27 Drink Recipes for Cinco de Mayo

We love eating all the tacos on Cinco de Mayo, but let's be real: This "holiday" is all about the drinks. There's no way we're passing up a margarita. Or a Paloma. Or anything with tequila in it. Here are 27 of our favorites.
Photograph by Isa Zapata, Food Styling by Micah Morton1/27Paloma
On a blazing summer day, nothing hits quite like a sweet, sour, and lightly salty paloma cocktail that comes together in just a moment.
Peden + Munk2/27Especiado Cocktail
Find dried hibiscus flowers at Mexican grocery stores, or buy tea bags at the supermarket.
Ben Dewey3/27Pineapple and Mezcal Tonic
Mezcal: trending! Like tequila, mezcal is made from the agave plant, but it’s got an inherent smokiness, too. If you haven’t had it before, this cocktail recipe is a great place to start.
Keirnan Monaghan & Theo Vamvounakis4/27Red Sangria With Herbs and Citrus
Just because this is an infused mixture of wine, brandy, and orange liqueur doesn’t mean you can just throw anything in there and expect it to taste good. Use spirits you’d be happy to sip on their own. This recipe is from Morcilla, one of the Hot 10, America's Best New Restaurants 2016.
Photo by Alex Lau, Food Styling by Judy Mancini5/27Margarita, No Triple Sec
Strong, shaken, and sooooo easy to drink.
Peden + Munk6/27Mezcal Cocktail with Hibiscus and Cilantro
You can find loose hibiscus flowers at Mexican and Indian grocers, but if not, use 6 hibiscus tea bags instead.
Marcus Nilsson7/27Mezcal Paloma
If you use mezcal, choose a mild one that is not too smoky, like Amarás.
Alex Lau8/27Blood Orange Sangria
RockSugar uses the juice of calamansi, a delicious but hard-to-find citrus fruit. We approximated its flavor with a mix of other citrus.
Alex Lau9/27Hibiscus, Orange, and Vanilla Agua Fresca
True, this concoction is slightly more complex than lemonade. But so are most relationships.
10/27White Sangria
This white sangria recipe can definitely be tweaked to your taste—throw in what you like.

Jamie Chung12/27Agave Margarita
No sugar here—this margarita get its sweetness from agave syrup. Choose your favorite tequila blanco for the base.
Alex Lau13/27Cilantro Margarita
Attention: Also delicious with mint in place of the cilantro (some people really hate cilantro).

Alex Lau15/27Watermelon Margarita
Out of tequila? Never fear: Using vodka instead makes this watermelon margarita recipe just as delicious.
Photo by Wynn Myers16/27Common Lily
In the fall, make this drink with a fresh fig instead of blackberries.

Photo by Vincent Cross18/27Beer Cocktails You Mix in the Can
From tequila to amaro, there's a ton of things that taste just great in beer.
Eva Kolenko19/27Avocado Margarita
Inspired by the quintessential version served at Curra’s Grill in Austin. Trust us, it’s good!
Michael Graydon + Nikole Herriott20/27Aperol-Kombucha Cocktail
Think of this cocktail recipe as a more boozy, more delicious, and just as pretty Aperol spritz.
Alex Lau21/27Tepache Highball
This stiff drink, lightly sweetened with agave nectar (of course), could easily replace scotch and soda as your regular nightcap.
Alex Lau22/27El Coco
This recipe uses tepache, a fermented pineapple liquor commonly sold by street vendors in parts of Mexico. But we show you how to make your own!
Christina Holmes23/27Watermelon, Lime, and Tequila Frozen Cocktail
For best flavor, head to the farmers' market for peak-season fruit. Freeze in a single layer on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet until solid.
Christopher Baker24/27Stone Fruit Sangria
Stone-fruit purée gives this beautifully colored sangria an intensely flavored base that's reinforced with juicy sliced fruit.
Matt Duckor25/27Cranberry Margarita
For this Thanksgiving-in-a-glass cocktail, feel free to sub (thawed) frozen cranberries for fresh.

