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30 Minutes or Less

Mom’s Watermelon Paloma

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watermelon paloma in a glass with a lime slice and a small slice of watermelon.

A few weeks ago, my mom had her first watermelon paloma while out to lunch, and she was hooked! She even texted me about it, and almost immediately got to working on recreating it. I feel like now’s a good time to mention, especially if you’re new around here, that my Mom is the cocktail queen! Last year she shared her BEST-ever daiquiri recipe with us, and she makes a mean aperol spritz. And guess what? Her version turned out even better than the one she had a brunch!

It’s a refreshing blend of watermelon and tequila, finished off with fizzy grapefruit soda. But not just any grapefruit soda, Mom tested a few and found her favorite, which I outline in the ingredients below! This watermelon paloma is a must, especially as the warm weather lingers. It’s perfect for sipping with brunch, or at your next summer party. I’ll surely be cheers-ing to the last days of summer with this refreshing cocktail in hand!

overhead image of watermelon paloma with fresh mint for garnish.

What Makes this the BEST Watermelon Paloma

This Watermelon Paloma stands out because it perfectly balances sweet, tangy, and refreshing flavors. The use of fresh watermelon juice brings a vibrant, natural sweetness, while the lime juice adds a necessary tartness. Tequila is the perfect base, and the Fever Tree grapefruit soda takes it over the top! The salted rim is the final touch, and my favorite part, but feel free to leave it out if that’s not your thing. Mom actually doesn’t include a salted rim in her original recipe, she prefers no salt.

What You’ll Need to Make It

  • Fresh Watermelon Juice: The star of the show! Use ripe, juicy watermelon for the best flavor. You can find watermelon juice at some grocery stores, like Trader Joe’s!
  • Fresh Lime Juice: Adds a tangy kick, and is signature to a classic paloma recipe. Mom always recommends using fresh limes rather than bottled juice for maximum flavor.
  • Simple Syrup: Easily made at home by dissolving equal parts sugar and water. You can also purchase it from most grocery stores, or use agave instead!
  • Tequila: The quality of your tequila matters. Opt for a good silver tequila, like Patron Silver or Casamigos Blanco, for a smooth finish.
  • Fever Tree Grapefruit Soda: This soda is light, fizzy, and not too sweet, making it a perfect addition to the cocktail. You can find it at specialty grocery stores, most liquor stores, or online. However, if you can’t find Fever Tree grapefruit soda, feel free to use whatever grapefruit soda you can get your hands on.

How to Make Fresh Watermelon Juice

Making fresh watermelon juice is simple. Cut your watermelon into chunks, removing the seeds. Then, blend the chunks until smooth. Strain the juice through a fine mesh strainer to remove the pulp, and you’re ready to go! Fresh watermelon juice can be stored in the fridge for up to three days.

watermelon paloma in a glass with a lime slice and watermelon slice.

How to Make It

  1. Prepare the Glass: Rub a lime wedge around the rim of your glass. Dip the rim in salt, then fill the glass with ice.
  2. Mix the Cocktail: In a cocktail shaker, combine the watermelon juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and tequila. Add ice and shake vigorously for 30 seconds to a minute until the drink is well chilled.
  3. Pour and Serve: Pour the mixture into your prepared glass, then top it off with Fever Tree grapefruit soda. Garnish with a lime wedge or a small watermelon slice.

Switch Up the Flavor

  • Use Vodka Instead of Tequila: If you’re not a tequila fan, swap it out for vodka for a lighter, less intense flavor.
  • Experiment with Other Juices: While watermelon is Mom’s favorite (mine too!), you can try other fresh fruit juices like pineapple, strawberry, or peach for a different twist.
  • Make it a Mocktail: Simply leave out the tequila for a light and refreshing non-alcoholic watermelon paloma mocktail!

By following these tips and using high-quality ingredients, you’ll create the perfect watermelon paloma that everyone will love. Don’t forget to share your creations and tag me on Instagram—I can’t wait to see how you enjoy this drink!

watermelon paloma in a glass with a lime slice and a small slice of watermelon.
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Mom’s Watermelon Paloma

This easy watermelon paloma recipe was developed by none other than my Mom! Consider her our resident bartender, and the only person I trust to make a really REALLY good drink. With fresh watermelon juice, a splash of lime, and a fizzy finish, this watermelon paloma will become your go-to summer cocktail!
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Ingredients

  • 3 ounces watermelon juice
  • 1 ounce fresh lime juice
  • 1 ounce simple syrup, or agave
  • 2 ounces tequila
  • 2-3 ounces grapefruit soda (Mom recommends Fever Tree grapefruit soda)

Instructions

  • Rub a lime wedge around the edge of a glass, then dip the rim of the glass in salt and fill the glass with ice.
  • Add the watermelon juice, lime juice, simple syrup, and tequila to a cocktail shaker with ice. Secure the shaker with a lid, then shake for 30 seconds to a minute, or until the drink is very cold.
  • Pop the lid off the shaker and pour the drink into your prepared glass. Then, fill the glass the rest of the way with grapefruit soda.
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Drinks

4-Ingredient Pineapple Margarita

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Pineapple margarita in a glass with a pineapple slice on the side.

There are few things as good as an ice cold pineapple margarita! Shake up one of these fruity, but not-too-sweet drinks with just 4 ingredients. Best enjoyed on a hot summer day or at your next party!

pineapple margarita in a glass with lime wedges on the side.

What You’ll Need to Make a Pineapple Margarita

Tequila – Good quality tequila goes a long way in a homemade margarita! I love a good “middle shelf” tequila – not the cheapest but also NOT the most expensive. Casamigos and Espolon are my two current favorites, and taste delicious in this recipe!

Pineapple Juice – Either fresh or canned pineapple juice will work! I used canned pineapple juice because it’s easier. But if you really want to get crafty with these cocktails, make your own pineapple juice instead.

Lime Juice – Unlike the pineapple juice, fresh lime juice is best. I can almost always tell the difference between fresh and bottled lime juice. Fresh lime juice can turn a good cocktail into an incredible cocktail!

Triple Sec – Want to make this a skinny pineapple margarita? Replace the triple sec with orange juice. Triple sec has more sugar, which sweetens up this drink. Though if you don’t mind it a little less sweet, opt for the lower-calorie orange juice option instead.

Overhead image of pineapple margarita in a glass with pineapple and lime on top.

Tips and Tricks

  • Shake up these pineapple margaritas for your next themed party (cinco de mayo, perhaps?!). Simply juice the limes ahead of time, and have all ingredients set out. Then, add to a cocktail shaker and serve when guests arrive.
  • I like lining the rim of my margarita glass with a combo of sugar and salt. However, you can totally skip that first step of the recipe if that’s not your thing.
  • Make it a frozen margarita! To do this, add all margarita ingredients to a blender with a small handful of ice. Then, blend until slushy and enjoy immediately – extra refreshing!

Make a Pineapple Margarita Pitcher

For a whole pitcher of pineapple margaritas, use the measurements below:

  • 2 cups pineapple juice
  • 2 cups tequila
  • 1 cup triple sec (or orange juice)
  • 1 cup lime juice
Pineapple margarita in a glass with a pineapple slice on the side.
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4-Ingredient Pineapple Margarita

There are few things as good as an ice cold pineapple margarita! Shake up one of these fruity, but not-too-sweet drinks with just 4 ingredients. Best enjoyed on a hot summer day or at your next party!
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Prep Time: 3 minutes
Total Time: 3 minutes
Servings: 1 serving

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • lime wedge

For the margarita:

  • 2 ounces tequila
  • 2 ounces pineapple juice
  • 1 ounce lime juice
  • 1 ounce triple sec (or orange juice to make it a skinny margarita)

Instructions

  • Mix sugar and salt together on a small plate. Run lime wedge around the rim of your glass, then dip rim into sugar and salt mixture. Fill the glass with ice.
  • Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add in the tequila, pineapple juice, lime juice, and triple sec. Secure lid and shake for 30 seconds, then strain into glass and enjoy!

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal

Love margaritas? Same. Make sure you try these recipes too:

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30 Minutes or Less

Watermelon Margaritas (just THREE ingredients!)

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frozen watermelon margaritas in two glasses with a watermelon slice on the rim.

These watermelon margaritas will be your new favorite summertime cocktail! With just three ingredients and a blender, you’ll have the most delicious and refreshing frozen drink. Frozen watermelon, lime juice, and a splash (or two) of good quality tequila come together to make this best-ever, easy summer cocktail!

two frozen watermelon margaritas with limes on the side.

I’m a BIG margarita girl, we know this by now. I absolutely gushed over my love for margaritas in my Skinny Blackberry Margarita post, so I’ll spare you from all of that this time around. Though what I will say is that this particular margarita recipe includes my all-time favorite summer fruit – WATERMELON. I’ve honestly never met anyone who ever had a bad thing to say about watermelon. It’s naturally oh-so sweet, crazy refreshing, and is really only available in the warmer months, making it all the more special. I plan on enjoying a lot, and I mean A LOT of this coveted fruit over the next few months. And there’s nothing anyone can do to stop me! You know what I also plan on enjoying a lot of this summer? These watermelon margaritas.

Your typical margarita has its fair share of added sugars. Though thanks to watermelons natural sweetness, this refreshing cocktail has NO added sugar! And like I mentioned before it only requires three ingredients (plus ice). Which means it’s the easiest and healthiest alcoholic beverage of all time. That’s right – of. all. time. I highly recommend you blend up a batch of these watermelon margaritas for your next summer barbecue or party. Maybe even for the 4th of July, perhaps?! This recipe yields about 4 margaritas, but can easily be doubled or even tripled if you’d like. Cheers to SUMMER and cheers to WATERMELON MARGARITAS!

overhead image of two frozen watermelon margaritas

What You Need To Make Watermelon Margaritas

Frozen Watermelon – To freeze watermelon, start by slicing it into 1 to 2-inch chunks. Need help slicing your watermelon? Check our my How to Cut a Watermelon blog post! Then, transfer the chunks to a parchment lined baking sheet, in a single layer, and place in the freezer. Freeze the watermelon for at least 2 hours or until frozen solid. Once frozen, you can go straight into using it in this recipe, or transfer to an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months!

Now, let’s backtrack for a second. There are a few things you want to look for when picking out your watermelon. A perfectly ripe and ready to slice watermelon will have a decently-sized yellow spot where it once laid on the ground right before it was picked. If that spot is more white than yellow, it’s not ripe – the more yellow it is, the better. Another thing to check for when looking for a ripe watermelon is the sound. Pick up the watermelon and give it a few taps. If it sounds deeply hollow that means it’s exploding with juicy flavor and is ready to enjoy!

Tequila – A good quality tequila will make all the difference in the enjoyment and smoothness of these watermelon margaritas. I highly recommend a blanco silver tequila, which is most often used in margarita recipes. I use and love Don Julio tequila for its smoother taste, without being outrageously priced.

Lime Juice – Fresh is always best, though bottled lime juice would also work in this recipe! The lime juice gives this cocktail its signature taste while also bringing out the freshness of the watermelon. If you’re feeling fancy, save a few lime slices to garnish your drinks with!

Make it a Mocktail

  • Replace the tequila with 1/4 cup of water for an alcohol-free, refreshing watermelon margarita mocktail!
Watermelon Margaritas (just THREE ingredients!)
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Watermelon Margaritas (just THREE ingredients!)

0 from 0 votes
Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: DrinksCuisine: MexicanDifficulty: Easy
Servings

4

servings
Total time

5

minutes

These watermelon margaritas will be your new favorite summertime cocktail! With just three ingredients and a blender, you’ll have the most delicious and refreshing frozen drink. Frozen watermelon, lime juice, and a splash (or two) of good quality tequila come together to make this best-ever, easy summer cocktail!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups frozen watermelon, see Notes

  • 1/2 cup tequila

  • 1/2 cup lime juice

  • 1 cup ice

Directions

  • Add all ingredients to a blender and blend until no chunks of watermelon or ice remain.

Recipe Video

Notes

  • Frozen Watermelon: To freeze watermelon, cut a fresh watermelon into chunks and then spread into an even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Transfer baking sheet to the freezer for 2-3 hours or until watermelon is frozen solid.

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Other Healthier Cocktail Recipes

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30 Minutes or Less

Skinny Strawberry Margarita Recipe

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close-up image of a skinny strawberry margarita in a glass with fresh strawberries and lime wedges on top.

A lighter, but just as delicious skinny strawberry margarita! Shake up one of these ice cold cocktails at your next Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, or summer party. Made with fresh-squeezed juice, good quality tequila, and fresh strawberries for an incredibly light and refreshing cocktail!

skinny strawberry margarita being poured from a cocktail shaker into a glass.

What You’ll Need To Make A Skinny Strawberry Margarita

Strawberries – Fresh (not frozen) strawberries are a perfect fruity addition to this classic cocktail! Slice off the tops of your strawberries, then gently muddle them in the bottom of your drink glass. Last, pour your shaken skinny margarita on top and give it a gentle stir to incorporate.

Lime Juice – Fresh-squeezed lime juice is best in any margarita recipe. However, if you’re short on time, or making a large batch of these, go ahead and use bottled lime juice instead. Though when picking a bottled lime juice, make sure it has just one ingredient – limes – no added sugar, please!

Orange Juice – Just like the lime juice, fresh-squeezed orange juice is best, and healthiest in this recipe. Most traditional margarita recipes have some sort of orange liquor which packs in extra calories and sugar. So by replacing the liquor with fresh-squeezed orange juice, we effectively turn this into a “skinny” cocktail!

Agave Nectar – Another key component to this skinny strawberry margarita recipe. The agave nectar replaces simple syrup, with a very similar taste and sweetness! Though if you don’t have agave nectar, you can use honey or simple syrup to sweeten your drink instead.

skinny strawberry margarita in a glass with fresh strawberries and lime wedges on top.

Tips and Tricks

  • Craving a frozen strawberry margarita? Place all ingredients (strawberries, tequila, lime juice, orange juice, and agave nectar) in a blender with a small handful of ice! I love making a whole pitcher of frozen margs for friends and family on hot summer days.
  • If you don’t own a fancy-shmancy muddler, simply use the end of a mixing spoon to muddle your strawberries instead. Preferably one with a wide, flat end – but really anything that allows you to press and crush your strawberries will do!
  • Switch up this summer cocktail recipe however you’d like! Rim the glass with just salt, or just sugar, based on your preferences. You could even muddle in some fresh mint leaves to make it even more refreshing! Or for a skinny blackberry margarita, check out my recipe here.
overhead image of a skinny strawberry margarita in a glass.

Make It A Mocktail

For a virgin strawberry margarita, replace the tequila with 2 ounces of tonic or sparkling water!

Skinny Strawberry Margarita Recipe
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Skinny Strawberry Margarita Recipe

5 from 2 votes
Recipe by Samantha Course: DrinksDifficulty: Easy
Servings

1

serving
Prep time

5

minutes
Cooking time

0

minutes
Total time

5

minutes

A lighter, but just as delicious skinny strawberry margarita! Shake up one of these ice cold cocktails at your next Cinco de Mayo, Memorial Day, or summer party. Made with fresh-squeezed juice, good quality tequila, and fresh strawberries for an incredibly light and refreshing cocktail!

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon sugar

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • lime wedge

  • 3-5 strawberries, stems removed

  • 2 ounces tequila

  • 3 tablespoons lime juice

  • 2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

  • 1 1/2 teaspoons agave nectar

Directions

  • Mix sugar and salt together on a small plate. Run a lime wedge around the rim of your glass, then dip rim into sugar and salt mixture.
  • Place strawberries at the bottom of the glass and muddle until crushed, then fill the glass with ice.
  • Fill a cocktail shaker with ice and add in tequila. lime juice, orange juice, and agave nectar. Secure lid and shake for 30 seconds, then strain into glass. Gently stir to combine muddle strawberries and shaken margarita.

Recipe Video

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30 Minutes or Less

Perfect Aperol Spritz

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aperol spritz with fresh orange slices on the side.

The BEST summertime (or anytime!) cocktail – cool and refreshing Aperol spritz! Bubbly, citrusy, and never too sweet. Just three ingredients, and a white wine glass is all you’ll need to make this delicious drink.

aperol being poured into an aperol spritz.

Before diving into all things Aperol spritz, let me first introduce you to a “spritz Veneziano.” A spritz Veneziano is simply a wine-based cocktail containing prosecco, digestive bitter, and sparkling water. The digestive bitter in this particular spritz Veneziano is Aperol – which is where we get the name Aperol spritz!

What is Aperol?

Aperol is an Italia apéritif liquor. It’s bright orange with a citrus, slightly bitter flavor. It’s one of those things where on its own, it’s not so great, but when stirred into a spritz it’s INCREDIBLE. It offers a hint of orange flavor, without being overly sweet. It’s similar to Campari (if you’ve had that) but much less bitter!

Two aperol spritz in white wine glasses with a bottle of aperol on the side.

What You’ll Need to Make an Aperol Spritz

Aperol – The star of our show! Conflicting recipes will suggest different amounts of Aperol for your spritz. However, I’ve tested this recipe a TON of times, and found that two ounces of Aperol made for the perfect cocktail!

Prosecco – This Italian white sparkling wine is traditional to this Italian cocktail. In my opinion, Prosecco is a must for your spritz. I prefer and recommend La Marca Prosecco – it’s crisp and delicious! Also, for a single-serve spritz, I love their mini Prosecco bottles.

Sparkling Water – The amount of sparkling water is totally up to you. For a lighter, more bubbly cocktail, pour in up to 4 ounces of seltzer water. Or, for a deeper, more flavorful cocktail, finish it off with just one ounce of sparkling water!

two aperol spritz with orange slices on the side.

Tips and Tricks

  • Avoid over-stirring your drink. Intense stirring will result in a loss of carbonation. Therefore, your spritz won’t be nearly as bubbly and refreshing!
  • If you prefer the taste of a different aperitif liquer, feel free to use that instead! Campari, Contratto, or Lillet can all be used in place of the Aperol in this recipe.
  • For an extra cold drink, that won’t get watered down – slice, then freeze an orange before making. Then, use frozen orange slices as ice cubes in your Aperol Spritz. They’ll keep the drink cold, and will only add to its delicious, citrus flavor!

Want to keep the party going? Check out some of my other favorite Summer cocktails by clicking HERE.

Perfect Aperol Spritz
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Perfect Aperol Spritz

5 from 1 vote
Recipe by Samantha Course: DrinksCuisine: ItalianDifficulty: Easy
Servings

1

drink
Prep time

2

minutes
Cooking time

0

minutes
Total time

2

minutes

    The BEST summertime (or anytime!) cocktail – cool and refreshing Aperol spritz! Bubbly, citrusy, and never too sweet. Just three ingredients, and a white wine glass is all you’ll need to make this delicious drink.

    Ingredients

    • 2 ounces Aperol

    • 3 ounces Prosecco

    • splash of sparkling water

    • orange slice, for garnish

    Directions

    • Fill a white wine glass halfway with ice. Pour in Aperol, prosecco, and a splash of seltzer water, then gently stir to combine. Garnish with an orange slice and enjoy!

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    Share it and tag @samdoesherbest on Instagram!

    Like this recipe?

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