Tequila Sunrise

Name: Tequila Sunrise Cocktail Recipe
Ingredients: Don Julio Blanco; Fresh Orange Juice; Grenadine Syrup; Orange Slice and Cherry

Tequila

Author: The Bar Team

Tequila Sunrise – a dazzling blend of top-shelf tequila, vibrant orange juice, and a hint of grenadine magic. This iconic cocktail is a burst of tropical energy that paints your palate with the warmth of a sunrise.

What you’ll need:

Ingredients:

Serves:

Don Julio Blanco
1.5oz
Fresh Orange Juice
3.5oz
Grenadine Syrup
0.75oz
Orange Slice and Cherry
To garnish

Equipment

Highball glass
Jigger
Chopping board
Knife
Ice

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Method

Step 1

Pour tequila and orange juice into a Highball glass over ice

Step 2

Stir to combine

Step 3

Slowly pour grenadine over the top to create a 'sunrise effect'.

Step 4

Garnish with a cherry or an orange twist.

This iconic cocktail is a burst of energy that paints your palate with the warmth of a sunrise.

In this recipe

Don Julio

Don Julio Blanco Tequila

750ml

Engravable

Casamigos

Casamigos Blanco Tequila

70cl

A tall, clear glass tumbler with vertical ribbed lines stands against a plain black background.

Nude

Big Top High Ball Glass, Set of 4

A wooden block holds four gold bar tools: a strainer, bottle opener, jigger, and spoon, each standing upright in its own slot.

Kessy Beldi

Sidecar 5-Piece Tool Bar Set

What does a tequila sunrise taste like?

This cocktail is bright and fruity with a strong citrus flavor profile.

Tangy

Orange juice provides refreshing, tangy citrus.

Sweet

Grenadine (which is a pomegranate syrup) adds sweetness, as well as the deep red color needed for the base of a tequila sunrise.

Use top-shelf tequila

Tequila adds the signature agave flavor that brings it all together. We recommend blanco (silver) tequilas like Don Julio Blanco tequila, Casamigos Blanco or DeLeon Blanco tequila. All three feature a note of citrus that complements the citrus focus of the tequila sunrise and are made from 100% Blue Weber agave for the best agave flavor.

Add a flavored rim

And we like to add a salty rim for a sweet and salty flavor combo that brings your taste experience to the next level!

Two tall glasses of a layered red and yellow beverage with ice cubes and citrus slices, set against a warm orange background.

What's in a tequila sunrise?

This popular drink is made with three base ingredients: blanco tequila, orange juice and grenadine.

While the original recipe is a simple-to-make classic, cocktail lovers have come up with dozens of spins. Some add orange-flavored liqueur. Some substitute cherry or cranberry juice for grenadine. Or, you might even like a salted rim — we’ve included that in our recipe here. And the tequila sunset, a sister drink to the tequila sunrise, is achieved by replacing orange juice with grapefruit juice.

If you like it a little more tart, add a squeeze of lemon or lime. You can also adjust the proportions. With the tequila sunrise, the sky is the limit on exciting new flavor combinations.

Where did the tequila sunrise come from?

Rock ’n’ roll and fruity drinks? As it turns out, the tequila sunrise and rock music go hand in hand. Though the origin of the tequila sunrise is shrouded in uncertainty, mostly because the drink has changed significantly over the years, there are a few things we know.

A “tequila sunrise” was created in a famous Arizona luxury hotel in the 1930s and 1940s — but you might not recognize it as the drink we enjoy today. This original tequila sunrise contained tequila, crème de cassis (a blackcurrant liqueur), lime juice and soda water. But rock ’n’ roll made the tequila sunrise famous when the cocktail became the favorite of a global 1970s rock ‘n’ roll icon.

Variations to customize your tequila sunrise

Are you looking for something a little different? Try these variations on our classic tequila sunrise.

A stemmed glass with a layered cocktail, ice cubes, a slice of pineapple, and a green leaf garnish, set on a white surface against a beige background.

If you like it a little sour

Squeeze a bit of lemon or lime into your drink to cut down on the sweet flavor.

Want to get really creative? For something even more tart, swap out orange juice for grapefruit juice to create an entirely new cocktail—a tequila sunset.

For a kick of spice

Do you want a bit of a kick in your fruity drink? Try infusing your tequila with jalapeño! Pour tequila into a small jar and add a sliced jalapeño. Cover and let sit overnight. Strain and discard the jalapeño. Now you have spicy tequila ready for use! You can even add a thin slice of jalapeño as garnish to your spicy tequila sunrise.

If you’re missing the grenadine

No grenadine? No worries! You can replace the grenadine in a tequila sunrise in several ways.

Use a red juice such as cherry juice or sweet cranberry juice for a slightly different flavor profile.

Mix two-parts simple syrup with one-part pomegranate juice.
Make your own raspberry syrup with sugar, water, raspberries and lemon.
Mix one-part strawberry syrup with one-part club soda.
Pay homage to the tequila sunrise’s ancestor with crème de cassis.

Don’t be afraid to experiment!

Shop tequilas

Don Julio

Don Julio Blanco Tequila

Casamigos Blanco Tequila

70cl

21 Seeds

Cucumber Jalapeño Blanco Tequila

750ml

Switch up the spirits

We recommend blanco tequila (like our Don Julio Blanco, DeLeon Blanco, or Casamigos Blanco) for the classic tequila sunrise. But if you’re looking for something a little different, or don’t have blanco on hand, try one of these variations. For a smoky flavor with a broody tone, replace tequila with a quality mezcal (like our Casamigos Mezcal). This sunrise has a storm on the horizon. No tequila or mezcal on hand? You can also try a vodka sunrise. Replace tequila with vodka for a drink that is somewhere between a tequila sunrise and a screwdriver.