Tequila Sunrise Recipe (Easy Cocktail) + Video
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Our Tequila Sunrise Recipe makes a bold fruity cocktail with refreshing citrus flavors. Learn how to make a Tequila Sunrise for your next party! This is one of those cocktail recipes that you don’t need any special skills to make! Have fun making this easy drink!
Wondering what’s in a Tequila Sunrise? You’ll be shocked to find that this gorgeous cocktail is made with just 3 simple ingredients!
It’s perfect any time of year – but I do love having this option during hot summer days. That first sip is so refreshing – and the beautiful colors draw you back for more.
A good tequila sunrise drink has a beautiful red color at the base, and then looks like a Malibu sunset as it climbs up the highball glass.
If you want to make a classic tequila sunrise, you’re about to be the rock star of a bartender. This is one of my favorite cocktails because it’s fast, simple, and delicious.
Table of Contents
Tequila Sunrise Recipe
Bold and beautiful, this alcoholic drink has everything you want in a tequila cocktail.
The color gradient is astounding, and the combination of tequila and orange juice is perfect for warmer days (or nights)!
It’s the perfect drink for sipping, and with the bold flavor of tequila, it would make an excellent addition to any Cinco de Mayo or other Mexican food party.
It would even make a great addition to a brunch menu along with our Bloody Mary!
You can’t go wrong with the classic flavors of the Tequila Sunrise ingredients, and of course, the colors of the cocktail make for a gorgeous presentation!
What’s in a Tequila Sunrise?
This fruity drink features a combination of tequila and orange juice, topped with a splash of grenadine for sweetness and color.
Looking for more fun holiday drinks? Make a few of our favorite Cinco de Mayo cocktails for an unforgettable, festive fiesta!
Also try my Firecracker Frozen Daiquiri for a perfectly frosty 4th of July cocktail!
For another mouthwatering option, consider a creamy, refreshing frozen peach margarita that features all of the flavors of summer.
You could even serve these drinks with another recipe that uses tequila, scrumptious tequila lime chicken!
And for dessert, we highly recommend serving margarita cupcakes! They’re zesty, boozy, and bright — the perfect way to finish the evening.
Tips for Tequila Sunrise Recipes
- Use frozen oranges instead of ice. To prevent watering down your drink, you can freeze peeled citrus wedges to use instead. Or, freeze orange juice in an ice cube tray!
- Create a beautiful sunrise in your glass. Add the grenadine slowly so that your layers don’t mix.
This creates a gorgeous gradient from red to orange that will wow your guests. - Add soda for a less potent cocktail. Add sprite, ginger ale, or soda water for a cocktail that’s a bit easier to drink.
- Control the sweetness. The grenadine is what really controls the sweetness of Tequila Sunrise recipes. Adjust the amount to suit your preferences.
You can also add fun garnishes to this pretty cocktail like a festive straw or a drink umbrella.
I like to use some leftover pineapple and add it to the top of the drink or on the rim of the glass, but it’s totally up to you and what you are craving.
With it’s beautiful sunrise effect, it’s no wonder how this classic cocktail got its name!
Be sure that you use tall glasses so that you can have a red layer, and the other colors. Two short a glass won’t give you that affect.
Tequila Sunrise Ingredients
- Tequila – We use Jose Cuervo Gold tequila for this Tequila Sunrise recipe.
- Orange Juice – Fresh-squeezed orange juice with some pulp will make for a great, refreshing cocktail.
- Grenadine – This is a sweet syrup with a gorgeous red hue. You can find this ingredient near the cocktail mixers in any grocery store or liquor store.
Serving Suggestions
A maraschino cherry on top is just what you need for this stunning cocktail! Maraschino cherries fit both the flavor and color profile of this drink perfectly.
You can also make a cool garnish by twisting an orange slice and sliding a toothpick through the center to hold the shape.
Rest it on top of the glass for a fancy finish! Have fun with this Tequila sunrise cocktail recipe!
Make this tequila cocktail recipe unique and fun and squeeze some fresh lime juice and sugar on the rim as well.
I’ve also added fruit juices to the rim of this delicious cocktail for an extra burst of sweetness.
Grapefruit juice, fresh orange juice, and even pineapple juice are all yummy options!
Tequila Sunrise Recipe FAQ
Gold tequila, the standard for Tequila Sunrise recipes, has a very smooth taste and golden brown color. Silver tequila is clear in color and has a harsher bite.
You can certainly use silver instead of gold if you wish, but the color of the drink will be different, and the taste won’t be as smooth.
A Tequila Sunset is very similar but usually isn’t as sweet. It has the same combination of tequila and orange juice, but usually includes soda water with the grenadine, or sometimes blackberry brandy is used instead.
If you’re not a fan of grenadine in cocktails, you can still get a beautiful color combination with pomegranate or cranberry juice. But to keep the sweet taste, you could use a raspberry or strawberry simple syrup in this Tequila Sunrise recipe instead.
You don’t have to. I like to because it’s fun, but you can whip it up without one! I always make sure that I have ice cubes, and a nice garnish for the side of the glass (and of course the best tequila) – but besides that, this simple cocktail is a breeze!
Enjoy!
With love, from our simple kitchen to yours.
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Tequila Sunrise Recipe (Easy Cocktail) + Video
Ingredients
- 2 ounces Jose Cuervo Gold Tequila
- 4 ounces orange juice
- splash grenadine
- ice
- orange slice
Instructions
- Fill glass half way with ice, pour tequila and orange juice into the glass. Stir to combine, add a splash of grenadine and garnish with an orange slice.
- Enjoy!
Video
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe’s nutritional value will vary depending on the ingredients used, measuring methods, and portion sizes.
Originally published April 2012, updated and republished March 2025
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We’re Donna and Chad, the dream team behind The Slow Roasted Italian. Our focus is on taking complicated OUT of the kitchen. Life is busy enough, making meals should be fast and easy, to help make your life as simple as possible. Read More >>
Oh the memories … this drink brings them back! Nothing like it – always a favorite! Awesome. Now it's not even noon and I want a drink 🙂
We've been looking to serve up some nice summer time drinks – I think we might need to add this to the repertoire.
Love that bright color! That is one gorgeous drink.
I thought maybe the Eagles were up to something new, but this is much better!
Looks great a favorite!
This has been on our to-make cocktail list for awhile. Yes, we have one, on the fridge. Laugh away. Looks awesome and a great reminder to us.
Donna – you have me craving tequila! thank gosh it's the weekend tomorrow!!
This was an awesome mix! Tasty and beautiful too! I need more days in the weekend for this drink!
I actually do not like grenadine, but I do like a good sunrise. Try using cherry brandy in place of the grenadine. I think you just might like it.
If you prefer a different twist Rum instead of Tequila is a very nice Hawaiian Sunrise and smooth. However I suggest NOT using 151!
I love this drink! I just leave out the grenadine. Rum would be good, so would vodka for a screwdriver.
I am not a fan of grenadine, so I use cherry brandy instead. Give it a try, I love it.