Lighter Paloma Cocktail with Honey Syrup
This lighter Paloma cocktail recipe is a satisfying refreshing cocktail made from fresh grapefruit juice, lime juice, tequila, sparkling water and a from-scratch honey syrup.
If you like Paloma cocktails, or grapefruit in general, you are going to love this recipe! It’s an simple, lighter cocktail recipe that you can whip up at home. This cocktail is made healthier by using fresh grapefruit and lime juice, along with a honey simple syrup.
The honey enhances and also tames the grapefruit flavor, and the tequila and lime make for the just right flavor pairing for this wonderful drink. Oh and if you love tequila drinks, try our cointreau margarita, it is a delight!
Why this recipe works
- It is satisfying! It has the satisfying tart yet sweet grapefruit flavor.
- You can’t beat the flavor of fresh grapefruit and lime juice.
- Honey syrup is healthier than simple syrup. Simple syrup is made with sugar and many of the one’s you can buy in stores have preservatives inside. While honey syrup is made with honey and water only!
- It comes together quickly with a handful of ingredients.
Recipe ingredients:
- Honey– we personally like using raw honey but any honey will work.
- Hot water– we boil it in a tea kettle in advance.
- Fresh grapefruit– we normally only need to juice 2 grapefruit to get all the juice that we need for this drink, but you may need 3.
- Tequila– Choose your favorite! We think a clear high quality tequila will work best, but it’s up to you. Our recent favorite tequila brand is Don Julio. In particular we love the Don Julio , though it is a bit pricey.
- Lime juice– have a few extra ready in case they don’t give you enough lime juice.
- Grapefruit sparkling water– we love using Spindrift grapefruit sparkling water
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Additions/ Substitutions
- Instead of honey, you can use maple syrup.
- Instead of fresh grapefruit, you can buy grapefruit juice at the store.
- Instead of grapefruit sparking water, you can use any non-flavored sparkling water.
Step by step instructions
Step 1: Make the honey syrup. Mix the honey with hot water until the honey melts.
Step 2: Mix the honey syrup, grapefruit juice, tequila, and lime juice together. Taste to make sure you like the sweetness and flavor.
Step 3: Add 2 ounces of sparkling water and taste it. If you like it like that, leave it… if you want more sparkling water add a little more.
Flavor tip: this drink tastes great with a few fresh mint leaves thrown inside!
Recipe FAQs
Can you make this into a mocktail?Yes! Just omit the alcohol and enjoy a satisfying paloma mocktail.
What is honey syrup?Honey syrup is like simple syrup, but instead of being made with sugar, it is made with honey.
What kind of tequila should you use in a Paloma?Any good quality tequila blanco (white colored tequila). We like Don Julio tequila blanco.
Prep 8 minutesTotal 10 minutesMakes 2
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs honey
- 2 Tbs hot water
- 8 ounces fresh squeezed grapefruit juice, (this was from 2 grapefruit for us)
- 4.5 ounces tequila, 3 shots ( clear tequila is best)
- 1.5 ounces lime juice, (1 shot)
- 2-4 ounces grapefruit sparkling water, or plain sparkling water
Method
- To start, make the honey simple syrup. In a cup or small bowl, mix 1 Tbs of honey with 2 Tbs boiling hot water. Mix until the honey is melted. Set aside.
- In a large shaker or a large bowl, mix the grapefruit juice, tequila, lime juice, and honey syrup together. Taste it. Add the sparkling water or grapefruit sparkling water to taste and mix again.
Notes
- Instead of honey, you can use maple syrup.
- Instead of fresh grapefruit, you can buy grapefruit juice at the store.
- Instead of grapefruit sparking water, you can use any non-flavored sparkling water.
