Cinco de Mayo drink recipes for tequila cocktails, margaritas and more

What better way to celebrate Mexico's victory at the Battle of Puebla on May 5, 1862, than with a celebratory drink? And what better base spirit is better than tequila?

Cinco de Mayo margarita recipes and other delicious tequila cocktails

From margaritas to palomas, these refreshing drinks are perfect for any fiesta! (Or most weekdays.)

Casamigas Spicy Cucumber Margarita

Ingredients
1.5 oz. Casamigas Jalapeño Tequila, (or preferred spicy tequila of choice)
.75 oz. Fresh Lime Juice
.5 oz. Simple Syrup
3 Cucumber Slices
1 Dash Scrappy's Firewater Bitters or 1 Jalapeño Slice
Garnish Cucumber Wheel and Jalapeño Slice through Skewer

Method: Combine all ingredients into a tin shaker. (Muddle jalapeño if using). Add ice, shake vigorously and fine strain into a rocks glass. Add fresh ice and garnish.

Casamigas Spicy Refresher

Ingredients

1.5 oz. Casamigas Jalapeño Tequila

1 oz. Fresh Watermelon Juice

.5 oz. Fresh Lime Juice

.5 oz. Simple Syrup

8–10 Mint Leaves

1 Dash Scrappy's Firewater Bitters or 1 Jalapeño Slice

½ Thick Rim Equal Parts Salt/Sugar/Tajín

Optional: 4 Dashes Peychaud’s Bitters (To enhance color)

Garnish Watermelon Slice with Rind and Mint Sprig

Method: Wet half the rim of rocks glass with lime wheel or wedge, then dip into salt mixture. Combine all ingredients into a tin shaker. Muddle mint (and jalapeño if using). Add ice, shake vigorously and fine strain into rimmed rocks glass. Add fresh ice and garnish.

Casamigos Paloma

2 ounces Casamigos Reposado Tequila

.75 ounces fresh grapefruit juice

.5 ounces fresh lime juice

.25 ounces agave nectar

Splash of grapefruit soda (Suggested: San Pellegrino)

Garnish with half-moon grapefruit slice

Method: Combine all ingredients into a shaker. Add ice and shake vigorously for 8 to 10 seconds. Strain in a rocks glass and add fresh ice. Top off with grapefruit soda and garnish with a half-moon grapefruit slice.

Casa Mezcal Lemonade

1 ounce Casamigos Mezcal

1 ounce Casamigos Blanco Tequila

.5 ounces fresh lemon juice

.5 ounces simple syrup

8 to 10 mint leaves

1/4 barspoon activated charcoal

1/2 thick rim of black lava salt/sugar

Lemonade

Mint sprig

Method: Combine all ingredients into a tin shaker. Muddle herbs, add ice and shake well. Strain into a Collins glass and add fresh ice. Top off with lemonade and garnish with a mint sprig.

Pink Dragon

2 ounces Casamigos Blanco Tequila

1 ounce Fresh Lemon Juice

1 ounce Simple Syrup

2 Strawberries

8 - 10 Mint Leaves

Soda water

Rose water

Method: Combine all ingredients, except rose water and soda water, into tin shaker. Muddle fruit/herbs and add ice. Shake vigorously then finely strain into Collins glass. Add fresh ice and top off with soda water and six dashes of rose water. Garnish with mint sprig through half-moon dragon fruit slice.

Pineapple Cilantro Margarita

This sweet and savory respasado cocktail combo evokes tropical flavors elevated with a classic Mexican herbaceous taste. Shake one up with the recipe here.

Blackberry Ginger Margarita

Muddled blackberries with ginger syrup and a good reposado tequila make for the perfect fruity twist on a simple favorite. Get the ingredients and full recipe here.

Tricolore Margarita

"We freeze layers of Strawberry puree, Cointreau and jalapeno juice into a tri-colored ice cube that resembles both the Mexican and Italian flags."

2 ounes blanco tequila
3/4 ounce lime juice
3/4 ounce Cointreau
1/4 ounce Calabrian Chili Infused Honey

Method: Shake, strain over a Tricolore Cube, which is made from layers of strawberry puree, jalapeno juice, and a Cointreau mixture.

"I wanted to do an Italian inspired Margarita variation for the Quality Italian menu," the New York City restaurant's mixologist Bryan Schneider said. "The recipe is essentially a classic Margarita, with blanco tequila, Cointreau, and fresh lime juice. We add a touch of Calabrian chili infused honey for an Italian twist."

Toasted Coconut Margarita

1.5 ounces Corralejo Silver Tequila

1 ounce Coco Lopez

1.25 ounces sweet and sour

6 large ice cubes

Toasted coconut for rim

Lime wheel to garnish

Method: Measure and pour all ingredients into a blender. Blend on medium speed until ingredients are smooth. Pour contents of blender into garnished frozen margarita glass.

Recipe reprinted courtesy of Corralejo.

An earlier version of this story was first published May 5, 2022.