita Recipe

Sweet and spicy is oh-so-nice. Instead of mango, you could try pineapple in this refreshing summer drink. 

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Smoky Mezcal Margarita

Credit: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Mary Clayton Carl

Smoky Mezcal Margarita Recipe

Mezcal, like tequila, is an agave-based spirit. When making mezcal, the heart of the agave plant (the piña) is slow roasted in pits, lending a more rustic, smoky tone reminiscent of a beach bonfire. I add dried crushed red pepper to the kosher salt on the rim of the glass for heat.

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Chile-Agave Margarita

Credit: Hector Sanchez Styling: Claire Spollen

Chile-Agave Margarita Recipe

If you really like heat, don't seed the chile before muddling. Tender-tongued? Skip muddling; just shake and strain.

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Strawberry Margarita Jell-O Shots

Strawberry Margarita Jell-O Shots Recipe

Get your next party started with a round of boozy Jell-O shots. As our most popular shot to date, you not only get the fun of a jelly shot, but also the spiked strawberry that holds the shot is edible making cleanup a breeze. Cheers to that!

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